beacon institute annual report 2008-09
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Beacon Institute Annual Report 2008-2009TRANSCRIPT
Photo: Paul Hartman
AnnuAl RepoRt 2008–2009
Dear Friends and Colleagues,
The past year has been transformative on
many fronts for Beacon Institute.
As you will see throughout this annual report,
the Institute’s core research, education
and policy initiatives—including REON,
SENSE IT and a new policy center with Pace
University—have developed and expanded
thanks to the hard work and dedication
of top flight staff, powerful and fruitful
academic and industry collaborations, and the generous support of our institutional funders,
government agencies and individual donors.
Beacon Institute is employing technology, imagination and ingenuity to create a 21st century
model for dealing with the pressures of humanity’s impact on the natural world that harmonizes
the dynamic tension between these two forces, rather than demonizing them. Studies around
“smart” electrical grids have shown that real-time information can inspire humans to make
smarter decisions and motivate changes
in habits and behavior. This information
and inspiration is exactly what is needed
right now to address the complex issues
surrounding abundant and high quality
water for our communities and fragile
ecosystems that provide us this resource.
The visualization of data now streaming
live from multiple REON sensors in the
Hudson River is just one example of
our success this year in moving closer
toward the vision of a “source-to-sea”
sensor network for the Hudson that could be replicated for rivers worldwide. SENSE IT, the
acclaimed curriculum and teacher development program adopted this year by 31 schools in the
state of New York, thanks to major funding from the National Science Foundation and others, is
inspiring educators and generating enthusiasm in students about careers in science, technology,
engineering and mathematics.
At Beacon Institute, we are inspired and motivated towards greater understanding of riverine
and estuarine ecosystems. The current economic climate has only intensified our efforts to
work “smarter” by continuing to laser-focus attention on careful and prudent use of funds for
maximum results. One small example is the decision to save “green”—both dollars and trees—by
distributing this annual report primarily in a digital format, increasing e-news communications
and limiting direct mail to selected fundraising efforts. You can help in this regard by providing
us with your email address.
If you find yourself in Beacon or Troy, NY, I encourage you to stop in to meet our fine staff, take
in an exhibit or attend an event. The cultural and community events we host bring more than
4,000 people through our doors each year and are designed to educate and resonate with those
who share our passion for water.
On behalf of the Institute’s entire Board of Trustees, please accept my sincere thanks for your
interest and support in building a smarter way to take on the challenges of rivers around the
world, and for your tremendous support in making this year of progress possible. Sincerely,
Brian Ruder
Chair, Board of Trustees
MissionTo create and maintain a global
center for scientific and technological
innovation that advances research,
education and public policy regarding
rivers and estuaries.
Board of TrusteesBrian Ruder Skylight Partners, Inc. Chair
John C. CavalierVice Chair
William J. Florence, Jr.Florence & SmithTreasurer and Secretary
Heather BriccettiThe Business Council of New York State, Inc.
Anthony G. Collins, Ph.D.Clarkson University, President
John CroninBeacon Institute for Rivers and EstuariesPace University
Charles E. Dorkey IIIMcKenna Long & Aldridge LLP
Thomas EndresJacob K. Javits Convention Center
Michael C. Finnegan
Stephen J. FriedmanPace University, President
Alan P. Goldberg
Ann MeagherGreater Southern Dutchess Chamber of Commerce
William F. Plunkett, Jr.Plunkett & Jaffe Group of McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP
Lynette M. StarkNortheastern New York State Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure
Paul WebsterNew York State United Teachers (NYSUT)
© 2009 Beacon Institute for Rivers and Estuaries. All rights reserved.
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The world’s rivers and estuaries are where
the majority of people live. These ecosystems
and population centers are affected most
and first by the challenges of the human
relationship to nature—whether those are
the environmental, economic and social
impacts of human-induced climate change,
or diminishing global water resources, or
declining commercial fish stocks. The planet
runs on water. The world’s population is
growing but its water resources are not.
Within the next five years, the term “water
footprint” will be as common as “carbon
footprint.” Competition for water resources
will become central to domestic and global
politics. In some cases, the availability of
water will outweigh cheap labor as a criterion
for economic development and the location of
job-producing companies.
On the health front, between one and two
billion people on the planet are without
sanitary water, and conservative estimates
tell us that two million people a year die from
diseases associated with water pollution,
mostly children in the developing world.
Our knowledge of water, its monitoring,
management and protection is woefully
inadequate. It must become a priority in
education, engineering, the sciences, public
policy and the marketplace.
The mission of Beacon Institute for Rivers
and Estuaries is to create and maintain a
global center for scientific and technological
innovation that advances research, education
“Imagine the extraordinary
advances to the environment,
education, and the economy if we
could know, in real time, the
chemical, physical and biological
conditions of any water body.”
—John Cronin
Visualizing the Smart Riverand public policy regarding rivers and
estuaries. Our programs encompass:
technological innovation, STEM skill
education (science, technology, engineering
and math), policy research and economic
development. Working with key partners
at IBM, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute,
Clarkson University, and Pace University’s
Academy for Applied Environmental Studies
and the Pace School of Law, we are designing
and implementing:
• The River and Estuary Observatory
Network (REON), a “source-to-sea” real-
time monitoring network for New York’s
Hudson and St. Lawrence Rivers, with
technology replicable for rivers worldwide;
• SENSE IT, a teacher-training program to
identify and develop the next generation of
science and technology experts;
• A new collaborative environmental
policy center to explore how 21st century
innovation should affect decades-old policies
to form policy recommendations backed
by the latest information and research
available; and
• Innovative sensor technology and
“green” research facilities.
If the 20th century was the era of
environmental brawn, the 21st century has
to be the era of environmental brains. The
last half of the last century was spent fighting
the impacts of decades of environmental
abuse. In this century we must become smart
enough to measure our impacts and our
needs decades in advance.
Imagine the extraordinary advances to
the environment, education, and the
economy if we could know, in real time,
the chemical, physical and biological
conditions of any water body. This new way
of observing, understanding and predicting
how large river and estuary ecosystems work
will allow us to translate that knowledge into
better policy, management and education
for the Hudson River, and for rivers and
estuaries worldwide.
John Cronin is an environmental leader whose 35-year career of public service and accomplishments have earned him the designation of “Hero for the Planet” from Time magazine. Cronin heads Beacon Institute as its Director and Chief Executive Officer and is a senior fellow in environmental affairs at Pace university’s Academy for Applied Environmental Studies.
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Beacon Institute’s flagship scientific
research initiative is the River and Estuary
Observatory Network (REON), the first
technology-based monitoring and forecasting
network for rivers and estuaries. A joint effort
between Beacon Institute, IBM and Clarkson
University first announced in 2007, REON
will allow for minute-to-minute monitoring
of physical, chemical and biological data
from New York’s Hudson and St. Lawrence
Rivers via an integrated network of sensors,
robotics and computational technology
distributed throughout both rivers. REON is
a featured case study in IBM’s Global Outlook
Innovation report on water (2009) and its
Smarter Planet initiative.
The REON plan calls for a networked array
of sensors to provide the data necessary to
capture variations in multiple environmental
parameters. Applications of REON data could
include the ability to visualize the movement
of chemical constituents, protect fish species
as they migrate and provide a better scientific
understanding of river and estuary ecosystems.
On August 20, 2008, Beacon Institute
deployed B1—the first advanced monitoring
station in the REON system—in the Hudson
River off Denning’s Point in Beacon, NY.
Over the winter, James S. Bonner, Ph.D.,
P.E., REON Director of Research, and
his research team at Clarkson University
redesigned B1 for redeployment in April
2009, yielding valuable real-time data. Fixed
acoustic Doppler current profilers (ADCPs) at
sites at West Point, Poughkeepsie and Albany
are providing additional data.
Other research highlights include:
• Development of Novel Sensors.
Beacon Institute and Clarkson University,
with funding from a National Science
Foundation Major Research Instrumentation
grant (NSF-MRI), are co-developing new
submersible sensors to enhance the type and
quality of data collected.
• Real-time GIS mapping system of
the Hudson River. Beacon Institute and
the Center for International Earth Science
Information Network (CIESIN) at Columbia
University are producing a sophisticated
tool that will play a key role in presenting
data collected by REON and additional
information sources throughout the
watershed.
Plans for 2010–2011 call for deployment of
at least ten more networked sensor arrays
and monitoring stations throughout the
Hudson, St. Lawrence and Mohawk Rivers,
in partnership with Clarkson University and
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
Science & Technology
REON 2.0
Top Right: On the B1 advanced monitoring station, solar panels power a computer- controlled autonomous robotic profiler with an array of sensors that travels vertically in the water for measurements. Along with the profiler, meteorological sensors and an acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) measure atmospheric and hydrodynamic conditions.
Above: Research team members Chris Fuller and Russ nelson of Clarkson university with the underwater undulating tow device.
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Current Profile (centimeters/second)on B1, the acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCp) points downward toward the river bed to measure water current direction and speed. Dark red shows the variation in the depth of the river bed, which changes with time due to forces of the tide. positive velocity magnitude (yellow to red) indicates that water is moving up the river to the north—high tide. negative velocity magnitude (turquoise to blue) shows water moving to the south, back toward the Atlantic ocean—low tide.
REON Deployments•August 2008: Beacon
B1 advanced monitoring station deployed in Hudson River off Denning’s Point
• April 2009: Beacon Re-engineered and redesigned B1 deployed in same location off Denning’s Point
• May 2009: Beacon Installation and preview testing of land-based radar to generate surface current map
• June 2009: West Point Fixed acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) installed horizontally on pier near the USGS gauging station at South Dock at the U.S. Military Academy
• July 2009: Albany Fixed ADCP installed vertically and anchored to river bottom near site of Dutch Apple Cruises
• August 2009: Lower Hudson Test cruise of mobile monitoring system using proprietary underwater undulating tow device with instrumentation similar to B1
• September 2009: Grasse River B2 advanced monitoring station deployed in northern NY, near St. Lawrence River
• September 2009: Lower Hudson Research cruise with mobile monitoring system (New Hamburg to Tarrytown)
• October 2009: Lower Hudson Research cruise with mobile monitoring system (Beacon to Tarrytown)
• October 2009 Fixed ADCP installed horizontally on pier at USGS station at IBM site in Poughkeepsie, NY
Mohammad Shahidul Islam, Ph.D.,
REON Project Manager, a recent graduate
of Texas A&M University, created
these dynamic, web-accessible graphic
interpretations of REON data streaming.
IBM will be creating future iterations of
data visualization.
Chlorophyll concentration (parts per billion)the three-channel fluorimeter (Fl3) provides data on the presence of biological, physical and chemical particles in the water. Chlorophyll concentration measured by Fl3 provides an indirect measure of the phytoplankton biomass (algae). At certain levels, algae can be a food source, but an overabundance can be detrimental to the ecosystem. Red shows a higher concentration of phytoplankton biomass, blue shows lower.
Particle volume (microliter/liter)this figure shows the variation of particle concentration in the water at the platform over time. A strong current in either direction can move water and particles from the bottom, and bring up particles from the ocean, as concentration can change with tidal forces. normally particle concentration is expected to be higher near the river bed, and less in the upper portions of the water column.
Dissolved oxygen (milligrams/liter)the optical oxygen sensor uses optical fluorescence technology to detect the amount of oxygen in the water. Dissolved oxygen is an important indicator of ecological health. Red means low concentration of oxygen, blue shows a higher concentration.
Salinity (practical salinity unit)Salinity is an indicator of the amount of salt present in the water. Red shows high tide, with high salt water concentration from the ocean. Blue shows low tide, with more fresh water concentration. there is a slight amount of lag time with this parameter due to tidal variations.
Water temperature (degrees Celsius)In this figure, red indicates warmer water, while blue indicates colder water. Water temperature can vary with the tide and time of day.
mohammad Shahidul Islam, Ph.d., REOn Project manager
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REON Data Visualization
Sample of Daily Observational Data
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REOn data captures: mohammad Shahidul Islam, Ph.d.
Too many of today’s students are choosing
not to pursue careers in science, technology,
engineering or mathematics, but Beacon
Institute’s new hands-on approach using
sensor technology aims to change that.
Developed by Beacon Institute and Clarkson
University, SENSE IT (Student Enabled
Network of Sensors for the Environment
using Innovative Technology) offers high
school teachers new ways to engage students
in hands-on exploration and application of
the critical science, technology, engineering
and math (STEM) skills that can further
excite students about science and technology
career paths.
SENSE IT brings sensor technology into the
classroom. Participating teachers learn to
implement the hands-on curriculum modules
and receive the equipment necessary to
Education
SENSE ITteach their students to construct their own
prototype water quality sensors.
“Our goal is to use the Hudson River and
the REON project as learning platforms to
demonstrate how science and technology
help us view, interpret and interact with the
environment,” said Liesl Hotaling, Chief
Education Officer for Beacon Institute and
creator of SENSE IT. Hotaling is a nationally
recognized expert in developing internet-
based science curricula for K-12 teachers.
SENSE IT was piloted at Tech Valley High
School (TVHS) in the Capital District in 2007-
2008, and the high school implemented Year
Two of the curriculum in 2008-2009.
Thanks in part to the success of the
TVHS pilot, in 2008 the National Science
Foundation, through its Innovative
Technology Experiences for Students and
Teachers (NSF-ITEST) program, awarded
Beacon Institute and Clarkson University
$1.4 million to expand SENSE IT across
three regions in New York State. Additional
funding for SENSE IT has been provided by
Motorola Foundation, Turner Construction
Above: Teachers and students participated in SEnSE IT this summer at Beacon Institute’s Center for Environmental Innovation and Education.
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Company, Louis Greenspan Charitable Trust,
the Bender Scientific Fund of the Community
Foundation of the Greater Capital Region,
Verizon and Senator Stephen Saland and
Senator Vincent Leibell.
During July and August of 2009, 41 teachers
and 80 students from 31 school districts
across the Capital District, Potsdam area and
Hudson Valley participated in one of three
intensive two-week professional development
workshops designed to prepare them to
implement the SENSE IT curriculum in their
classrooms this fall.
The SENSE IT curriculum modules, designed
to integrate into any high school STEM
curriculum, include sensor development,
deployment and data gathering; water
quality investigation; and sharing data across
observatories. Students learn the engineering
design process by designing, constructing,
programming and testing water monitoring
sensors, with the ultimate goal of interesting
students in STEM-based career paths.
Acceptance into the program requires long-
term commitments from teachers and schools
to employ these methods.
“For New York State and the nation to
remain competitive in the global economy
it is essential we develop math, science
and engineering skills in young students,”
said John Cronin, Director and CEO
of Beacon Institute. “By combining an
environmentally-driven purpose—the
monitoring and protection of critical
waterways—with advanced technological
skills, we are preparing a new generation of
innovators and leaders who can address one
of our most pressing regional, national and
global environmental challenges—threatened
water resources.”
Beacon Institute is a member of the Centers for
Ocean Science Education Excellence Networked
Ocean Worlds (COSEE-NOW), which facilitates
collaborations between scientists and educators.
COSEE-NOW members create educational materials
that use observing systems data in new media
formats for formal and informal educational settings.
What Educators Are Saying about SENSE ITChad CianfraniOakwood Friends SchoolPhysics, Robotics, Engineering
“This leads in very nicely to the robotics
class where I also use the Lego NXT
processors that we used this week with
SENSE IT. With my ninth graders, I will
be able to incorporate a lot of the sensors
we are using into the curriculum right
away… It has been fantastic!”
Amber KardasPoughkeepsie City School DistrictMathematics
“It really puts engineering, science,
computers, math and technology all in one.”
Anne GreenHadley-Luzerne School DistrictEnvironmental Science
“It was the best thing I did all summer…
Our [local] economy is based on tourism.
Water quality is a big part of it.”
Potsdam Region
Seaway Area Tech BOCES
Brasher Falls
Canton
Clifton Fine
Hermon DeKalb
Heuvelton
LaFargeville
Madrid-Waddington
Massena
Norwood
Ogdensburg Free Academy
Potsdam
Participating School DistrictsCapital Region
AuSable Valley
Cairo-Durham
Hadley-Luzerne
Hoosick Falls
Schenectady City
Schuylerville
Shenendehowa
Troy City
Waterford-Halfmoon
Hudson Valley Region
Beacon City
Blind Brook
Croton-Harmon
The Masters School
Oakwood Friends School
Onteora
Orange-Ulster BOCES
Poughkeepsie City
Sleepy Hollow/Tarrytown
Valley Central
Richard C. IanuzziPresident New York State United Teachers
“This program allows classroom teachers
to participate in real-life scientific research
that will have a lasting environmental
impact, and that they will be able to pass on
to their students.”
Jonathan MoreyOrange/Ulster BOCES Career andTechnology Education CenterEngineering; Guidance Counselor
“Students don’t know what engineering
is—it’s such a vast academic leap from
mechanical to electrical to chemical
engineering. What I’m trying to do is give
them actual hands on experience so that
they can say ‘I would like to be this type of
engineer.’ [SENSE IT] is a perfect hands-
on application to help students choose a
career based on experience, rather than
just stumbling into it.”
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Policy
Above (L to R): Panelists at the NYS Water Resources conference: John Cronin, Beacon Institute; marcia Bystryn, ny League of Conservation Voters; Alexandra dapolito dunn, Pace Law School; Carter H. Strickland, Jr., NYC Mayor’s Office; Sharon Nunes, Ph.d., IBm; Anthony Collins, Ph.d., Clarkson university
Left: NYS Water Resources conferenceProfessor nicholas Robinson, Pace Law School
Our Water Future
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outdated technologies can provide the sweeping
change necessary to address the enormity of the
water crisis our world now faces.
Beacon Institute is bringing together
some of the best minds in the not-for-
profit, corporate, research, academic and
government sectors to create a new era
of policy that encourages innovation,
protects our waterways and protects our
communities. The Institute is launching a
science, technology and environmental policy
center in collaboration with Pace University’s
Academy for Applied Environmental Studies
and its Center for Environmental Legal
Studies. The concept for this policy center
began in the former Pace Academy for the
Environment, founded in 2002, which
has counted amongst its achievements the
Environmental Consortium of Hudson Valley
Colleges & Universities.
In its new incarnation as Pace University’s
first center of excellence, the Pace Academy
for Applied Environmental Studies gathers
experts in science, law, politics, ethics, health
care, technology and business from the
university community and beyond for their
combined expertise to generate and contribute
innovative and integrated solutions to
environmental problems.
Key experts from Pace University— including
John Cronin, Pace President Stephen J.
Friedman, Pace Academy Director Michelle
Land, Assistant Dean of Environmental Law
Alexandra Dapolito Dunn and University
Professor Nicholas Robinson, among several
others—have been involved deeply with
Beacon Institute.
“Current state and federal water policies
are wholly inadequate,” asserts John
Cronin, Beacon Institute Director and
CEO, and senior environmental fellow at
Pace University’s new Academy for Applied
Environmental Studies, “if clean water,
functioning ecosystems, and sustainable
economic development are society’s goals.”
According to Cronin, new 21st century
policies that embrace, encourage and reward
innovation must be at the center of water
resource management. And, unlike laws
written in the 1970s, a new comprehensive
water policy should integrate its goals for
ecological, human and economic health.
The Pacific Institute estimates that between
36 million and 70 million people, mostly
children in the developing world, will die from
water pollution-related diseases by 2020. The
New York Times reports that as many as 19.5
million Americans are made ill each year by
biological contaminants in drinking water.
In New York’s Hudson River, home to Beacon
Institute, thousands of tons of municipal
and industrial wastes are dumped annually.
Sewage overflows are commonplace and
people routinely swim near industrial and
municipal outfalls. At least seven major fish
species are in decline and health advisories
about toxins in fish have been in place for 34
years. At least one city has a drinking water
intake within two miles of its sewage plant
discharge, and another has an intake 35 miles
downriver of a PCB Superfund site.
No single discipline can cure the world’s
environmental ills. And no policies based on
The Environmental Consortium of Hudson Valley Colleges & Universities
Months of planning for this new policy center
culminated in a September 2009 conference
on “New York State Water Resources:
Assessing the Need for a Comprehensive
Policy,” sponsored by Pace Academy for
Applied Environmental Studies, Beacon
Institute and the Center for Environmental
Legal Studies at Pace Law School. At the day-
long conference, experts in government, law,
science, education and advocacy discussed
the crisis that threatens state, national
and international aquatic resources. The
conference helped set the agenda for Pace
Academy’s and Beacon Institute’s continuing
research and applied studies of water policy.
At the conference, it was said often that
comprehensive protection and management of
water would finally come when a crisis forced
the issue. Water is fast equaling climate change
as a universal, environmental priority.
Beacon Institute is addressing the water crisis
and the need for information with vision,
integrity and imagination. It has gathered
together the best and brightest minds from
academia and industry to create the River
and Estuary Observatory Network (REON)
that, when complete, will provide real-time
monitoring of the chemical, physical and
biological changes in the Hudson and St.
Lawrence Rivers, and make this “smart river”
technology replicable for rivers worldwide.
The SENSE IT education program puts sensor
technology in the hands of today’s students,
and delivers the inspiration and knowledge
they will need to prepare for their role in
solving the water crisis for their children and
grandchildren.
The new policy center with Pace University
will fuse the hard scientific data streaming
in from REON with the energy, enthusiasm
and intellect of the environmental lawyers,
academics, policymakers and scientists who
have the skill, means and motivation to change
the way we think about this increasingly
precious resource.
“The illusion that water is forever flowing,
bountiful and continually improving, is a
myth,” states Cronin. “Our national and
regional unpreparedness for a sustainable
water future indicates that a crisis is already
upon us. We need to get smart about water
now. We have the talent. We need only to
understand the road ahead and put our best
talent and genius to work.”
The Environmental Consortium of
Hudson Valley Colleges & Universities was
established in 2004 by Beacon Institute and
Pace University with the mission to harness
higher education’s intellectual and physical
resources to advance regional, ecosystem-
based environmental research, teaching,
and learning through interdisciplinary,
collaborative programs and information
sharing. As a founding partner of the
Environmental Consortium, Beacon
Institute provides seed funding and staff
support for its programming.
“The partnership between Beacon Institute
and the Environmental Consortium
continues to enhance and reinforce our joint
vision for the region and its environment,”
says Michelle Land, J.D., Director of the
Environmental Consortium. “We are
continually advancing our ability to engage
member institutions in collaborative
programs that engage students and faculty
in river-related research and activities
toward a better understanding of the
Hudson’s health and functioning.”
River Summer Faculty
Development 2008
A total of 53 individuals from 31 institutions
and organizations participated as both
“teachers” and “learners” in River Summer’s
fourth year. Two modules transited the
full length of the Hudson River estuary,
from New York Harbor to the Troy Dam.
On board the R/V Seawolf of Stony
Brook University’s School of Marine and
Atmospheric Sciences, and through a series
of off-shore lessons, faculty were immersed
and transformed as they witness firsthand
the changing landscape, waterscape,
human and natural impacts. Faculty
from Pace University School of Law used
environmental law as a connecting theme
through the two modules. Curriculum
developed by faculty for the River Summer
program is being produced and made
available online.
Student Summit on Building Your
Green Future: Choosing a Career and
Degree with Sustainability in Mind
On April 3, 2009, the Consortium’s 4th
Annual Student Summit was held at
Mercy College in Dobbs Ferry, NY, and
attracted 125 students from over two dozen
institutions around the region. Kevin Doyle,
President of Green Economy and one of the
nation’s leading experts on employment
trends in the rapidly expanding world of
“green jobs,” delivered the keynote. The
event featured breakout sessions led by
environmental professionals and concluded
with an environmentally themed career/
graduate school fair. Mercy College School
of Health and Natural Sciences, Pace
University and Beacon Institute
co-sponsored the summit.
Supporting Faculty
Grant Opportunities
The Environmental Consortium offered
a series of seminars to encourage junior
faculty to submit National Science
Foundation CAREER grant proposals. Liesl
Hotaling, Chief Education Officer at Beacon
Institute, and Michelle Land, Director of
the Consortium, demystified the grant
application process and demonstrated
how Consortium membership can be
leveraged in grant proposals. The seminars
were offered at Rensselaer Polytechnic
Institute (upper Hudson), Vassar College
(mid-Hudson) and Marymount Manhattan
College (lower Hudson).
www.environmentalconsortium.org
Educators participating in River Summer aboard the R/V Seawolf of Stony Brook university’s School of marine and Atmospheric Sciences.
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Smart Rivers
John E. Kelly III, Senior Vice President and
Director of IBM Research, spoke eloquently
at the IBM Smarter Planet conference held
in Poughkeepsie, NY, in June 2009, about
the “interconnected, instrumented and
intelligent” systems that IBM is developing
for management of information and
resources like electricity, health care records
and water. Here, Beacon Institute Director
and CEO John Cronin, who served as a guest
speaker for the Smarter Planet conference,
interviews Dr. Kelly.
JOHN CRONIN: Why do we need to get
smart about water?
JOHN KELLY: Many people think that water
is the most abundant resource on the planet,
but when you start to look at the available
fresh water it’s a very different story.
Although three quarters of the earth’s surface
is covered in water, less than one percent of
that is suitable for use by humans. Most of
our water—97 percent of it—is saltwater; 2
percent is held in snow and icebergs and only
1 percent is usable fresh water.
While the global water supply is largely
fixed, the world population and its
water consumption are growing. In just
the last 100 years, global water usage has
increased at twice the rate of population
growth. Today, 20 percent of the world’s
population lacks ready access to safe
drinking water. That percentage is
increasing annually.
The flow of clean, plentiful water is as
essential to our economy and society as it
is to our planet. The time has come to stop
taking water for granted, and start managing
it as the precious resource it is.
JOHN CRONIN: How do we get smart about
water?
JOHN KELLY: We get smart about water by
building intelligence into water systems—by
using smart technology to monitor, measure
and analyze entire water ecosystems, from
rivers and reservoirs to the pumps and pipes
in our homes.
As water resource management expert Doug
Miell has said, you can’t manage what you
can’t measure. IBM is using sophisticated
sensor networks to collect and analyze the
tremendous amounts of data generated in
complex water systems.
“Society and business are
facing increasingly complex
challenges when it comes
to understanding and
managing water resources
on this planet. Getting smart
about water is important
to all of us for one simple
reason: water is too precious
a resource to be wasted.”
John E. Kelly IIISenior Vice President and DirectorIBM Research
Smart Rivers for a Smarter PlanetPHO
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Above: John Cronin with Sharon L. nunes, Ph.d., Vice President, Strategic growth Initiatives, Big green Innovations, IBm Systems and Technology group
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For example, in our work with Beacon
Institute and Clarkson University on the
River and Estuary Observatory Network
(REON), we’re applying advanced analytics
to the information gathered via the minute-
to-minute monitoring systems installed
on New York’s Hudson River. REON’s
integrated network of sensors, robotics
and computational technology distributed
throughout the river will help provide
a better understanding of the effects of
global weather changes, the movements of
migrating fish or the transport of pollutants.
JOHN CRONIN: Why is this important to
IBM, and more importantly, the average
citizen?
JOHN KELLY: Society and business are
facing increasingly complex challenges when
it comes to understanding and managing
water resources on this planet. Getting smart
about water is important to all of us for
one simple reason: water is too precious a
resource to be wasted.
In IBM’s recent Global Innovation Outlook
report on water, a lack of viable and
actionable data was identified as a key
inhibitor to effective water management.
We saw this as a call to action because
we have the ability to apply the kinds of
advanced technologies—sophisticated sensor
networks, smart meters, deep computing
and analytics—that are necessary for smarter
water management.
Over the past three years, Beacon
Institute has raised more than $3.5
million in public and private funds for
research and development efforts to
create and develop the River and Estuary
Observatory Network (REON).
What It Takes to Build Smart RiversSeeing REON to fruition will require a
significant investment of private dollars.
In 2010, Beacon Institute will invest more
than $1.5 million to deploy and maintain
advanced sensor equipment for REON. Your
support is both needed and appreciated.
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Chris Fuller of Clarkson university releases the underwater undulating tow device for a research cruise.
Sharon L. nunes, Ph.d., IBm, and James S. Bonner, Ph.d., P.E., REOn Research director, with members of the research team.
mohammad Shahidul Islam, Ph.d., REOn Project manager, on B1.
New York City
New York City
TroyTroy
Mount MarcyMount Marcy
BeaconBeacon
H u d s o n R i v e r
H u d s o n R i v e r
PublicOutreach
Center for Environmental Innovation and Education A beautiful cold, crisp, sunny day and the
celebration of the Beacon Institute’s new
“green” facility brought more than 350 excited
guests to the opening of Beacon Institute’s
new Center for Environmental Innovation
and Education (CEIE) at Denning’s Point in
Beacon, NY, on December 13, 2008.
“Beacon Institute is a Hudson Valley
treasure—the research and innovation taking
place here in our own backyard will translate
into tangible benefits that will resound
throughout the international community,”
said Congressman John Hall. “Water is
perhaps our most important natural resource.
Beacon Institute is showing us new ways to
monitor and protect this precious element.
The new CEIE facility on Denning’s Point in
Beacon will provide an important touchstone
and opportunity for people to engage with the
Institute’s programs and reconnect with the
Hudson River.”
“We had a vision for a world class center
for advanced river and estuary research to
make its home in Dutchess County. We are
thrilled to see that vision become a reality
with the opening of the Beacon Institute,”
said Dutchess County Executive William R.
Steinhaus. “Our investment in the Beacon
Institute provides an opportunity for our
children to learn more about our environment
and how to protect it for generations to come.”
Equipped with surround-sound
videoconferencing, broadcasting and
simulcasting capabilities, the CEIE was
designed by architectural firm Gensler
to receive high LEED certification, with
flexible spaces that are easily reconfigurable
for seminars, workshops, exhibits, public
forums and cultural and social events.
Educational programming in the CEIE
included SENSE IT teacher development
programs in August 2009.
Event programming at the facility in 2009 has
been broad and well-received by hundreds of
participants, and has included lectures, films,
nature tours of Denning’s Point and teacher
training, as well as several events for regional
professional and community groups.
“The opening of the CEIE is a great milestone
for the Beacon Institute, and the Dyson
Foundation is pleased to have been an early
supporter of the organization and this effort,”
said Diana M. Gurieva, Executive Vice
President of the Dyson Foundation. “The
educational opportunities that will be available
to residents of the Mid-Hudson Valley at the
CEIE will be a wonderful asset to the region.”
The CEIE also functions as a Visitor Center
for Denning’s Point, part of New York’s
Hudson Highlands State Park. From April 1
to November 30, the Park is open to visitors,
who can visit the new CEIE as they walk the
hiking trails from the Metro-North Beacon
station and around Denning’s Point.
Top Right: gensler design director Oliver Schaper presents the “green” features of the CEIE.
Above Left: Exterior of CEIE
Above: Rendering of CAER
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Gallery at 199 Main StreetBeacon Institute’s Gallery at 199 Main Street
in Beacon, New York, demonstrates its
commitment to the cultural heritage of rivers
and their people. From July 2008 to June
2009, more than 4,000 people visited the
Institute’s gallery, bookstore and gift shop.
Local theater groups, not-for-profits and
other civic organizations enjoyed regular use
of the gallery for special events on a space-
available basis.
Gallery exhibitions are selected on the basis of
resonance with and relevance to the Institute’s
mission, with special emphasis on regional
artists inspired by the complexity and beauty
of the Hudson and other bodies of water.
Center for Advanced Environmental ResearchEarly design has been completed for
the Center for Advanced Environmental
Research (CAER), Beacon Institute’s
second facility on Denning’s Point. Croxton
Collaborative Architects, pioneers in green
building design, are leading the planning and
design of CAER with the goal of creating a
unique research facility where collaboration
amongst scientists, engineers, policy analysts
and scholars is seamless and intuitive. The
design—including site orientation, public
areas, research facilities, preliminary
landscape concepts, viewsheds and interior
layout—incorporates the latest in integrated,
sustainable design and practices.
Beacon HarborBeacon Institute continues to collaborate
with the City of Beacon and other partners
to revitalize Beacon Harbor. Key to this effort
is the planned construction of a dock to
serve both the Institute’s research vessels
and enhance public use and access to the
water. The dock is expected to accommodate
the Clearwater, the Woody Guthrie and
other large vessels. The City’s harbor
management plan, currently under state
review, anticipates a shoreside public
facility that will support deep water
research vessels and researchers, as well
as educational programming for the
Institute, the community and other harbor
organizations.
Upper Hudson Research Center at TroyIn 2008, Beacon Institute, Rensselaer
Polytechnic Institute (RPI), the City of
Troy and New York State announced
plans to design and build a sustainable
environmental research facility on the
former Rensselaer Iron Works site as part of
the City of Troy’s waterfront revitalization
plans. The Upper Hudson Research Center
(UHRC) will launch new educational
and research initiatives to preserve river
ecosystems. Facility construction will begin
following completion of an environmental
cleanup of the brownfield property as
part of New York State’s Environmental
Remediation Program. Planning for the new
streetscape and improved fishing pier was
accomplished, now providing the community
with renewed access to the river.
Up River: Man-Made Sites of Interest on the Hudson from the Battery to Troy
Courtesy of The Center for Land Use Interpretation
May 9 – November 8, 2009
This portrait of the Hudson’s shores focused on man-made sites rarely seen by those who
travel along the river’s banks. Aerial photography highlighted the shore area’s landmarks both
plain and remarkable: factories, prisons, power plants, quarries, parks, current industries and
planned redevelopments—in many cases, overlooked places that can only be seen from above.
Top to Bottom -- The Hudson River Photographs by Ted Kawalerski
October 4, 2008-April 26, 2009
Sleepy Hollow photographer Ted Kawalerski shared with viewers his deep personal connection
to the Hudson River and the multicultural diversity of people who live along its banks.
PHILIPSE MANOR BEACH CLUB © 2008 TED KAWALERSKI
THE CENTER FOR LAND USE INTERPRETATION ARCHIVE
PostdoctoralResearch
Postdoctoral scholar Adam Reitzel, Ph.D.
earned his Ph.D. from Boston University
and an M.S. in Zoology from the University
of Florida. With support from Beacon
Institute and Woods Hole Oceanographic
Institution (WHOI), Reitzel has been
studying the starlet sea anemone, a tiny
creature (< 1 cm) that lives in the salt
marshes of the Atlantic coast, including the
Hudson River estuary.
ADAM: Estuaries, home to a variety of
organisms including fish and crustaceans,
continue to be impacted by environmental
stressors, including coastal development,
climate change and anthropogenic
contaminants. My research at Woods Hole
focused on testing hypotheses to better
understand the responses of the starlet sea
anemone Nematostella vectensis to toxic
metals and temperature, common natural
and anthropogenic stressors, due to industrial
activity and climate change.
I took three approaches to characterize
the molecular machinery deployed by
Nematostella to environmental stressors:
candidate gene identification and expression,
transcriptional profiling to identify novel
genes, and gene suppression. Each approach
provides complementary insights into the
genetic mechanisms underlying stress
responses. I expected that some of the
candidate genes would be expressed in a
way that would lessen organismal stress.
However, the degree of stress necessary
to elicit the molecular response varies
considerably among species.
One surprising result is that Nematostella
could tolerate fairly large changes in
temperature and metal exposure before
deploying a molecular response when
compared to other related organisms (e.g.
corals). A second surprising result was the
potential involvement of a nuclear hormone
receptor in response to metal exposure.
This observation provides a novel direction
for my future work.
This postdoctoral opportunity provided
resources to pursue a diverse set of
questions in both the field and laboratory,
to collaborate with other researchers
and to present my research at academic
conferences and focused working groups.
This combination of experiences has resulted
in several completed projects to better
understand Nematostella’s relationship
with its environment and how estuarine
organisms use molecular mechanisms to
respond to stressful environments.
Top: Adam Reitzel, Ph.d. collecting Nematostella at Sapelo Island, gA.
Top Left: Adult Nematostella and egg masses.
Above: Adam Reitzel collecting Nematostella at great Sippewissett marsh in Falmouth, mA.
Starlet Sea Anemones and Environmental Stress
Ad
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undergraduateResearch
Undergraduate students Lori Jaeger of
Sullivan County Community College and
Matthew Francis of Marist College received
research funding from Beacon Institute and
the Environmental Consortium of Hudson
Valley Colleges & Universities to study the
presence of the non-native red-eared
slider turtle (Trachemys scripta elegans), in
the Hudson River estuarine environment,
under the supervision of Erik Kiviat and
Tanessa Hartwig of Hudsonia, Ltd.
Since the 1960s, many unwanted pet slider
turtles have been released into ponds
and lakes. This highly adaptable turtle
population, which can thrive in poor
habitats with small amounts of water, little
vegetation, no basking sites and limited
food resources, has expanded beyond its
native range. Sliders were first recorded
in Denning’s Point Bay in 2003, a habitat
hosting another invasive species, the water
chestnut (Trapa natans L.).
During the study period from June 1 to
July 31, 2009, the students captured and
documented the slider turtle population in
Denning’s Point Bay using radio transmitters.
After recording identifying data, the students
released all turtles at the original point of
capture in Denning’s Point Bay.
MATT: In the initial days of the internship,
we observed 12 to 15 slider turtles basking on
a large log in the center of Denning’s Point
Bay. Although we were not able to identify
these sliders specifically as red-eared sliders,
we were confident we would find and trap a
decent-sized sample of a population of red-
eared sliders that we could track and monitor.
In actuality, we only trapped three red-eared
sliders over the course of the summer. We
tracked and monitored the activity of these
three turtles throughout the bay and recorded
the water depths and temperatures at their
locations.
LORI: We expected to find the sliders
using a larger portion of the bay than they
actually did. Their movements remained
concentrated along the shores of the bay in
dense water chestnut mats. We were not able
to locate any nests, but we did observe two
juvenile sliders (between 1–2 years old) in
the bay, indicating that the turtles here are
indeed reproducing.
MATT: Through this internship I gained
valuable field research experience and
became familiar with the process of writing a
formal academic research paper. These skills
will prove beneficial as I pursue a career in
biology.
LORI: This internship experience of
participating in an undergraduate research
project was an honor and a privilege. I feel
much more confident about tackling things
that might seem out of my reach. After
spending a summer on the beautiful Hudson
River, working outdoors has become a
requirement in my future plans.
Red-eared Slider Turtles at Denning’s Point
Top: Lori Jaeger and matthew Francis setting traps in denning’s Point Bay.
Top Right: A turtle receives a radio transmitter
Above: map of turtle locations in denning’s Point Bay.
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Support
Beacon Institute continued to reach new constituencies and new supporters.
In fact, participation in the annual fund doubled from last year. During this year
of uncertainty and unprecedented economic hardship, we are grateful for each and
every gift and for every new supporter. Careful use of our resources has allowed
us to sustain our programs during these challenging times and we are optimistic
for 2009–2010.
Expenditures 2008–2009 Amount Percent
Research $1,461,259 35%
Capital Projects 866,111 20%
Education 788,197 19%
Public Policy 314,333 7%
Development & 415,180 10% Communcations
Administration 367,546 9%
Total $4,212,626 100%
*Unaudited
2008–2009 Expenses by Function*
0
1m
2m
3m
4m
5m
6m
2007–2008 Revenue Funding by Source*
6M
5M
4M
3M
2M
1M
0Revenues Expenditures
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Top Right and Left: Students and teachers participating in SEnSE IT at denning’s Point in Beacon, ny.
Above: Installation of acoustic doppler current profiler (ADCP) at West Point, NY.
Yearly Budget Comparison
Revenues
Expenditures
2007–2008
$5,268,994
5,268,994
2008–2009
$4,212,626
4,212,626
2008–2009 Expenses by Function*
0
1m
2m
3m
4m
5m
6m
2007–2008 Revenue Funding by Source*
35%
20%
19%
7%
10%
9%
How Does Beacon Institute Use Your Gifts?
ContributorsBeacon Institute for Rivers and Estuaries remains grateful for our 2008–2009 donors who offered both operating and capital support.
$100,000+NYS Department of Environmental
Conservation
NYS Department of State Office of Coastal, Local Government & Community Sustainability
NYS Empire State Development Corporation
Dutchess County
The Dyson Foundation
$10,000 – $99,999Anonymous
Bender Scientific Fund of the Community Foundation for the Greater Capital Region
Hawksglen Foundation
Louis Greenspan Charitable Trust
George & Miriam Martin Foundation
Motorola Foundation
NYS Education Department
Turner Construction
Verizon Foundation
Lucy R. Waletzky
$1,000 — $9,999Douglas C. Berlin
John Cronin & Connie Hough
Charles E. Dorkey, III
William Florence
Stephen J. & Fredrica S. Friedman Fund
Harold Gainer
Alan Goldberg
Shirley & Paul Hartman
Dr. Carl W. Kohls
M&T Bank
Marc Moran & Mala Hoffman
William Plunkett
Susan Fox Rogers
Brian & Ginny Ruder
The partners of Sedore & Company
Under $1,000Bob & Marianne Abrams
Faith A. Adams
Robert E. Adamski
Daniel & Susan Albinder
Anonymous
John J. Atherton
Terry Badura
Howard & Marie Baker
Beacon Rotary Club
Beacon Terminal Associates
Mrs. Eric Bergmann
Susan Berliner
Tia Biasi
John & Betsy Brockway
Babette Brown
Wayne Bunker
Randi Chalfin-Piney
The Chazen Companies
Christina E. Clayton
Committee to Elect Adrian Butch Anderson
Mauri J. Coover-Reid
Dr. Edwin H. Cromey
Joe Curto
Jill Dayan
Kevin A. Denton
Eileen Doherty
John C. Dubberstein
Diane M. Duffus
Alexandra Dunn
Hank Dutch
Ellis & Associates
Steven Ferlauto
Sarah A. Fitts
Joan W. Fitzpatrick
Michael J. Flaherty
Arthur Fontijn
Erica Forman
Marcia Frahman
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Under $1,000 con’t.
Jane Geisler
D. E. Gilman
Bruce Gitlin
David M. Goldberg
Elaine Goldman
Rebecca Gott
John T. Graham
Drayton Grant
Josie & Bennett Gray
Joseph P. Gribbin
Erica Hauser
Lloyd J. Herman
Mark Hershey
Walter A. Hunt, Jr.
Harold Hyatt
The JLS Group
Oliver Johnson
Evelyn Kamenetzky
Linda Kamenetzky
Anne Kane
Pamela Kasa
Richard A. Kimball, Jr.
Chris Kingsley
Michael J. Kovach
Thomas LaBarr
Roy Lamberton
Lanc & Tully Engineering & Surveying
Land Family Foundation
Randy K. Lashua
Marta J. Lawrence
June T. Leaman
Michelle LeBlanc
Josette M. Lee
Arthur Levin
Mr. & Mrs. L. Lewis
Lifetime Learning Institute at Bard College
Anne Lindberg
Mr. & Mrs. Bernard Liquorman
Richard Manley
Randall Martin
Jillian Mauer
Dean McBeth
Darren B. McCormack
Charles H. McDuffie
Margaret McDuffie
Ann Meagher
Anthony Merante
Mr. & Mrs. Frank Mitchell
Dorothy Modlin
Vincent L. Montalbano
John Morgan
William B. Morrison
Ed Murr
Louis Nesslar
Florence Northcutt
Harold Oakhill
P & D Electric of Hudson Valley
Donald G. Palmer
Perreca Electric Co. Inc.
Cynthia Owen Philip
Piccone Group of Companies
Sandra Piccone
Quartararo & Quartararo
Harvey D. Rappaport
Robert Rathjen
Azzy Reckess
Carol S. Rietsma
Frank Ritter
River Pool at Beacon Inc.
Julia Robbins
Lorraine M. Roberts
Adrienne S. Rodriguez
Ken & Dorcas Rose
Barry & Edith Rosen
Toby Rossman
Charles R. Rowe
Janice & Richard Ryan
Mrs. John E. Sanders
Gerard M. Sapunarich
Sarah Schilling
Mr. & Mrs. J. David Schmidt
Terry Schwadron
Ian Shaw
William K. Simpson
Fred Snitzer
Joseph Squillante & Carol Capobianco
Donald K. Stammer, D.D.S.
Wendy & Alex Stanton
Lynette M. Stark
Jack Stearns
Polly Steinway
Mr. & Mrs. William Y. Stevens
Virginia K. Stowe
Anne Strain
Joan & Joe Taphorn
Dr. & Mrs. Ronald Tatelbaum
Vehig S. Tavitian
Dr. Jerome Thaler
Rosemary Thomas
Elizabeth Thorndike
Claudette P. Thornton
Arthur R. Tully
Iris J. Turkenkopf
Heather M. Upshaw
John J. Valentino
Joan K. VanVoorhis
Tony Cenicola
Viscount Wines & Liquor
William W. Weisner
Leigh L. Wen
Margery Whiteman
Nan Whittingham
Zywia Wojnar
Jean Wort
Nancy M. Yambem
Heather Yukon
Alexander & Marine Zagoreos
Am Zgonena
Joyce Zucker
Carmelina Zullo
Beacon Institute for Rivers and Estuaries makes every attempt to ensure the accuracy of our in-formation. If you would prefer that your name be listed differently, or if you have found an error or omission, please contact our Development office at 518.273.3215 and we will gladly update our records. The Beacon Institute, Inc., is a charitable, nonprofit corporation classified by the Internal Revenue Service as a publicly supported tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. A copy of the latest financial report may be obtained by writing to Beacon Institute, or to the New York State Attorney General’s Office, Charities Bureau, 120 Broadway, New York, NY 10271.
Contributors
• Check out www.bire.org for info, news,
events, blogs, videos and more.
• Subscribe to our email list. Instead of
printing newsletters, we save “green”
(dollars and trees) by sending informative
weekly emails to keep you in the loop.
• Volunteer. Join the Denning’s Point
conservation corps.
www.bire.org
Make your gift today!
Donate online or mail your gift to: Beacon
Institute, 199 Main St., Beacon, NY 12508.
Your tax-deductible gift helps us:
• Deploy more sensors for real-time
monitoring of the Hudson and beyond;
• Reach more teachers and students with
exciting, hands-on learning that brings
environmental science to life;
• Provide more scientific data to inform
policy and decision-making about water
management; and
• Protect our rivers for the next generation
and beyond.
Thank you again for your generous support
of Beacon Institute.
donate
Beacon Gallery, Bookstore and
Administrative Offices
199 Main St., Beacon, NY
Exhibits showcasing river and environmen-
tally themed artists. Talks by regional Hudson
Valley authors.
Center for Environmental
Innovation & Education (CEIE)
199 Dennings Ave., Beacon, NY
Award-winning “green” education facility
and Visitor Center, on the Hudson at
Denning’s Point, near Dia museum and
Metro North Beacon train station. Events,
environmental walks and exhibits.
Upper Hudson
Administrative Offices
225 River St., Troy, NY
Administrative offices for Upper Hudson
Research Center, part of Troy’s
waterfront revitalization.
Join the Smart River Revolution!
Enjoy an Event at Our Facilities
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Top Right: guest enjoy the CEIE “Picnic in the Park.”
Above: Preparing for a mobile monitoring research cruise.
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www.bire.org
199 Main Street Beacon, NY 12508 845.838.1600 fax: 845.838.6613
225 River Street Troy, NY 12180 518.273.3215 fax: 518.273.3218
StaffJohn CroninDirector and Chief Executive Officer James S. Bonner, Ph.D., P.E.REON Director of Research Regan Coover-ChichesterSenior Project Manager
Linda DeCrescenzoProject Assistant Kari Di LoretoReceptionist/Docent Brigid Driscoll, Ph.D.Program Manager Josie GraySenior Development Officer
Shirley Hamilton HartmanChief Development Officer Michael HeintzmanPublic Outreach Coordinator Courtland HerbertFacilities Manager Jim HeronProject Historian
Kathleen M. HickeyChief Communications Officer
Liesl HotalingChief Education Officer Mohammad Shahidul Islam, Ph.D.REON Project Manager Carol JarvisDocent Randy LashuaAdministrative Assistant/Docent
William P. Leitch IIIProject Director
Upper Hudson Research Center
Jo MerchantOffice Manager
Marc MoranChief Operating Officer
Terry PlatzDocent Claudette ThorntonDeputy Director of Development Danielle WardDocent