CIESIN conducts a range of basic and applied research. CIESIN’s basic research aims at better understanding and predicting the behavior of socio-ecological systems and developing data to support research by others. CIESIN staff have served as principal investigators and senior research personnel on research projects supported by a range of funders (see Programs & Projects) in areas such as environmental security, climate migration, natural hazards, indicator development from remote sensing data, experimental uses of device location and nighttime lights data, and population-environment interactions.
CIESIN’s research has resulted in peer-reviewed publications and a range of reports.
A Solar Energy desalination analysis tool, Sedat, with data and models for selecting technologies and regions
Fthenakis, V., G. Yetman, Z. Zhang, et al. 2022. A Solar Energy desalination analysis tool, Sedat, with data and models for selecting technologies and regions. Scientific Data 9 (233). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-022-01331-4.
A review of roads data development methodologies.
Ubukawa, T., A. de Sherbinin, H. Onsrud, A. Nelson, K. Payne, O. Cottray, M. Maron. 2014. A review of roads data development methodologies. Data Science Journal 13:45–66.
Evidence from the Frontlines of Climate Change: Loss and Damage to Communities Despite Coping and Adaptation
(January 2013, 86 pages. 7.32 MB). A summary of research by the Loss and Damage in Vulnerable Countries Initiative of the United Nations University, and CIESIN, on the impact of climate change livelihood and infrastructure losses and economic damage among vulnerable households in the developing world. Case studies were carried out in five countries: Bangladesh, Bhutan, the Gambia, Kenya, and Micronesia.
Software reuse methods to improve technological infrastructure for e-science
Marshall, J., R.R. Downs, and C. Mattmann. 2011. Software reuse methods to improve technological infrastructure for e-science. Proceedings of the 2011 IEEE International Conference on Information Reuse and Integration (IEEE IRI 2011), 528–532. Las Vegas, August 3–5. http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/IRI.2011.6009611.
A Strategy for Developing an Improved Global Roads Data Set
(February 2008, 25 pages, 1.1MB PDF). This report describes the steps required to develop and maintain an improved, public domain (i.e. free-of-charge restricted to attribution only) global spatial roads data set. The Report was one outcome of the Global Roads Workshop held October 1–2, 2007 at the Lamont Campus of Columbia University in Palisades, New York. The workshop was co-sponsored by the Consulative Group on International Agricultural Research-Consortium for Spatial Information (CGIAR-CSI), the International Council for Science’s Committee on Data for Science and Technology (ICSU-CODATA), and the World Resources Institute.
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Clear filtersCIESIN’s applied research efforts are aligned with Columbia’s Fourth Purpose, which leverages the university’s scholarly knowledge to create societal and global impact, in close partnership with organizations outside academia. The goal of this research is to advance human welfare and environmental sustainability by applying the university’s distinct intellectual capacities to practical problem solving and policy development, thereby bringing about meaningful changes. Examples include helping to identify locations for solar desalination, policy-relevant research on climate-related migration, and scientifically robust environmental indicator development for policy audiences. Clients have included USAID, The World Bank, and state agencies.