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Forever Orange Endowed Chair Brochure
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ripti Bhattacharya loves history and literature, but her career took shape when she realized science could ignite her curiosity in the same way. During a soil science class in her first year at Georgetown University, she discovered not only that soil is intimately tied to the rise and fall of civilizations, but also that science could be creative, challenging and fun. “That class captured my imagination,” says Bhattacharya, the Thonis Family Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences who joined Syracuse University’s College of Arts and Sciences faculty in 2018. “Thinking about the relationships between humans and the environment sent me down this road of doing research.” Today the climate scientist is at the forefront of interdisciplinary research that combines explorations of past climates with atmospheric science. She employs geochemistry, climate modeling and data analysis, incorporating information from the isotopic signature of ancient molecules to reconstruct major climate events from thousands of years ago. By doing this, Bhattacharya can relate her findings to the present and what the future may hold. She cites the barrage of environmental catastrophes, such as wildfires in the Western U.S. and hurricanes like Ida in 2021, as evidence of the shifting climate. “Those types of extreme events, which we have a record for in the past, are likely to have some surprises in store for us if we don’t take climate change seriously and adapt,” she says. Bhattacharya, who holds a Ph.D. in geography from the University of California, Berkeley, and worked as a postdoctoral research associate at University of Arizona, focuses in general on Mediterranean climate and is a leading expert on ancient monsoons. Her research has been featured in top scientific journals and was cited in three chapters of the 2021 UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Report. She was selected by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine to serve on a panel and make recommendations that will help shape National Science Foundation (NSF) funding for paleoclimate research. One theme that dominates Bhattacharya’s research is a desire to understand the dynamics of rainfall on a variety of timescales and the impact regionally. “Our climate models agree in large part about what will happen globally, but regionally there are a lot of disagreements,” she says. “Especially what rainfall will look like in the future.” “Thinking about the relationships between humans and the environment sent me down this road of doing research.” —Tripti Bhattacharya, Thonis Family Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences Endowed Professor Leads Groundbreaking Climate Research Earth scientist looks to the future by examining global weather patterns of the ancient past.
Exploring Prehistoric Patterns One of Bhattacharya’s latest explorations led her to the Pliocene epoch (5.3 million to 2.5 million years ago), when atmospheric carbon dioxide levels were similar to today’s readings, though our current levels have surpassed those of the Pliocene. The major difference, she says, is Pliocene levels stretched over thousands of years compared to the mere decades of accelerated change driving today’s unprecedented global warming. “What we’re learning is the rate at which the planet warms really matters,” she says. “If we’re warming slowly in a steady way, the impacts are not as bad as what’s happening today, which is warming incredibly rapidly. How much we warm and how fast makes a difference for the world we see.” Until recently, Bhattacharya says, it was challenging to reproduce Pliocene temperature and rainfall patterns for computer modeling simulations. However, her lab has succeeded in reconstructing those patterns by more accurately incorporating information on cloud cover and vegetation in climate models. One conundrum she’s investigating is how changes in low cloud cover in coastal areas can alter climates. “Clouds are notoriously hard to code in global models because they’re these tiny one-meter-by-one-meter scale phenomena,” she says. “But because our ability to represent clouds has improved, we get a more accurate picture of both rainfall and temperature in a lot of locations.” The Pliocene also offers an example of how changing landscapes can reshape global weather. During the Pliocene, the high northern latitudes—now characterized by tundra and ice—were covered by boreal forests, their dark cover absorbing sunlight and warming the atmosphere, Bhattacharya says. She reports on the research in Nature Communications . “Changing forest cover at high latitudes alters the jet stream and has impacts as far away as the tropics,” she says. Analyzing Ancient Organic Materials In investigating the past to gain insights on the future, Bhattacharya is grateful for the enthusiastic support she’s received from University Life Trustee Michael G. Thonis ’72 and his wife, Susan, who established her professorship. The appointment laid the groundwork for her to develop her Paleoclimate Dynamics Lab. The lab made a big step forward when she leveraged some initial data findings and teamed up with Earth sciences colleague Christopher Junium to acquire a gas chromatograph coupled to an isotope-ratio mass spectrometer with an NSF grant. The instrument allows researchers to analyze organic materials, such as leaf waxes and amino acids, and determine atomic weights and isotopic ratios for hydrogen, carbon and nitrogen, which can shed light on changes in numerous environmental conditions. “We’re
measuring these individual plant compounds from the Pliocene and other time intervals, and we’re finding that these tell us how rainy it was in the past,” she says. “We’re also finding these dramatic reorganizations of climate—places like South Africa and the Western U.S. looked really different in the Pliocene based on these measurements. And that’s fascinating.” Sparking Curiosity For Bhattacharya, the possibilities of exploration and learning more about the world seem endless—and she wants to instill that sense of wonder and curiosity in her students, who fuel her own curiosity in the classroom and in the lab. “I think you should create an environment where students want to do well. Every class is a different flavor. My big intro class has a lot of non-science majors, and they ask questions or make connections to other fields that I never would have thought of,” says Bhattacharya, a 2021 recipient of the University’s Meredith Teaching Recognition Award. “I can also draw on the motivation and curiosity of my grad students and undergrad researchers, because they’re always excited about what they’re doing.”
THROUGH SUPPORT FACULTY EXCELLENCE
Bhattacharya’s Paleoclimate Dynamics Lab houses a gas chromatograph paired with an isotope-ratio mass spectrometer, which can shed light on how environmental conditions have changed over time. The Thonis family’s gift laid the groundwork for the lab’s development.
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Supporting Visionary Scholars Through Endowed Professorships The Forever Orange Campaign’s strategic focus on advancing academic excellence underscores Syracuse University’s commitment to attracting and retaining the world’s top faculty and engaging in research that will inform society for generations. Among the campaign’s nearly 100,000 donors, University Life Trustee Michael G. Thonis ’72 has been one of the strongest supporters and advocates for academic excellence fundraising.
Your professional success comes from the world of finance, yet your philanthropy supports the sciences. Where did your passion for the sciences originate? My two passions are Earth science and investment management. They sound unrelated, which is why I love them both. I grew up in a poor, rural community. Earth science was all around me, and investment management was far away. At Syracuse University both were available, so I learned what I could of each. I should add that while I love the practical application of investment theory, I prefer pure science and basic research. That is where we begin to solve our most serious problems. You and Susan have generously created two endowed professorships in Earth sciences. What motivates you to focus your giving on faculty support? It is a constant struggle for university faculty to raise the funds necessary to do great research. And great research promotes better teaching, because great research makes for more excited and insightful teachers. Supporting faculty is highly valued by the schools and departments, and by me. I’ve discovered that my professorships make everyone happy, even faculty not currently named to hold the positions. What impresses or excites you most about the academic environment at Syracuse University? My investment career was focused on university endowment management, and my Earth science passion kept me close to academia. Therefore, I believe I have some feeling for who is doing what well elsewhere. At Syracuse, the academic environment is proud and strong, while also being collegial and fun. I see Syracuse University research published regularly and co-authored with stellar faculty from universities around the world. And I’ve attended field trips with Earth science faculty and students that demonstrate the incredible strength of Syracuse University research and culture. As a tri-chair for the Forever Orange Campaign, you’re a strong advocate for giving back to Syracuse University. What would you say to others about the importance of supporting academic excellence at all levels? I accepted the role of campaign tri-chair because I deeply believe in the mission of higher education and its ability to transform lives and make this planet a better place. Faculty support gets to the heart of the mission. And making an endowed gift locks it in for the long haul—the “Forever” in Forever Orange.
He and his wife, Susan Thonis, have provided the lead gifts for the establishment of two Thonis Family Professorships in Earth Sciences and the Thonis Family Earth Science Scholarship endowment. They have generously supported other initiatives in the College of Arts and Sciences, the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, and alumni affairs. Thonis offers insight into what motivates him to give and why he considers support for academic excellence initiatives to be of critical importance.
To learn more about how to support academic excellence and the rest of the Forever Orange Campaign, visit foreverorange.syr.edu.
Faculty Excellence Brochure
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The hallmark of a great research university is its faculty. In the classroom, research lab, studio or workshop:
Secure the future of Syracuse University and our students by investing in faculty and leadership who will influence our students’ success for generations to come:
Great professors generate groundbreaking insights.
Endowed Deanship Endowed Department Chair Endowed Professor of Excellence
Endowed Professorship Endowed Assistant Professorship Endowed Faculty Fellow
World-class scholars expand their students’ intellect and worldview.
Faculty excellence magnifies our impact in shaping future generations of leaders and innovators.
How We Elevate the Impact of Your Gift Syracuse University will enhance the power of your philanthropy in a unique partnership to promote faculty excellence through the creation of special endowments that provide ongoing support of faculty positions.
Excellence that Inspires Achievements Want to make the kind of difference that ensures our students have access to the most creative, gifted and inspiring scholars, researchers and teachers? The Forever Orange Campaign now offers donors the opportunity to partner with Syracuse University in new ways to help our students excel in the classroom and beyond. By supporting the Faculty Excellence Program, you are strengthening the University’s ability to attract and retain talented faculty and enhancing their ability to successfully compete for prestigious grants and external funding that support academic rigor, scholarly pursuits and discovery. Your Forever Orange gift to Faculty Excellence helps Syracuse University recruit visionary researchers, reward and retain influential faculty, nurture and diversify the future professoriate, and recognize the accomplishments of dedicated faculty at all levels.
If you complete your pledge in four to five years, Syracuse University will contribute 25% of the total cost to endow.
If you complete your pledge within three years or less, Syracuse University will contribute 33% of the total cost to endow.
Faculty excellence drives student success and institutional prominence by fueling discovery, nourishing creativity, and unleashing potential to impact our world for lasting good. Today’s Gift Reverberates for Years You can leave an ongoing legacy through a gift you make today to the Faculty Excellence Program. Gift options, which range from $1 million to $7 million, support salaries, equipment, travel and other resources that enhance interdisciplinary research, teaching and growth in high priority academic areas.
THROUGH SUPPORT FACULTY EXCELLENCE
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Our desire is to bring even greater excellence to Syracuse University, and to produce the kind of talent that will change our world for the better and help humanity in the long run. —CHARLES (CHARLIE) AND CAROLYN WHEELER ’67
Sponsors of the Carolyn B. Wheeler Endowed Professorship in the College of Arts and Sciences and the Charles M. Wheeler Endowed Professorship in the Whitman School of Management.
rise to show your support Today To learn more about the Forever Orange Faculty Excellence Program, please contact: Lynn Vanderhoek Vice President, Principal Gifts/Strategic Initiatives
lavander@syr.edu | 315.569.0288 | foreverorange.syr.edu
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