Past Events

Parsons Laboratory Seminar Series: Urban heat mitigation: is it a simple surface energy balance problem?

As the climate warms and as the urban population continues to increase, heat becomes one of the most pressing environmental health issues in cities. Various urban heat mitigation strategies such as white and green roofs have been proposed. From the physical science perspective, key questions to address include how effective these strategies are and where/when they are mostly effective. In this talk, Dan Li, assistant professor at Boston University, will use two examples to demonstrate that the surface energy balance provides a strong constraint on the cooling effects of urban heat mitigation strategies. A simple surface energy balance model’s results agree well with the simulated results from a state-of-the-art climate model. In both examples, it is found that the convective heat transfer efficiency and its parameterization play an important role in affecting the estimated/ simulated effectiveness of urban heat mitigation strategies. I will conclude the talk by discussing how to improve the parameterization of convective heat transfer in complex urban environments.

CEE Random Act of Kindness Events

MIT's annual Random Acts of Kindness (RAK) Week is scheduled for March 7-11, 2022 and CEE will be holding week-long #MITRAK events for the CEE Community.

Save the date on your calendar and come join us for:

3/7-3/11: POP into CEE | 11 am - 5pm
Fresh, hot popcorn with your choice of seasoning available all week in 1-290

3/7: Meditation with Amy | 2:30-3pm
Join Amy for a guided meditation in 48-308

3/8: Make Your Own Terrarium | 3pm
Drop in and create your own air plant terrarium or succulent pot in 1-143 and Parsons Kitchen

3/9: Waffles and Wuv with Winston | 11 am
Enjoy a build your own waffle bar and pet a pug in 1-143

3/10: Knitting Circle with Kiley and Hajin | 3-4pm
Bring your current project and unwind. Cookies will be served in 1-143

3/11: Waffles and Wuv | 11 am
Enjoy a build your own waffle bar in Parsons Kitchen

Gratitude cards: Card making supplies will be available all week in 1-143 and the Parson's kitchen. Send someone a card and make their day! Cards will be delivered on Friday 3/11.

Contact the Academic Programs Office with any questions: cee-apo@mit.edu

Climate Talks: Energy, Climate and Methane Mitigation

Prof. Rob Jackson and his lab seek scientific knowledge and use it to help shape policies and reduce the environmental footprint of global warming, energy extraction, and other issues. They are working to measure and reduce greenhouse gas emissions through the Global Carbon Project (globalcarbonproject.org), which Jackson chairs; examples of new research Rob leads include establishing a global network of methane tower measurements at more than 80 sites worldwide and measuring and reducing methane emissions.

As an author and photographer, Rob has published a trade book about the environment, two books of children’s poems, and recent or forthcoming poems in the journals Southwest Review, Cortland Review, Cold Mountain Review, Atlanta Review, LitHub, and more. His photographs have appeared in many media outlets, including the NY Times, Washington Post, USA Today, US News and World Report, Science, Nature, and National Geographic News.

Rob is a current Guggenheim Fellow and sabbatical visitor in the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences. He is also a Fellow in the American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Geophysical Union, and Ecological Society of America. He received a Presidential Early Career Award in Science and Engineering from the National Science Foundation, awarded at the White House.

Faculty Host: César Terrer/The Terrer Lab

Future Leaders in CEE: Can Microbes Help Us Remediate “Forever Chemicals”

Join the MIT Civil and Environmental Department for its Future Leaders in CEE: Supporting research, career development, diversity, equity and inclusion seminar series that brings together speakers from diverse backgrounds who are considered future leaders in STEM and civil and environmental engineering to share their journey to achieve success. This month's speaker is Dr. Natalie Cápiro at Auburn University.

Seminar topic: The use of aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) to extinguish fuel-based fires at military, industrial, and municipal sites since the 1970s has resulted in widespread contamination of persistent per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS- “Forever Chemicals”). The management and remediation of AFFF-impacted sites is challenging in part due to our limited understanding of PFAS environmental fate and behavior under representative subsurface conditions. Most prior studies documenting biotransformation of select PFAS found in AFFF have been conducted under oxic conditions, utilizing bacteria from activated sludge reactors, pristine soils, and aerobic bacterial enrichment cultures. However, it is anticipated that PFAS biotransformation will differ between experimental systems established with activated sludge and aquifer materials, leading to different transformation byproducts and pathways. Therefore, the on-going work that will be discussed in this presentation aims to demonstrate the potential biotransformation, including anaerobic defluorination, of representative PFAS under conditions more representative of AFFF-impacted sites using native microbial communities. In addition to discussing her research, Dr. Cápiro will also discuss her academic journey, and share her experiences as a non-tenure-track and tenure-track faculty member. Dr. Natalie Cápiro is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and an adjunct faculty in the Department of Biosystems Engineering at Auburn University. To learn more or register, email Stephanie at smartino@mit.edu

Parsons Laboratory Seminar Series: Characterizing Hurricane Turbulence via Numerical Simulations

Please join us for the Ralph M. Parsons Laboratory Seminar Series with speaker Marco Giomentto, of Columbia University, who will discuss "Characterizing Hurricane Turbulence via Numerical Simulations" Faculty host: Prof. Howland

The seminar is in-person at 15 Vassar Street, 48-316 and requires registration.

For more information or how to attend this seminar virtually, please contact lumidi@mit.edu

Parsons Laboratory Seminar Series: Challenges to safe drinking water in Iowa

Please join us for the Ralph M. Parsons Laboratory Seminar Series with speaker Dave Cwiertny, of University of Iowa, who will discuss "Far from heaven: Challenges to safe drinking water in Iowa" and include policy, environmental chemistry, and engineering topics. Faculty host: Prof. Plata & Des Marais

The seminar is in-person at 15 Vassar Street, 48-316 and requires registration.

For more information or how to attend this seminar virtually, please contact lumidi@mit.edu

Parsons Laboratory Seminar Series: Electrochemical Ammonia Synthesis and Sensing in Environmental Waters

Please join us for the Ralph M. Parsons Laboratory Seminar Series with speaker Will Tarpeh, of Stanford University, who will discuss "Electrochemical Ammonia Synthesis and Sensing in Environmental Waters" Faculty host: Prof. Plata

The seminar is in-person at 15 Vassar Street, 48-316 and requires registration.

For more information or how to attend this seminar virtually, please contact lumidi@mit.edu

Parsons Laboratory Seminar Series: A drier future for Europe and the Mediterranean

Please join us for the Ralph M. Parsons Laboratory Seminar Series with speaker Alexandre Tuel, of University of Bern, who will discuss "A drier future for Europe and the Mediterranean" Faculty host: Prof. Eltahir

The seminar is in-person at 15 Vassar Street, 48-316 and requires registration.

For more information or how to attend this seminar virtually, please contact lumidi@mit.edu

CEE Graduate Admissions Webinar

This webinar will provide an overview of all the graduate degree paths in CEE at MIT and the process for applying.

Led by Civil and Environmental Engineering Admissions Staff

Graduate Catalyst Event

This interactive webinar provides participants with useful information for applying to and thriving in graduate school. Sessions are open to all students exploring the option of graduate studies in CEE at MIT

Led by Current CEE students and Graduate Officer, Professor Colette Heald
Registration closed