Anchors Aweigh! - Office of the Executive Vice President for Research

Newsletter | Fall 2015
Anchors Aweigh!
Learn about the University’s state-of-the-art
research vessel, the R/V Marcus G. Langseth, page 13
CONTENT
03
NASA AGREEMENT
04
RISE WINNERS
05
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH & SAFETY
07
POSTDOC SYMPOSIUM
09
RESEARCH COMPLIANCE AND TRAINING
13
R/V MARCUS G. LANGSETH
The heart of the GISS-CU research collaboration is a
core climate modeling toolbox.
What happens when a cell is starved?
A newly-developed and implemented exposure assessment program, and an update on transporting biological materials.
An annual research and career symposium celebrates
the University’s postdocs.
Certification Program Educates and Supports Research Administrators
Mapping the land claimed by sea level rise.
A LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT FOR RESEARCH: HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL
“Continuing expansion of the federal regulatory system and its ever-growing requirements are diminishing the
effectiveness of the nation’s research investment…
Most federal regulations…are efforts to address important issues of accountability and performance…these wellintended efforts often result in unintended consequences that needlessly encumber the nation’s investment in research.
The relationship between federal…agencies and academic research institutions has for the last seven decades been
considered a partnership. Yet there exists….no process by which…partners….can consider the effectiveness of
existing research policies…
...stresses in the federal-academic partnership have diminished the effectiveness of the nation’s investment in
academic research.”
I wager that many who are reading this could have written these words and certainly agree with their important and very troubling
sentiment. The reason for the use of the word ‘hope’ in the title of this piece is that all these words are extracted from a recent National Academy of Sciences (NAS) report that, believe it or not, was prepared at the request of Congress. (Optimizing the Nation’s
Investment in Academic Research A New Regulatory Framework for the 21 st Century: Part 1, National Academy of Sciences, 2015)
Having our government leaders in Washington aware of, and understanding this problem is an important step forward, but it is only
one step. Beyond this we need cogent and practical recommendations for reform (and a successful implementation – no small matter
when it comes to regulatory mechanisms on this scale). To this end the NAS report offers four specific proposals that are listed below in highly abbreviated form.
“The regulatory regime…governing federally funded academic research should be critically reexamined and recalibrated.
Specifically, the committee recommends that:
1. The White House Office of Management and Budget...: conduct a…comprehensive review of agency research grant proposal
documents for the purpose of developing a uniform format to be used by all agencies

The federal research agencies (should): Limit research proposals to the minimal information necessary to permit peer evaluation...and reduce and streamline reporting, assurances and verifications.

Research institutions (should) revise self-imposed burdensome institutional policies that go beyond those necessary and sufficient to comply with federal, state and local requirements
2. Research institutions must demand the highest standards in institutional and individual behavior…
3. Inspectors General responsibilities be rebalanced so that…consideration is given both to uncovering waste, fraud and abuse and
to advising on economy, efficiency and effectiveness…
4. The creation of a new mechanism…to foster a more effective conception, development and harmonization of research policies.”
If, like I, you remember prior efforts to implement well-intentioned reforms of the regulations that increasingly burden us as PI’s,
then you will undoubtedly be reading this with a skeptical eye. Nevertheless this report is music to my ears. We are committed,
along with the leaders of the major research universities of the nation, to continue the struggle for improvements in the regulatory
regime under which our investigators conduct research. The pursuit of these goals may be ongoing, but we must take advantage of
the visibility that this report brings to this important issue. We will be talking with our consultants in DC to devise ways in which we
can help to bring the substance of this report to the attention of key leaders.
I remain ever hopeful!
G. Michael Purdy
Executive Vice President for Research
NASA AND COLUMBIA SIGN TEN-YEAR AGREEMENT
The Space Act Agreement produces climate-related guidance for policy makers and the public.
Dr. Ansaf Salleb-Aouissi
B
Pictured (clockwise from bottom-right): Provost John Coatsworth, Goddard Space Flight Center Director Chris Scolese, Executive Vice President for Research Mike Purdy, Deputy Director of Sciences and Exploration Directorate Colleen Hartman,
Director of Sciences and Exploration Directorate Piers Sellers, GISS Deputy Director Ron Miller, Chief of Staff Terri Thompson, GISS Director Gavin Schmidt, Director of the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory Sean Solomon, Earth Institute Executive Director Steve Cohen.
T
he Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS), a la-
agriculture and the economy. The models also enable provide
boratory in Goddard Space Flight Center’s Earth Sci-
vulnerability assessments such as the National Climate Assess-
ences Division, has for more than five decades worked
ment, as well as providing a basis for evaluating large-scale mit-
with the University to conduct scientific research about the
igation strategies.
Earth’s climate, planetary environments, and the space environment. GISS has played a key role in raising the climate issue to
The GISS-Columbia collaboration will also leverage models
the general public, and their work has been instrumental in ad-
developed for earth science to characterize extra-solar planets
vancing the field of climate science.
and other planets in our solar system. During the past decade,
there has been a rapid rate of discovery of exoplanets. The en-
At the heart of the GISS-Columbia research collaboration is a
hanced collaboration will enable the University to leverage
core climate modeling toolbox that includes standard General
GISS’s capabilities in modeling the Earth as a system to charac-
Circulation Models of the atmosphere-ocean-cryosphere system,
terize the atmospheric conditions on these newly discovered
with enhancements that include the carbon cycle and atmospher-
planets, with particular emphasis on the potential habitability of
ic composition, including chemistry and aerosols. This toolbox
other worlds. This work will lead to a better understanding of
also includes regional climate models, and integrated assessment
different extreme climate states, as well as aid in the search for
tools that evaluate climate change impacts. The models can be
possible Earth-like analogues orbiting other stars.
used to assess the impacts and implications of changes in emission or air pollution scenarios, and their impact on public health,
3
RISE-ING TO THE OCCASION
What happens when a cell is starved?
M
uch of every cell’s energy is devoted to making
machinery when cellular energy intake is low, essentially putting
proteins. Yet little is known about the cellular
the machinery into a dormant state. Once the cell has adequate
mechanisms underlying a cell’s ability to turn on
energy intake, the other regulatory factor then reverses the
and off protein production during times of nutrient limitation.
chemical modification, allowing the cell to rapidly activate the
Discovering the underlying regulatory mechanism, and how it
dormant protein synthesis machinery and initiate the process of
works in times of energy restriction, will answer important bio-
building new proteins. A detailed molecular understanding of
logical questions in cellular protein generation and cellular me-
the process through which the protein synthesis machinery can
tabolism. Applications for these discoveries could lead to a bet-
be switched from “active” to “dormant”, and vice versa, has the
ter understanding of human nutrition, or therapies involving
potential to unlock new avenues of basic and biomedical re-
cellular metabolism, which is implicated in diseases ranging
search.
from obesity to cancer.
Pictured above: Dr. Ruben Gonzalez (left) and Dr. Jonathan
Dworkin (right).
In 2013, Dr. Jonathan Dworkin, Associate Professor of Microbi-
RISE grants target particularly imaginative research proposals
ology and Immunology, and Dr. Ruben Gonzalez, Professor of
that are not yet ready to obtain funding from traditional sources,
Chemistry, collaborated to study this elusive problem, and were
but those that, if successful, would significantly advance scien-
awarded $160,000 in seed funding through the Office of the
tific knowledge, understanding and interdisciplinary discovery.
Executive Vice President for Research’s Research Initiatives in
Science & Engineering (RISE) competition.
With questions, please contact the RISE program staff at
[email protected].
Their RISE-funded research identified two regulatory factors in
protein synthesis that they are now investigating as part of
anR01 [GM114213-01, “Regulation of Protein Synthesis by Ser/
Thr Phosphorylation”]. One of these regulatory factors allows
the cell to chemically modify and inactivate the protein synthesis
4
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND SAFETY
Realizing the vision...
T
he EH&S Vision Statement aims to promote a
To date, only one isoflurane administration apparatus has
productive and safety conscious work environ-
required removal from service due to an irreparable leak in
ment by employing best practices and collabora-
the delivery system. Recommendations for reducing expo-
tion. We highlight below the development of two ap-
sure are updated periodically and disseminated to known
proaches that embody the spirit of the Vision Statement
users. For more information as well as current recommen-
and a commitment to health and safety.
dations to reduce exposure to isoflurane, visit http://
www.ehs.columbia.edu/Isoflurane.pdf.
Additionally,
Firstly, in order to reduce potential exposure to investiga-
EH&S is also available upon request to monitor personnel
tors administering halogenated anesthetic gases including
for potential exposure to anesthetic gases by contacting
isoflurane, EH&S has developed and implemented an ex-
[email protected].
posure assessment program. The program evaluates the
ambient concentration of anesthetic gases that personnel
Secondly, EH&S and the Office of Risk Management col-
may be occupationally exposed to during their use. To
laborated on a recent revision to a University Policy that
identify potential exposure routes, the strategy includes an
previously prohibited inter-campus transport of biological
assessment of isoflurane delivery and evacuation methods
materials by researchers. A pragmatic approach to investi-
utilizing high-tech real-time detection equipment during
gator-mediated inter-campus transport was developed that
the performance of veterinary procedures. While the Na-
permits certain specific classifications of biological materi-
tional Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
als, with low or no risk that are NOT classified as hazard-
(NIOSH) recommends an isoflurane exposure limit below
ous materials/dangerous goods by the Department of
2 ppm, Columbia University EH&S’s goal is focused on
Transportation, to be transported in University-owned or
promoting best practices to reduce exposure to the lowest
contracted vehicle/shuttle bus, licensed taxi cab or personal
reasonably achievable concentration. Typical recommenda-
vehicles. However these biological materials are NOT per-
tions from these assessments include commonsense admin-
mitted on public transport such as an MTA bus nor sub-
istrative and engineering solutions that can effectively re-
way. As a result, this Policy revision may promote produc-
duce occupational isoflurane exposure.
tive collaborations between investigators on different campuses by removing the transport barrier.
For a full description of the Policy, refer to http://
www.ehs.columbia.edu/Intercampus.html. If you have any
questions, please contact a biosafety officer at
[email protected].
5
NATIONAL RESEARCH ADMINISTRATOR DAY!
T
his year, and every year hereafter, September 25 will be
faculty and researchers. They protect the institution and educate
National Research Administrator Day to recognize the con-
researchers on the proper management of sponsored project funding.
tributions made by research administrators. The announcement of
this national day of recognition was made during the 57 th Annual
The role of the research administrator is becoming increasingly
Meeting of the National Council of University Research Adminis-
complex, given the fast-paced nature of science combined with the
trators (NCURA). The day is now included in the National Day Cal-
increased scrutiny of sponsored research spending. The research
endar.
administrator must constantly stay up to date on compliance regulations while serving as the researcher’s advocate. September 25 will
Research administrators serve an important role in supporting the
be a day where you can show your appreciation to the research ad-
research enterprise. The broad field of research administration in-
ministrators in your life. Take them to lunch, buy them a gift card or
cludes many types of jobs, including, but not limited to, grants man-
treat, or simply say thank you for their hard work!
agers, grants coordinators, project officers, financial analysts, department administrators, subaward specialists, compliance officers,
You can see how research administrators celebrated the day on
human subject protection professionals, clinical research coordina-
Twitter by using #ResearchAdministratorDay.
tors. They include central and departmental administrators serving
6
POSTDOC SYMPOSIUM 2015
Annual research and career symposium celebrates University’s postdocs
O
n September 17, more than 200 faculty, postdocs,
ulty review committees from the 110 abstracts originally
students and staff came together in Lerner Hall to
submitted for their significance, innovation and potential
celebrate the research accomplishments of the
impact. Each of these postdocs was given a $1,000 award
University’s postdocs at the 2015 Columbia University and
donated by A&S, SEAS, CUMC, the Office of the EVP for
NYC ASCENT Postdoc Research and Career Symposium.
Research, and the NYC ASCENT program. The awardees
More than 100 postdocs and 1,600 graduate students also
were: Xi Chen, Department of Biological Sciences (Sahin
attended a graduate level career fair the following day, on
Lab), Melody Cheng, Department of Neurology (Kuo
September 18 that featured more than 75 employers and
Lab), Alp Kucukelbir (NYC ASCENT Fellow), Data Sci-
was held as part of the symposium. The symposium was
ence Institute (Blei Lab), Michael Metzger, Department of
organized to highlight the ground breaking research being
Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics (Goff Lab), and
carried out by the University’s postdocs and to provide an
Dessislava Nikolova, Department of Electrical Engineering
opportunity for postdocs to meet with potential future em-
(Bergman Lab).
ployers.
The keynote talk for the symposium was delivered by Dr.
The symposium commenced with poster presentations
George Yancopoulos [pictured opposite page, bottom
from more than 100 postdocs spanning 50 departments
right], the President and Chief Science Officer of Regener-
across the University. The breadth of the research present-
on Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and a Columbia University PhD/
ed created a truly unique opportunity for researchers to
MD Alum. The keynote talk focused on the founding of
learn about exciting and innovative research both within
Regeneron and how their novel approaches in tackling
and outside of their disciplines and to perhaps form new
debilitating diseases have led to remarkable treatments and
collaborations. Ten postdocs were honored with top poster
have positioned Regeneron as a leader in the pharmaceuti-
prizes: Jennifer Robinson, College of Dental Medicine and
cal industry. The symposium sessions ended in a widely
Department of Biomedical Engineering; Justine Kupfer-
attended networking reception.
man, Department of Neuroscience; Deepika Suri, Department of Psychiatry; Ying Jean, Department of Pathology
The event was co-organized by the Office of Postdoctoral
and Cell Biology; Chan Aye Thu, Department of Biochem-
Affairs (OPA) and the NYC ASCENT Program, a profes-
istry and Molecular Biophysics; Katherine Alfredo, Earth
sional development program for computer science and
Institute, the Columbia Water Center; Ilan Jen-La Plante,
computer science related postdoctoral trainees at Colum-
Department of Chemistry; Kirsten Marie Jensen, Depart-
bia, Cornell, CUNY, and NYU. OPA also received signifi-
ment of Applied Physics and Mathematics; Shukun Luo,
cant assistance from the postdoctoral council, the Office of
Department of Biological Sciences; and Katarina Roos,
Research Initiatives and the EVPR office. The career fair
Department of Chemistry.
was run by the Center for Career Education in partnership
with OPA and NYC ASCENT.
Following the poster session, short research talks were
given by 5 postdocs whose abstracts were selected by fac-
7
For more information, please contact Rory Flinn, Office of
Postdoctoral Affairs, at [email protected]
8
OFFICE OF RESEARCH COMPLIANCE AND TRAINING
Compliance Training Initiatives Support Administrators/Chairs/Directors
Certification Program Educates and Supports
Research Administrators
Departmental research administrators are on the front lines of
sponsored projects management. Since 2008, the Office of
Research Compliance and Training (ORCT), in conjunction
with other EVPR offices and Sponsored Projects Finance, has
been offering Research Compliance Foundations, an 8-week
course that introduces research administrators to compliance
topics encountered throughout the lifecycle of sponsored research projects. Taught by senior representatives from SPA,
SPF, IRB, IACUC, EH&S, CTO and RCT, each session gives
participants, who range from recent hires to seasoned veterans,
Through the Foundations and Essentials courses and the Certification program, the offices of the EVPR are promoting and
supporting the professional development of the administrators
who play a crucial role in the successful management of our
sponsored research projects. For more information, visit the
Research
Compliance
and
Training
website,
www.columbia.edu/cu/compliance/docs/training/
Certification_Program,
or
contact
Joel
Roselin
at
[email protected].
EVPR/RCT Provide Chairs/Directors Introduction to Research Responsibilities
an overview of the compliance issues they will face, available
resources, and how to manage those issues. Almost 1,200 Co-
Someone once said that being the chair is a half-time job – eve-
lumbia administrators from all campuses and many depart-
ry other minute! The role of the chair or director has many
ments have attended the course, which receives consistently
responsibilities; some are obvious, but others remain hidden
high praise from attendees. Several departments are requiring
until a problem arises or an action is required. This may be
or strongly encouraging new hires to attend Foundations,
especially true of responsibilities relating to research. Much
which is offered each year in summer and winter.
research-related activity at Columbia is centered in the department, division or center, and some of that activity involves the
In 2009, we introduced Sponsored Projects Essentials, a more
chair or director in one way or another. At times, even experi-
in-depth look at pre- and post-award management of sponsored
enced chairs or directors may become aware of certain respon-
projects.
sibilities only after a problem arises.
Taught by SPA and SPF, the 5-week Essentials
course has been attended by nearly 500 administrators and is
offered each spring and fall.
To help orient chairs and directors to these sometimes unexpected responsibilities, in 2013, EVPR Michael Purdy and As-
Administrators who attend all Foundations sessions, all Essen-
sociate Vice President for Research Compliance and Training
tials sessions, and complete an online case review and Rascal
Naomi Schrag created an in-person overview of research-
test earn the Certification in Administration of Sponsored Pro-
related responsibilities and activities specific to chairs and di-
jects.
rectors. Although the one-hour program initially targeted
Initiated in 2011, the Certification program provides
administrators with the knowledge and understanding of poli-
new chairs and directors, the feedback the program has
cies and processes necessary for the successful administration
received from those who have participated indicates
of sponsored projects at Columbia. To date, 175 administrators
it is useful for seasoned leaders as well.
have earned the Certification, received certificates and letters
of congratulation, and had their chairs or directors notified of
For more information, contact Joel
their achievement.
Roselin at [email protected].
9
U.S. Sanctions Programs may Impact International Research
ed Nationals and Blocked Parties List (“SDN List”). A list of
OFAC’s current sanctions programs is available on OFAC’s
website
What Researchers Need to Know About Economic
Sanctions
The U.S. government imposes economic sanctions against certain countries, entities and individuals in order to advance its
foreign policy and national security interests. Although U.S.
sanctions clearly impact the operations of a company engaged in
selling widgets internationally, you might be wondering whether
Columbia University, an institution of higher learning, needs to
be concerned about U.S. sanctions at all. The short answer to
this question is “Yes” - U.S. sanctions can and do impact Columbia research activities. The goal of this article is to briefly
(http://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/
Programs/Pages/Programs.aspx), as is access to OFAC’s sanctioned
parties
lists,
including
the
SDN
List
(http://
www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/SDN-List/Pages/
default.aspx).
Although the various U.S. sanctions programs differ in terms of
what each program restricts, we can make some generalizations.
In general, U.S. persons (such as Columbia University and its
personnel) may not engage in the following activities:

Enter into contracts, agreements or research collaborations
explain how U.S. sanctions programs apply to Columbia re-
with an entity or individual located in a comprehensively
search and whom to contact when a sanctions-related question
sanctioned country or a Specially Designated National

arises.
Make payments to or receive payments from an entity or
individual located in a comprehensively sanctioned country
or a Specially Designated National
The U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) maintains sanctions against certain countries,

Provide services or training to or receive services or train-
entities and individuals. Certain countries are subject to com-
ing from an entity or individual located in a comprehensive-
prehensive sanctions, while others are subject to targeted sanc-
ly sanctioned country or a Specially Designated National
tions.
Comprehensive sanctions prohibit transactions with a

Export or import goods, services or technology to or from
country’s government and virtually all other transactions involv-
an entity or individual located in a comprehensively sanc-
ing the sanctioned country without first obtaining U.S. Govern-
tioned country or a Specially Designated National.
ment authorization to engage in such transactions. Currently,
the U.S. imposes comprehensive sanctions against Cuba, North
Although restrictions under the sanctions regulations apply
Korea, Iran, Sudan, Syria and, most recently, the Crimea region
broadly, and can even capture uncompensated interviews or
of Ukraine.
surveys taking place in a comprehensively sanctioned country or
with a Specially Designated National, there are some useful ex-
In addition to comprehensive sanctions, the U.S. also imposes
ceptions. For example, OFAC permits Columbia researchers to
limited, or targeted, sanctions against certain entities and indi-
engage in certain activities relating to the peer-review process
viduals. Unlike comprehensive sanctions, targeted sanc-
with individuals in certain comprehensively sanctioned coun-
tions do not broadly prohibit transactions with certain
tries, such as Iran and Cuba.
countries and foreign governments, but rather
prohibit transactions with certain entities
As discussed above, U.S. sanctions regulations can and do affect
and individuals included on one of
aspects of Columbia research. Given the significant penalties
OFAC’s sanctioned parties lists,
(both civil and criminal) that may be imposed for violating U.S.
such as the Specially Designat-
10
sanctions regulations and the complexity of the sanctions regula-
ficer, at [email protected] or 212-851-9822.
tions themselves, it is important that Columbia researchers con-
More details about U.S. sanctions are available on Research
sider sanctions issues before engaging in research activities in-
Compliance & Training’s website, http://www.columbia.edu/cu/
volving sanctioned countries or Specially Designated Nationals.
compliance/docs/international_research/Keylawsandregulations/
ORCT can help you assess and resolve sanctions-related ques-
sanctioned_countries.html.
tions you may have. If a research project involves a sanctioned
country or a Specially Designated National, please contact
Michelle Avallone, Columbia’s Research Export Control Of-
Effort Reporting 2015
This year’s annual effort certification period runs from Tuesday, October 6 through Wednesday, November 18. During those six weeks,
all Faculty, including Officers of Instruction, Research (except postdocs), Administration and Libraries, who committed effort on sponsored projects, must review and certify their effort for the fiscal year that ran from July 1, 2014, through June 30, 2015. Principal Investigators (PIs) must
do the same for their research staff. Self-certifiers and PIs who have not previously completed training must do so in Rascal prior to certifying.
For questions, please contact [email protected], or visit the Effort Reporting website at www.effortreporting.columbia.edu.
Institutional Conflict of Interest
In Fall 2014, the Columbia University Senate approved a com-
research administration and compliance IT system, Rascal. Po-
panion policy to the University’s Policy on Financial Conflicts
tential institutional conflicts of interest are reviewed by the Uni-
of Interest and Research. The new policy, entitled the Columbia
versity’s Institutional Conflict of Interest Committee, an inter-
University Policy on Institutional Conflict of Interest (ICOI) in
disciplinary faculty committee that also includes non-voting
Research
[http://evpr.columbia.edu/files/evpr/imce_shared/
members from Columbia Technology Ventures and the Office of
FCOI_Research_Policy.pdf] protects the objectivity of Universi-
Alumni and Development. The Policy provides that “[t]he ICOI
ty research from potential conflicts that may result from finan-
Committee and the University should make every attempt to
cial interests held by the University itself or by its officials who
resolve institutional conflicts in a manner that enables research
have responsibility for research oversight. Such financial inter-
to proceed at the University. However, if the ICOI Committee
ests could include, for example, royalties paid to the University
finds that an ICOI cannot be managed, and divestment is not
by research sponsors; ownership interests in start-up companies
feasible, then the affected research should not proceed at the
whose products are the subject of University research; or certain
University.”
large corporate gifts.
Anyone with questions about the new Policy should contact
Implementation of the Policy is being administered by the
ORCT and will be automated in part through the University’s
11
ORCT at [email protected].
IACUC OFFICE CONSULTATION SERVICES
The IACUC office staff is pleased to offer consultation services to better serve the research community.
Consultation Hour
The consultation hour is held on Fridays from 11a.m. to 12p.m. in Room 314, Hammer Building. The office’s Executive Director
and/or Compliance and Training Coordinators will be available during that hour to discuss protocol issues or answer questions/
address concerns regarding the IACUC.
Protocol Preparation Consultation
The protocol preparation consultation service provides investigators and research personnel with the opportunity for one on one
meetings with members of the IACUC staff who can provide assistance with protocol preparation, or with responses to comments
subsequent IACUC review. Please note that this service does not include veterinary consultation and does not ensure automatic
IACUC approval.
To request a consultation, contact Ms. Sierrea Fuller (sf2534) by email or phone 212-342-0443, or the IACUC Executive Director,
Dr. MJ Shepherd (ms4387). When submitting the request, please provide:
1.
A draft of the animal care and use protocol
2.
Schedule of availability (2 business days required excluding weekends and holidays)
12
MAPPING LAND CLAIMED BY SEA LEVEL RISE
T
he New Jersey shoreline where sea birds wandered
The Langseth, operated by Lamont-Doherty Earth Observa-
during the last ice age was about 90 miles east of
tory as the nation’s premier marine seismic research facility,
today’s beaches, tens of meters beneath the sea floor. As the
collects data about the Earth and oceans in several ways,
ice melted, sea level gradually rose and flooded the coastal
most prominently through a system of hydrophone stream-
terrain, and sedimentation carried out its relentless burial of
ers towed behind the ship that record sound waves bouncing
things past.
off structures deep beneath the sea floor. Its seismic mapping capabilities are about to get stronger: The National
13
This summer, a group of scientists spent several weeks
Science Foundation last week approved the purchase of a
aboard the R/V Marcus G. Langseth looking into that past.
new hydrophone streamer system that will reach up to 15
Using sound waves, they collected data that will be used to
kilometers, allowing the Langseth to capture refracted sound
build 3D images of the sediment beneath the ocean floor.
waves and their velocity through sediment layers over a
They hope to be able to peel back layers of the 3D images to
longer distance and wider angle, creating higher-resolution
see how coastal landscapes responded to rising sea levels
images of deeper features than any research vessel in the
and hurricanes through history.
world.
Understanding how coastal areas changed as the ocean rose
This summer’s New Jersey expedition, led by Rutgers Pro-
in the past could help communities protect themselves from
fessor and Lamont Adjunct Senior Research Scientist Greg
storm surge flooding in the future as the oceans warm and
Mountain, offers a window into the use of hydrophone
sea levels rise.
streamers for reconstructing Earth’s physical history, in this
case for identifying the impact and magnitude of past sea-
be able to peel back the sediment layers to reveal the migra-
level change.
tion of the shoreline as it advanced and retreated. Knowing
details such as whether barrier islands in the past were over-
Mountain and his colleagues Mladen Nedimovic of Lamont-
whelmed by single storms or cut by inlets as the sea level
Doherty and Dalhousie University and James Austin and
rose could help scientists find ways to protect and possibly
Craig Fulthorpe of the University of Texas Institute for Geo-
stabilize coastal communities in the future.
physics set out to map past shorelines buried within sediment
layers as much as 1,500 meters below the ocean floor. Sediment cores from the area reflect changes in the climate going
back about 40 million years. But cores don’t provide a view
of buried landforms such as barrier islands and inlets, which
can show the resilience of coastlines as sea-level changes.
Earlier 2D seismic surveys suggested the area holds great
potential for understanding shoreline evolution, but the buried features were too fine to see in detail, which could mean
the changes that shaped them happened too quickly and were
too complex to be imaged with 2D data, Mountain said.
The New Jersey expedition was a technological leap past
prior seismic surveys in this region, designed to improve
acoustic resolution of ancient seascapes by collecting data in
3D. To do this, the Langseth towed four air guns just below
the ocean surface to generate an acoustic pulse with each
release of compressed air. Echoes of the pulses reflect off
sediment layers a mile or more below the seafloor and are
picked up by 24 hydrophone streamers trailed behind the
ship, the largest number ever attempted in the research community. In addition, one longer streamer increased the resolution. Satellite navigation located the position of the ship, each
acoustic pulse and the hundreds of hydrophones within those
streamers, resulting in roughly 30 million individual acoustic
traces over a 200 square-mile area. Mountain and his col-
An illustration of 2D seismic mapping (Hannes Grobe-
leagues expect that the quality and shear density of these
Alfred Wegener Institute CC-BY-SA2.5). A cutaway
acoustic “soundings” of ancient terrains below the seafloor
shows what 3D seismic mapping can do.
will reveal previously unseen details of how the New Jersey
coastline has changed over the last 40-60 million years.
“It’s in our best interest to understand what happened in the
past because it will help explain what we can expect will hap-
Processing the data into 3D representations will take several
pen in the future,” Mountain said. “We’re going to have to
months, but once completed, Mountain and his team hope to
make some accommodations for sea-level rise along
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Sean Higgins and Lamont Director Sean Solomon talk from the bridge of the Langseth.
the coast within our children’s lifetime. Sea level along the Jer-
Lamont’s Office of Marine Operations plans to re-rig the
sey shore is likely to be 2.5 to 6 feet higher 100 years from
Langseth with the new streamer system this fall. The lighter
now. With that elevated base, we should expect to see the
streamer will also reduce the footprint of the seismic equip-
flooding and destruction equivalent to what now is a once-per-
ment on the ship, creating more room for additional research.
century Superstorm Sandy occur every 5 to 10 years.”
The Langseth’s new 15 km streamer, purchased from an oil
Original story by Stacy Morford on August 19, 2015, pub-
company that had been unable to use it in the current market,
lished in the Earth Institute blog. Photos by Greg Mountain.
will be thinner, lighter and about twice as long as the ship’s
current streamer. When segmented into shorter streamers, it
will be able to create 3D images to show structures such as tsunami-generating faults, the volcanic underpinnings of continental margins, and magma chambers several kilometers below
mid-ocean ridges.
15
Columbia Examines Social, Mechanical
and Physiological Dimensions of Aging
T
he Robert N. Butler Columbia Aging Center announced
The 2015 recipients are:
the recipients of its first cohort of Faculty Research Fellowships, competitive awards designed to expand the
Sunil Agrawal, PhD, Professor of Mechanical
breadth of aging research across Columbia University. Increasing
Engineering and of Rehabilitation and Regen-
life expectancies in both the developed and developing world are
erative Medicine.
leading to more and more people around the world living into their
70s, 80s, and 90s. With this funding, the Center supports research
on the malleability of human aging to optimize our longer lives.
Walter O. Bockting, PhD, Professor of Medi“Understanding the malleability of aging becomes more important
cal Psychology
every year as more and more people live longer lives,” says Ursula
M. Staudinger, PhD, the Robert N. Butler Professor of Sociomedical Sciences and Professor of Psychology who directs the Columbia Aging Center. “The pool of applicants in our first call for pro-
Gina S. Lovasi, PhD, Assistant Professor of
posals reinforces my conviction that Columbia has the potential to
Epidemiology
become a leader in research on the positive plasticity of aging.”
Positive plasticity, a term used by Dr. Staudinger to differentiate
from pathological aging, refers to the fact that human aging is modifiable and that aging trajectories (e.g., cognitive aging) can be improved.
Edward Owusu-Ansah, PhD, Assistant Professor of Physiology & Cellular Biophysics
The Faculty Research Fellowship program launched last fall and is
open to researchers across the entire Columbia campus to reflect
the University’s need to strengthen its investment in aging science
in light of global demographic trends. The program’s purpose is to
enable interdisciplinary study of the biopsychosocial nature of the
Marcella D. Walker, MD, MS, Associate Pro-
aging process and its modifiability. Housed at Columbia’s Mailman
fessor of Medicine
School of Public Health, the University-wide Center awarded a
total of $150,000 this year exploring topics as wide-ranging as the
role of parathyroid hormone in cognitive decline, successful aging
among lesbian and gay adults, and the role of the built environment
in delaying chronic diseases.
awarded in 2016.
Another five fellowships will be
The next call for proposals will be announced on December 1,
2015. For more information about the successful proposals and the
next call, please contact the Columbia Aging Center’s Senior Science
and
Strategy
Officer,
Caitlin
Hawke:
[email protected] or visit the Columbia Aging Center’s
website: aging.columbia.edu.
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NEW STAFF AND STAFF NEWS
FRANKLIN ESPINAL JR
Financial Analyst, MSPH
Franklin Espinal Jr has been promoted to Financial Analyst in the
Mailmain SPA Office, where he
has been working for 7 years. His
responsibilities include: processing
post-award actions and reviewing
data for accuracy and ensuring
compliance with award regulatory
terms and University policies. Prior to working at Mailman, he was
an Administrative Assistant for the
Department of Surgery, an Office
Manager at Choice Collectibles in
Fairview, New Jersey and the Database Coordinator for the Public
Safety office at Columbia’s Morningside Campus.
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ARIELLA GHANOONI
THERESE HORN
Senior Project Officer, SPA
Senior Subaward Specialist, SPA
Ariella joined SPA in the Morningside Office as a Senior Project
Officer in May 2015. Prior to joining SPA, Ariella held positions as
Business Manager and Grants Coordinator in the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences over
the past 4 years. When she is not
plugging away at her desk, she is
avid hiker and adventuring. She
recently completed the Haute
Route, a 118 mile high mountain
hike through the Alps.
Therese Horn has been promoted to
the position of Senior Subaward Specialist in the SPA Morningside Office. Prior to joining SPA, Therese
worked as a Grant Accountant in the
department of Laboratory Medicine
at Yale University for three and a
half years, where she was responsible
for pre- and post-award management
of the department’s sponsored project
portfolio. She has also held positions
in financial reporting and financial
planning and analysis at Sikorsky
Helicopter Support in Connecticut,
and was Co-founder and Executive
Director of A Very Merry Birthday, a
small non-profit in New Haven, CT.
Therese holds a B.S. in Business Administration with a concentration in
Accounting from Southern Connecticut State University and a graduate
certificate in Project Management
from Boston University.
RIA MIRANDA
Senior Project Officer, SPA
Ria Miranda is the newest Senior
Project Officer in SPA, joining the
Morningside Office in June 2015.
Before switching to central administration, she worked in the departments of American Language Program, Applied Physics and Applied
Mathematics, and Electrical Engineering. She has earned a B.A. from
Carleton College and a master's degree from Columbia’s SIPA.
ERICA PENA
ARACELI VIRUET
Financial Analyst, SPA
Senior Subaward Officer, SPA
Erica Pena joins SPA in the
Morningside Office as a financial
analyst. She has more than ten
years in academic and medical
settings. In her current role, she
will be responsible for reviewing
and analyzing grants, contracts
and cooperative agreements and
approving all sponsored project
accounts and budget authorizations.
Araceli Viruet recently accepted a position
as a Senior Subaward Officer at the SPA
Morningside Office. She spent the last 8
years working at the Mailman SPA office
and has been working at Columbia for the
past 18 years. In this time, she has gained
extensive grants and post-award experience. Prior to being a Senior Subaward
Officer, she held roles as an Associate Project Analyst, Financial Analyst and Senior
Financial Analyst. In her current role,
some of her responsibilities include, but
are not limited to: negotiating and issuing
outgoing subawards, and preparing modifications to existing subaward agreements
on behalf of SPA. She also works directly
with investigators, department administrators, subrecipients, and SPA pre-/postaward staff to manage, develop and issue
subawards as well as assist with postaward activities related to subawards. Araceli holds a B.S. in Business Management
with a concentration in Marketing from
Marymount Manhattan College.
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