Rockefeller University

Program for the Human Environment

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Burg visit

During September, PHE welcomed a guest, Dr. David Burg, a biostatistician based at the Golan Research Institute in Katzrin, Israel, as a visiting researcher.  Dr. Burg is working with PHE on a number of projects including the development of online software for statistical analysis of time series data as well as studies applying biological models to social and technical phenomena.  We were fortunate enough to have the participation of many, if not all, the PHE members involved in the joint research.  Pictured below with New York City in the background from left to right are: Jason, Mark, Jesse, Doris, Perrin, Iddo, and David Burg.

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Updated lists of publications for Jesse Ausubel

We have updated the lists of publications for Jesse Ausubel.   The chronological list includes only scientific and scholarly works, which begin in 1978.  The topical list allocates these papers to areas such as marine science, forests and energy, and also spans selected reports stemming from Jesse’s work with NAE, NRC, and the Carnegie Commission as well as informal works (including tributes, humor, poems, drama).

National Forum on Ocean Exploration

On 20-21 October, our Rockefeller-Monmouth Ocean Science & Policy Initiative will host the 2016 US National Forum on Ocean Exploration. For more information, click HERE.  Attendance is by invitation only.

Real Food, Fake Food

Mark Stoeckle is interviewed about fish substitution and his daughter Kate’s high school “Sushi-gate” project  in an engaging new book “Real Food, Fake Food” by Larry Olmsted. The author also quotes Mark about what he describes as the “poster child” for fish substitution, namely, red snapper, in a Wall Street Journal article.

Mark worked with Lyubov Soboleva, a rising high school senior in the RU Summer Student Research Program (SSRP), on expanding the eDNA reference library for NYC/NJ fish species. Using specimens contributed by Keith Dunton, Monmouth University, as well as Melissa Cohen, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, and others purchased in local bait shops and fish stores, she generated 60 new DNA sequences from 18 species which have already been uploaded to GenBank. Nice work Lyubov!

East River eDNA

Mark Stoeckle’s work using environmental DNA (eDNA) to detect fish in and around New York City is featured on NYU’s ScienceLine. By analyzing the tiny bits of DNA fish and other animals leave behind in the water, the eDNA approach gives a new way to monitor the fish and aquatic mammals including whales and dolphins in our local waters.
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A poem about fruits

To celebrate friends who share Jesse’s interest in growing fruit, Jesse penned the poem “It was fruit” about growing fruits and berries on the island of Martha’s Vineyard.

Rare minerals

Hard copy version of our paper applying concepts of rarity in biology to rarity in geology published: American Mineralogist, June 2016; 101 (6) Invited Centennial Article

On the nature and significance of rarity in mineralogy
Robert M. Hazen, Jesse H. Ausubel
American Mineralogist, v. 101, i. 6, p. 1245-1251, Published on June 2016, First Published on June 02, 2016, doi:10.2138/am-2016-5601CCBY