With the approach of Hurricane Matthew, here are a few of the many scientists at Columbia University’s Earth Institute who can help journalists cover the story. A more comprehensive list is in an earlier advisory, Post-Sandy Resources for Journalists. Feel free to contact scientists directly. If you need more help, contact Kevin Krajick, senior editor for science news: kkrajick@ei.columbia.edu 212-854-9729.
Adam Sobel, atmospheric scientist at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and the Department of Applied Physics and Mathematics, heads the university’s Initiative on Extreme Weather and Climate. Author of a book on Hurricane Sandy, he has studied a wide variety of topics, from hurricane physics to related social issues. Ahs129@columbia.edu 212-854-6587
Suzana Camargo, professor of ocean and climate physics at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, is an expert on hurricanes and cyclones, their genesis, intensity, and their relationship to climate, from intra-seasonal to centennial time scales. Suzana@ldeo.columbia.edu 845-365-8640
Klaus Jacob, special research scientist, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, is an expert in the consequences of coastal storms. As an advisor to the New York City mayor on climate, he accurately predicted the flooding of the city’s subways that took place during Hurricane Sandy. jacob@ldeo.columbia.edu 845-365-8440
Radley Horton, climate scientist at the Center for Climate Systems Research, is involved in a wide variety of interdisciplinary studies, including the physics of storms, their interaction with rising sea level, and factors that endanger coastal residents. He is on climate-change panels advising the mayor of New York and the president of United States. rh142@columbia.edu 212-678-5649
Irwin Redlener, director of the National Center for Disaster Preparedness and professor at Mailman School of Public Health, is a leading researcher and thinker regarding emergency response, and aftermaths of disasters such as hurricanes, floods, epidemics and terrorist attacks. ir2110@columbia.edu 212-535-9707
Steven Cohen, executive director of the Earth Institute, has long studied how communities can make themselves physically more sustainable and resilient in the face of climate change and its consequences, including rising sea levels. Contact through Alix Schroder: aschroder@ei.columbia.edu 212-854-1214