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.
IPCC special report on the ocean and cryosphere
de Sherbinin, A. 2019. Contributing author to chapter two, High mountain areas. In IPCC special report on the ocean and cryosphere. https://www.ipcc.ch/srocc/.
Mapping global human dependence on marine ecosystems
Selig, E. R., D.G. Hole, E.H. Allison, K.K. Arkema, M.C. McKinnon, J. Chu, and A. de Sherbinin et al. 2019. Mapping global human dependence on marine ecosystems. Conservation Letters 12 (2). https://doi.org/ 10.1111/conl.12617.
Meeting the looming policy challenge of sea-level change and human migration
Wrathall, D.J., V. Mueller, P.U. Clark, A. Bell, M. Oppenheimer, M. Hauer, S. Kulp, E. Gilmore, H. Adams, R. Kopp, K. Abel, M. Call, J. Chen, and A. deSherbinin et al. 2019. Meeting the looming policy challenge of sea-level change and human migration. Nature Climate Change 9:898–901. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-019-0640-4.
Flood hazard assessment from storm tides, rain and sea level rise for a tidal river estuary
Orton, P.M., F.R. Conticello, F. Cioffi, T.M. Hall, N. Georgas, U. Lall, A. F. Blumberg, and K. MacManus. 2018. Flood hazard assessment from storm tides, rain and sea level rise for a tidal river estuary. Natural Hazards. 1-29. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-018-3251-x.
Assessment of Select Climate Change Impacts on U.S. National Security
July 2008, 52 pages, 4.52 MB). This working paper resulted from research funded by the U.S. National Intelligence Council as an input to a National Intelligence Assessment on climate change implications for U.S. National Security, produced May 2008. The research developed quantitative indicators of aggregate vulnerability to climate change, exposure to potential sea-level rise, and water scarcity. The work was done in collaboration with Charles Vörösmarty of the University of New Hampshire (now at City College New York) and Thomas Parris of ISciences.
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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.