Fires are burning hotter, faster, and longer in a warmer, more flammable world. These new extremes in fire behavior and fire emissions have distinct impacts on ecosystems and atmospheric composition. Douglas Morton, Physical Scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, will present research and technology developments to detect and track changes in global fire activity, quantify global fire emissions, and support improved predictions of fire spread and fire risk.
In this invited lecture, Morton will discuss advances in fire science leverage ground-based measurements, airborne remote sensing, and NASA satellite data to characterize air quality impacts and ecosystem damages from new extreme fires. Morton will also summarize ongoing efforts under NASA’s FireSense Program to deliver fire information to operational stakeholders and pathways for AI and technology development to support fire science and fire management, including NASA’s new Fire Environment Next-generation Instrument Xcelerator (FENIX) Mission.
This event is hosted in connection with the Environmental Institute's RIGs Faculty Fellows Program in coordination with Huilin Huang's faculty fellowship. The event provides an opportunity for UVA faculty to learn about emerging research directions and explore potential areas for interdisciplinary collaboration related to environmental resilience and sustainability.
Lunch will be provided for attendees at 12pm, ahead of the lecture. Faculty interested in networking with colleagues who share related research interests, identifying potential collaborators, or scheduling a one-on-one meeting with Doug during his visit to UVA are encouraged to contact jfogel@virginia.edu. We would be happy to help facilitate introductions and conversations with interested faculty across Grounds.
