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Extreme Events in a Changing World: Highlights from EDS 2026

UMBC’s strength in environmental research spans all three colleges, along with its NASA-partnered centers, making Earth Day an especially meaningful time on campus. This year, on April 24th 2026, the Atmospheric Physics (ATPH) Department hosted its 10th Annual Earth Day Symposium (EDS), themed “Extreme Events in a Changing World.”

Organized by a committee led by Joshua Richards, a PhD candidate in ATPH, the all-day event highlighted Earth science research conducted at UMBC and by collaborators from neighboring institutions, including NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Morgan State University, Maryland Department of the Environment, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, and NOAA Center for Weather and Climate Prediction.

A woman stands at a wooden podium giving a presentation on "Tropopause Polar Vortices" with a detailed weather chart projected behind her.

The symposium featured a dynamic series of oral presentations from researchers across these organizations, covering extreme events related to climate, wildfires, air quality, and more.

Two women standing behind an outdoor table display with scientific equipment and posters, talking to a visitor on a sunny day.

EDS also included an outdoor exhibit hall that engaged students through live demonstrations, including real-time data collection from a wind lidar system. Exhibitors highlighted local initiatives such as Power Up Maryland, showcased ATPH research labs, and shared fellowship opportunities like NOAA NCAS-M II.

A group of people outdoors using shovels to plant a young tree in a grassy area on campus.

In celebration of Earth Day, participants partnered with Paul Monteiro, Vice President for Government Relations and Community Affairs, and the UMBC Office of Sustainability to plant a tree between the Physics and Public Policy buildings, an effort symbolizing the university’s ongoing commitment to environmental stewardship.

Students and faculty standing in a bright hallway, looking at academic posters pinned to large corkboards during a competition.

Students also took part in a poster competition, presenting their research to attendees and passersby. Second place was awarded to Nicolas Oliveira, a first-year Ph.D. student, for his research titled "Invisible Particles, Visible Loss: Aerosol Impacts on Photovoltaic Generation", while first place went to Eniola Oyedeji, a second-year Ph.D. student in ATPH, for his research titled "Deepening our understanding of cloud microphysics based on PACE satellite retrievals: A special focus on cloud effective variance (CEV)".

A panel of four people sitting at a long white table during a discussion at UMBC. A large screen behind them displays the university logo.

The day concluded with a panel discussion exploring how scientific research evolves into policy and ultimately impacts communities, with particular attention to challenges and opportunities in today’s political climate.

The steering committee (Joshua Richards, Parker Coye, Eniola Oyedeji, Tashin Ahammad, Connor Thompson, and Idris Ali) extends sincere thanks to the UMBC Department of Physics and Goddard Earth Sciences Technology and Research II for their support, as well as to all panelists, presenters, exhibitors, and visiting students who made the symposium a success.

Posted: May 4, 2026, 12:31 PM

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A large group of students and faculty posing for a commemorative photo on the outdoor steps of the UMBC Physics building.