http://www.slate.com/articles/
I have so many great memories of Howard and so many friends that I am grateful for. I have served the best department in the land (Physics and Astronomy) which has a history which goes back to the early part of the 20th century. Names like Branson, Eagleson, Thorpe, Catchings, Venable, Misra and Quinton Williams helped to lead the charge. I had the honor of joining this group as chair from 2007-2010.
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| Thirkield Building --- EST 1909 |
The PhD program goes back to 1962 http://www.physics1.howard.edu/alumni/PhDGraduates.html
but Master programs were awarded well before this time. In 1997, the late Dr. Thorpe had the PhD program in Atmospheric science approved at Howard University. Since 2006, this program has probably produced the largest number of minority PhD's in atmospheric science in the United States.
My focus has been around the study of the atmosphere in relationship to the African Continent. In particular, drought, floods, the links to hurricanes and man-made climate change have been the focus of the work. At every turn of the way, Howard University students have taken measurements, undertaken analysis and computer simulations completing their MS or PhD research. Having students participate in research in West Africa has been so rewarding. Names of HU students like, Daniel, Aaron, Tamara, Segayle, Jonathan S, Ashley, Ebony, Gabriel, Taj, Janee, Jonathan C., Jalisa, Ajuma and others brings a smile to my face. So many good times... like money flying out the car window onto the highway or falling down in a ditch, losing weather balloons and sharing a meal together.
But as with all things, they eventually come to an end. The last 5 years have been a struggle at time against the administration to improve things at the university. We are there to support and produce future students.
Research has been very difficult to maintain but it is still my hope that things will get better. This is the time for peace but we must always be willing to fight for what is important.
The Challenge
The population of Africa will go beyond 1 billion over the next few decades with food security, poverty alleviation, economic development and governance being all linked to public policy. Since the late 1960s, rainfall variability has punished growth of many countries in West Africa. In addition, the globe as a whole is warming and there are indications that West Africa will move toward drier conditions in the middle to late 21st century. Water drives electric power, agriculture and is necessary for life. Because of rising sea level from warming oceans and melting ice-sheets in Greenland, many coastal cities and low lying coastal zones will be subject to flooding and salt intrusion. In addition, we do not know how public health will be impacted.
I will be working at Penn State with the Alliance for Education, Science, Engineering and Development in Africa to address: hazards, health, climate change and education. While I won't make any promises, I have the will, experience and love to do the heavy lifting.
I start out by joining the UK ICE-D field campaign off the coast of West Africa in Cape Verde. Looking so forward to it.
So this is the last post ClimateChange@HU but a new named blog (working on the name) with a focus on weather, climate, health and the people of the African Diaspora is coming.
Life runs in one direction but the memories over the last 12 years will remain with me until I leave this Earth.
Thank You Howard University ....
Epilogue
Much of the violence that we see against and within the black community began with the transatlantic slave trade but was deepened in the period of 1800-1865. The production of cotton which grew from millions of bushels to billions of bushels by 1865 came on the backs of black people in the US. Many of the concepts such as credit, debit, mortgages, and the insurance as explained by author Edward Baptist in "The half that is never been told: Slavery and the making of American Capitalism," came about in this period. Cotton production was based on torture and forced human labor. This in turn drove many industries in the North (America) and in Europe. Black Men, women and children and families were broken, sold and walked across mountain and land from locations like Maryland/Virginia to South Carolina, Georgia only to be sold again to hungry people who wanted to gain more wealth without respecting humanity. Violence against the enslaved drove the process of cotton production. The opening of capital from cotton production drove the industrial revolution indirectly leading the expansion of America but also the production of greenhouse gases which will threaten all of humanity over the coming centuries. In order for black lives to matter, history must been told to all people correctly so that we can begin the process of restoring humanity, not repeating the same mistakes (greed and consumption at any cost) and healing the deep but not fatal wounds in the children from Mother Africa. The alternative of not acting is much worse!
