The Cuban Delegation Visits CCNY and CREST Institute

On March 11, 2023, the Cuban delegation visited the City College of New York (CCNY). The purpose of the visit was to explore the latest technological advancers at the college and the CREST institute with the goal of establishing collaboration in water related research and training.

During their visit, the delegation toured CUNY CREST research facilities, related to environmental issues related to air and water quality. The delegation was led by Her Excellency Ms. Ines Maria Chapman Waugh, Deputy Prime Minister of Cuba and accompanied by City College President, Vincent Boudreau.

Dr. Reza Khanbilvardi, Executive Director of the CUNY CREST Institute and fellow staff presented Satellite Receiving Station and talked about the two antennas located on the roof of the North Academic Center (NAC) building at CCNY. The two antennas receive data directly from two different satellites. One is for polar orbiting satellites such as JPSS, while the other is for geostationary satellites, such as GOES-R.

The delegation also visited the Optical Remote Sensing Lidar facilities, and discussed ongoing research activities in the area of urban air pollution with Dr. Fred Moshary, Director of Lidar Laboratory. They also visited the Coastal Optical Remote Sensing laboratory and learnt about recent advances in the coastal water quality instrumentation and research. Dr. Khanbilvardi also highlighted the 20+ weather stations (HydroMet Network developed by Dr. Tarendra Lakhankar) that the Institute has installed in New York City’s five boroughs to monitor precipitation distribution in large urban area such as NYC and better understand and monitor, and predict flash flood risk map for New York City.

Other members of the delegation included:  

  • His Excellency Gerardo Peñalver Portal, Ambassador, Permanent Mission of Cuba to the United Nations.
  • His Excellency Yuri A. Gala López, Ambassador, Permanent Mission of Cuba to the United Nations.
  • Mr. Alfredo Correa Alvarez, Chief of Staff for the DPM
  • Mrs. Yanet de la Caridad Triana Cobo, President, Land Water Management Business Group
  • Mr. Leonel Diaz Hernández, Director, Company “Aguas de La Habana”.
  • Mr. Roberto Hernández, Minister Counsellor, Permanent Mission of Cuba to the United 
  • Nations Mr. Iván Casal. Second Secretary. Permanent Mission of Cuba to the United
  • Translator from the Cuban Mission