Lehigh's Office of Sustainability is initiating a monthly Professor Spotlight Campaign for the 2014-15 academic year! The purpose of these spotlights is to highlight professor accomplishments in environmentally related fields as well as connecting students and professors who may not have otherwise been in direct contact. Our office has looked at professors across a number of disciplines, including Earth and Environmental Sciences, Civil and Environmental Engineering, and the Environmental Initiative. These questions only provide a quick glimpse into the research of Lehigh's professors so for more info, check out their personal web pages!
The Professor Spotlight for the month of September is...
Benjamin Felzer, Ph. D, in the Earth and Environmental Sciences department!
1) How long have you been doing research at Lehigh?
6 years
2) What topic(s) do you do research on?
Computer modeling of terrestrial ecosystems and biogeochemical cycling
3) Why were you drawn to doing research in your particular field?
Desire to study environmentally-related issues with policy relevance.
4) Who was/is your biggest research mentor?
Jerry Melillo, I mentored under him at the Ecosystems Center, Marine Biological Laboratory.
5) If you were given $1 million in research funding, what is the first thing you would do?
Set up a centre to provide policy-makers with regional expectations about ecosystem services in light of climate and other environmental change
6) What was your favorite and/or most proud research moment?
Having other scientists rely on me for my expertise in climate and ecosystem modeling and providing them with my model results relevant to their region.
7) Who and/or what will your research benefit? What are its implications?
My research will benefit the world knowledge-base about climate change and global warming. Specifically it will provide a more quantitative and realistic understanding of the role of the land surface in carbon uptake and how that feeds back on the climate.
8) How do you see your research projects/interests evolving in the future?
I see my research being more broadly used in the policy arena, with a more direct role in future national and international assessments.
For more information on professor Felzer, visit his web page at http://bfelzer.cas2.lehigh.edu or you can email him directly at bsf208@lehigh.edu!