Department of Geography

Ellen and Lonnie Thompson: What Can We Do about Climate Change (Part Two)

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Side by side image of Profs Ellen and Lonnie Thompson

Paleoclimatologists Ellen Mosley Thompson and Lonnie Thompson continue their discussion with host David Staley on the imminent challenges and possible solutions to climate change. They emphasize the importance of collective action, innovative technologies, and political will in combating environmental issues. They highlight practical actions individuals can take, such as voting and reducing energy consumption, and discuss the role of global cooperation and investment in science. Drawing from their extensive fieldwork, they share personal experiences and stress the need for a multidisciplinary approach, integrating sciences and liberal arts, to address the multifaceted impacts of climate change. Despite short-term pessimism due to current inaction, they express long-term optimism that humanity will rise to meet the crisis.

Listen to Part One

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Ellen and Lonnie Thompson: Ancient Ice Cores Tell Us the Future (Part One)

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Renowned paleoclimatologists Ellen Mosley-Thompson, Distinguished University Professor of Geography, and Lonnie Thompson, Distinguished University Scholar in Earth Sciences, discuss their groundbreaking work in studying ice cores to understand Earth’s climate history. Join host David Staley to learn how they extract climate data from ice cores, the logistical challenges of their fieldwork, and the importance of preserving ice core samples for future research. The Thompsons emphasize the significance of addressing climate change, the technological advancements in their field, and the need for greater investment in science and renewable energy. They also discuss the potential consequences of rising global temperatures and the crucial role of young people and international collaboration in combating climate change.

Listen to Part Two

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I am a Storm Chaser: Jana Houser and the Study of Tornados

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Dr. Jana Houser, an Associate Professor of Geography and Director of Undergraduate Studies, discusses her pioneering research on tornadoes through the use of mobile radar technology. She describes to host David Staley the challenges of predicting tornadoes due to their chaotic and localized nature. She’s been a storm chaser and worked on the movie Twisters. She credits her passion for tornadoes with growing up in Kansas. Dr Houser will present at the November 3, 2024 Science Sundays.

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“I Fell in Love with Mountain Glaciers as a Mountaineer,” Bryan Mark

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Bryan Mark, Professor of Geography, studies climate-glacier-hydrologic dynamics over different time scales and serves as State Climatologist of Ohio. He joins David Staley on this week’s Voices of Excellence.

Prof. Zhengyu Liu on Using the Past to Predict the Future of Climate Dynamics

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Zhengyu Liu is the Max Thomas Professor of Climate Dynamics in the Department of Geography. His areas of expertise include climate change, Earth systems modeling, and climate dynamics. He discusses how scientists can have confidence in their predictions about the future of climate on this week’s Voices of Excellence.

An Economist and a Geographer Meet in a Forest…: Research by Darla Munroe

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Professor Darla Munroe, Chair of the Department of Geography, studies land economics and human geography, with a focus on human environment interactions at a landscape level. She joins David Staley on this week’s Voices of Excellence to discuss her work on the forests of southeast Ohio and the methodological distinctions between economists and geographers, among other topics.

Prof. Ola Ahlqvist Tells Us How to See the Forest For the Trees

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Professor of Geography, Associate Vice Provost for Academic Enrichment, and Executive Director of the Honors and Scholars Center, Ola Ahlqvist studies cartography, land cover change, geographic information, and online maps. He also looks at the impact that the definition of terms has on research, such as what defines a forest.

“Are Longer Commutes Necessarily Inefficient?” Morton O’Kelly Says Not Necessarily

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Morton O’Kelly, Professor of Geography and Divisional Dean for the Social and Behavioral Sciences at The Ohio State University College of the Arts and Sciences, is fascinated by how things and people get from one place to another. He discusses whether Columbus is a more efficient city than San Diego or Las Vegas and if airlines that use point-to-point versus hub-and-spoke networks save or cost you money.

Harvey Miller Uses New Mobility Data to Understand Cities and Transportation

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Trucks, buses, autonomous cars, scooters and bikes: everyone is crowding onto roadways. Professor and Chair of Geographic Information Science in the Department of Geography Harvey Miller talks with David Staley about how GIS can help make sense of it all. 

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Steve Quiring Keeps an Eye on Temperatures Across the Globe

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Ohio State University Geography Professor Steven Quiring is the recipient of a National Science Foundation Career award for his work with Drought Predictability and the Role of Land-Atmosphere Interactions in the U.S. Great Plains.

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