Just a few months after the inaugural of a new President, environmental concerns seem to have disappeared from the national agenda. But current environmental developments are much in evidence to researchers at Columbia's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory. This earth systems science research center is the only research facility in the world examining the planet from core to atmosphere. Lamont research cuts across every continent and ocean, and focuses on advancing understanding of the planet's origin, history and its future.

This spring, some of the Observatory's top scientists will share their latest findings at Lamont's Public Lecture Series, Sundays at 2 p.m., beginning April 1st and continuing through June 3rd. Each lecture in the series will be held in Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory's Monell Auditorium, located on Route 9W in Palisades, NY. Admission is free, but seating is limited and on a first-come, first-served basis. Free parking is also available.

The first lecture of the series entitled "New York City Underwater? Storm Surge Risks in the Face of Rising Sea-level," will be given by Klaus Jacob, Senior Research Scientist, Geology and Geophysics, on April 1.

Jacob received his Ph.D. in Geophysics (Seismology) from the University of Frankfurt, Germany in 1968. During the first two decades of his nearly 33 years with Columbia, Jacob's research focused on basic seismotectonics and plate-tectonic processes such as the subduction of oceanic plates, Himalayan-type continental collision, earthquake and volcano hazards, and engineering seismology. From 1986 to 1998 he shifted the focus of his research to probabilistic seismic hazard assessment, strong seismic ground motions, site response and engineering seismology, mostly for large infrastructure projects. Since 1998 he has moved towards multi-hazard assessment, quantitative disaster loss estimation and disaster mitigation research.

Other Lectures Include:

APRIL 22
"Out of Power, Out of Time -- The Energy Crisis of 2001: Its Origins and Future Outlook." Roger N. Anderson, Senior Scholar, Geology and Geophysics

MAY 6
"From Oceans to Asteroids: Revelations from the Electron Microscope." Dee Breger, Microanalysis Specialist

MAY 20
"Coral Reefs: Archives of Earth's History." Richard Fairbanks, Senior Research Scientist, Earth and Environmental Sciences

JUNE 3
"Planetary Stewardship: What Do We Do about Fossil Fuels?" Wallace Broecker, Newberry Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences

Founded in 1949, the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory has more than 200 researchers. Their work confirmed continental drift, seafloor spreading, plate tectonics, and El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO), and is enhancing understanding of global climate changes and the ocean's role in regulating them.