Field-Trip to Long Island Vineyard
3rd Agricultural Geophysics Workshop at Cornell University’s Long Island Horticultural Research & Extension Center
Reflections
Innovation Unedited
Kenneth Arrow: 1972
Nobel Prize in Economics
Robert Aumann: 2005
Nobel Prize in Economics
Julius Axelrod: 1970
Nobel Prize in Medicine or Physiology
Stanley Cohen: 1986
Nobel Prize in Medicine or Physiology
Gertrude Elion: 1988
Nobel Prize in Physics
Herbert Hauptman: 1985
Nobel Prize in Chemistry
Robert Hofstadter: 1961
Nobel Prize in Physics
Jerome Karle: 1985
Nobel Prize in Chemistry
Arthur Kornberg: 1959
Nobel Prize in Medicine or Physiology
Leon Lederman: 1988
Nobel Prize in Physics
Arno Penzias: 1978
Nobel Prize in Astrophysics
Julian Schwinger: 1965
Nobel Prize in Physics
Rosalyn Yalow: 1977
Nobel Prize in Medicine
Lindsay Siegel
Executive Director
Zahn Innovation Center
City College of New York
Elizabeth Vilchis
Operations
Homer Delivery
Andrew L. Russell, Ph.D.
Director
Science & Tech Studies Prog
Associate Professor, History
Stevens Institute of Technology
Aaron M. Socha, Ph.D.
Director: Ctr for Sust Energy
Professor: Department of Chemistry
Bronx Community College, CUNY
Theo Vassilakis, Ph.D.
Founder & CEO
Metanautix
I am one of the coauthors on this project. Everyone on the team performed research, and coauthored the section titled “Challenges to Fixing the Situation.” I worked with Kevin Call on the sections titled “Introduction” and “What’s so bad about the Norilsk Nickel Factory?” In addition, I translated documents (reports, websites) from Norilsk, from Russian to English. Finally, I pulled together our team’s references. This project was a big eye-opener for me, as I wasn’t aware of the high levels of contamination going on Russia, as well as the rest of the world. It was also unfortunate to see the minimal progress being made to fix these situations.
I contributed to this project. Together we all pooled together resources we found relating to the topic of Norilsk including peer-reviewed journals accessed on pubmed. We subdivided the writing of the content. I primarily contributed to the Introduction and the “What’s so bad about Norilsk Nickel Factory” section and assisted slightly in the writing for “Challenges to Fixing the Situation”. In my primary contributions I was working with Revital and in “Challenges to Fixing the Situation” everyone had pitched in. In our “Cleaning Up and Staying Clean within Budget”, Alasdair and Ellianna had tackled the issue of how to fix it. Many of us had a lack of experience in actually designing and creating a poster, however, luckily for us, Ellianna had a multitude of past experience and was able to pull all our sections together beautifully.
I am a coauthor on the Norilsk Nickel Factory project. My specific role in this project was to co-write the “Challenges” and “Cleaning Up/Staying Clean” sections of the poster, and to find the globe location map for the poster. I also organized the division of material into the separate sections and designed the layout of the poster. Our entire team co-researched and co-edited every section. We created a shared team Google folder so that we could share research, ideas, pictures and suggestions for every section before placing it in the poster. The aspect that most surprised me about the research of this poster was the fact that the Russian government had already recognized the extreme pollution in Norilsk and had previously attempted to place sanctions on the factory responsible. I had assumed at the beginning of the project that there would be no obstacle once government sanctions were in place, and this realization actually led my research in a completely different direction than I had originally imagined. I think that the final direction is a stronger one for the awareness of this challenge.
Co-authored the Cleaning Up and Staying Clean within Budget and Challenges to Fixing the Situation sections. Abbreviated the Abstract such as to prevent overstimulation/attrition when reading the poster. Researched primarily the feasibility of desulfobulbus in vivo, and potential budget concerns. Found several visuals to assist in making the concepts of the poster more tangible. Researched process of mineral and material purification in Norilsk Nickel factory, and the associated chemical emissions with these processes. Finally, researched ways to enact increased efficiency in the facility through alternative chemical processes.
The poster has a great layout that uses images very well to display what it wants to say. It does not have to rely on overwhelming writing, instead the poster says exactly what it needs to say and what the viewer needs to know. Each section is very concise, yet provides all the information necessary. The group does a terrific job of explaining why the Nolrisk Nickel Factory is so bad, while also explaining what makes the factory so hard to control and cleanup. The group’s recommended solutions are very realistic well-researched.
A very readable, well designed poster! The visuals are interesting and all contribute to the information presented while elevating the content both visually and informationally. The public health data in the “What’s so bad about Norilsk Nickel Factory?” section was stellar and the “Challenges” section addressed clearly and simply the hurdles that clean-up would face. Really great in appearance, research, and thoughtful conclusions.
Nice presentation of your ideas and information. I believe the methods that you’re employing the fix is issue is very interesting. However, I am a bit stumped on the idea of raising the living wage and encouraging Norilsk to automate the most dangerous processes might be a bit risky because it will cost a lot of money and might cause several employees to directly or indirectly lose their jobs.
Upon first glance of the poster, I was immediately intrigued by the eye-catching title and interesting abstract. I think that this group succeeded in getting the audience interested in their topic. The graphics are very visually appealing and display their information in a unique way. I am also impressed by the fact that the group chose to include two goals- one for current remediation, as well as one to improve the future of their site. Very well done!
The solution of educating the population presented here is both effective and semi-common, however, the solution seems to work very well for Norilsk in particular. By educating the population with robotics skills, you justify raising worker wages and give citizens an alternate option to working in the factory because they can start their own business- effectively killing two birds with one stone. The images of the factory are also very powerful and as a whole, the poster is very nicely designed.
The statistics provided on the health problems caused by the factory made a really strong impact. After reading the challenges, I thought that this was a really tough site to pick as they seem almost impossible to overcome but your approach to fixing the issue seemed reasonable. I was a little bit confused about how desulfobulbus propronious (I might have butchered the spelling of that) would be used to help clean up the environment, would this bacteria just be release into the air or would it be like part of of a factory’s cleaning process?
This poster has a unique layout that makes it easy to read. It’s startling that in Russia, a country that’s considered “more developed” would have a factory such as this that creates such economic dependence and life-threatening circumstances simultaneously. The section, “Cleaning Up and Staying Clean within a Budget” makes me question, where has the money from American investors gone?
Visually appealing; the images chosen are very good and seem to add a lot to the content and understanding of the issue. There appears to be a very engrained way of practice, concerning the nickel supply, so it would be no surprise that one of the major challenges one would face when tackling the issue is the disturbing of traditional way. If the factory operations were to be shut down, a large majority of the population would be left unemployed. A proposed solution of increasing the efficiency of these processes seems very plausible.
The data you provided about the mortality rates and life expectancy made clear just how bad the pollution in Norilsk is. Your solution also seems reasonable. It would be difficult to clean up such a horribly polluted place, but your solution focused a lot on increasing the efficiency or safety of processes and improving the quality of life. In such a polluted place, that is probably the best option. I also like the quote you included from a Norilsk resident, since it gave a regular citizen’s perspective on the problem.
Really nice and well designed poster. The use of bullet points made your information very simple and easy to understand, while also conveying the most important aspects of the site. the pictures really drove home the problem in the city. The quote you used was very effective and was chosen and presented perfectly.
Your poster has a great design, making it very easy to follow and clear to understand. I appreciated how you very much considered the locals in Norilsk. As you said, many of those living in Norilsk are employed in the nickel factory, so simply shutting it down really isn’t a favorable option. It seems like it would be hard to work a way around this, but your ideas for foreign investment and changing how the factory operates do a great job.
I would say that this problem is as much environmental as it is socioeconomic. My question to you is, why has the local and federal government not addressed this issue yet to some notable degree? And if the government till now has not done anything to alleviate the problem, how do you expect that foreign aid, which I’m assuming the country itself regulates and supervises, would do any good?
Your poster has a clean, minimal presentation, which lends impact to the horrific and heroic pictures you display. Your information is expressed quite effectively, and I particularly like that the remediation follows a quite reasonable budget.
Overall design and impact make this an excellent project.
Your layout of information is visually arresting. Particularly effective, I think, is the use of the quote from the Norilsk resident, because it lends to the emergency nature of the issue. I like the strategy of working with consumers to encourage green practice, because these are the people who have the most immediate means to remedying the pollution issue. In presenting the poster verbally, you may want to emphasize the vegetation destruction and the very low life expectancy compared to the rest of the world. Overall, a very through and well-done job.
Your introduction alone paints the nasty picture that is Norilsk. It is amazing how only one location can produce 1% of the entire world’s release of SO2. Your poster is very simple, but packs a heavy punch. Each section demonstrates that terrible situation in Norilsk. It appears that Russia wants to keep Norilsk hidden from outsiders. Aside from encouraging green practice, how would you appeal to the Russian peoples and government to open up Norilsk?
I really like the design of the poster because it was easy to follow. The title was great and really helps to pull the reader in. Although implementing any kind of solution in Norilsk would be difficult, I like how your solutions involve educating the public and raising the wage, solely because the city is closed off and there’s no one to replace the current workers.
This poster does a very good job at attracting the viewers attention by conveying the magnitude of the situation in Norilsk. There is no easy solution but the possibilities listed are insightful. Hopefully, we can draw more attention to this matter and get something done about it. I was particularly shocked when I saw that the life expectancy in the region is a is mere 46 years! I would not expect for a country as advanced as Russia to have something like this within their own borders.
The poster session was a great experience. We were able to present our ideas in real time and discuss the plans with all the conference attendees that stopped by our poster. It was interesting to hear so many people’s thoughts on our project, and to hear how enthusiastic the participants were about our planned efforts in Norilsk. It would be interesting to see if we could present the project to Pure Earth and possibly get funding to help the people of Norilsk.
I really enjoyed being able to see the posters created by other students and learn from them. I did not do a great deal of pitching but it was also refreshing to be able to speak and inform others about our polluted site. I believe the experience overall was a positive one and a great way to facilitate the spread of information in an efficient and rapid manner. It makes sense why sessions like these are important in the science community.
How do you think the government can get involved either economically or socially? Is there any effort in place to have the Russian public become aware of the benefits of the factory?
What characteristics about Norilsk are responsible for allowing such conditions to exist? It is simply that regulations do not exist or it is a lack of regulatory oversight and enforcement?
The issue in this poster is something I was not aware of. How could we let the pollution in this area get so bad that the life expectancy is 46! I think bringing up this issue if very beneficial to not only the people living in this area but also for the environment. Hopefully the remediation process has a positive outcome.
It is amazing that there are still so many places that illegally pollute the land and destroy human life but are still accepted due to the large profit margins.
The poster had well balanced visuals with texts that struck out such as the “In the 1960s a lot of people came here and
they were all healthy. But now there…healthy children being born here and that is all because of the environment.” It made it seem like a printed newspaper. In terms of the topic, I was surprised to find that such conditions exist in Russia. Poor environmental conditions and poor government work usually relate to Asian countries specially the islands. Thank you for sharing this topic with us and working so hard on it! It is informative, interesting, and very unique.
Interesting poster, It is shocking and quite unbelievable that they closed off the city.
the point : “Work with the factory to raise employees’ wages. Since the city is closed
off6, cheaper migrants cannot replace current laborers.” was a bit vague. what does “cheaper migrants” supposed to mean?
Thank You.
Very interesting topic. Remote areas are often ignored and forgotten about even though they usually need the most help. It is unbelievable that by this point in time, with all the knowledge and technology we have that there can be a community with a life expectancy of 46. It would be interesting if new business tried to grow in this area so that this damaging company does not hold full control over the poverty stricken group.
What is the possibility of sanctions against the company by world governments, especially considering the current political conditions.
This poster has a very clear structure with great images.The project brings up both controversial environmental problems, as well as social problems. I would like to know if this type of environmental remediation can successfully be scaled and used on other sites in the world?
It is incredible that the whole city is actually closed off. As if combating the environmental problems wasn’t challenging enough without the additional resistance from the Russian Government.
You had an amazing, well-researched paper. Your recommendations show a great understanding of remediation techniques necessary, especially biotreatment. Would like to see a model showing how cleanup would affect the regional environment.
This is outrageous. Your point that “Norilsk Nickel is a prime employer in the city, so a majority of residents rely on the
factory as a source of income, even though they are not paid fair wages” sounds awfully familiar to the situation with Beatrice from the “Civil Action” Novel
this is an excellent poster on a very catching topic. I found the content of the poster both disturbing and interesting. In light of the global summit on climate change in France, finding a way to improve the efficiency of a plant like this and reduce emissions and contamination would be a huge step forward in combating global air pollution. There must be methods of nickel production that are less damaging? What are they, or what needs to be improved? you mention Desulfobulbus propionicus, but I was unable to figure out exactly how that could help with the information provided.A little more information would be appreciated for us who are learning about this for the first time.
This poster is very easy to read which makes a very big difference. I especially love the ‘What’s so bad about Norilsk Nickel Factory’ portion where you make obvious to the reader, and you do this throughout your project, not only the statistical information but also the economical and politics involved.
Environmental topics and pollution are always interesting topics. The poster was well designed and addressed something that cant be held off and ignored. It is always learning about topics that are not so well known to everyone.
This is an intriguing poster, the fact that 1% of the world’s SOx are coming from here is amazing. The fact that the people there even live to 46 is an achievement. It would be interesting to see what governmental policy can be adopted throughout the area.
nice lay out and very informative! Did you see if there were any type of regulation being implemented?
A well-researched poster that reveals the social, economical, and environmental horrors that plague a remote area, that is largely unknown or disregarded. And sadly because of this factor, this issue will continue to unaddressed.
This is a great poster portraying the problems that sometimes large companies get away with in the industrial world. The residents of Narilsk can’t seem to do anything about this. Can the U.N intervene in this case and stop the negative health affects that this company is causing ?
The sulfur dioxide emissions is a major problem for the local residents. The poster shows good information about the level of pollution that the company is emitting and necessary steps for solution. Green practice perhaps is one of the best way to approach this problem and further stabilize the local environment, although this method will cost financially. The poster is useful information to identify the local health and environmental problems and necessary mitigation steps for solution.
I found it very informative and I think it is important to know what it would cost to remediate this Site in Russia. How long would the remediation take if it were done as suggested in the Clean up section?
This is a vivid presentation of what can happen in a community where the impossible is possible due to unaccountable system of governance
The proposed approach to solving this environmental problem makes sense. However, securing the support of the domestic environmental protection agency will be critical given the political nature of the issue.
This poster highlights the issue of many corporate greed and problems that we face in society. The population has also been affected, and since many residents relocate, they can carr diseases with them, so it is important to cover this issue from the core.
Great poster! I was not aware of any environmental problems in Russia. It’s unfortunate that the company involved is doing little to nothing about the issue, especially since it directly impacts the health of Norilsk’s residents. This was such an interesting read!
The poster is very concise. It gets to the point right away. The title captures the reader’s attention. The historical aspect in the introduction shows the long past of this region. Along with health issues, socioeconomic issues are outlined in the poster.
Great presentation, it really gives you a sense of the effects factories have on the environment. Great quantitative information. The proposed solutions are very ambitious, however, they are necessary.
I really liked the organization of graphs, pictures, and statistics on the graph. The public effects were well documented and the solution were thoughtful. I liked how you considered the political and economic aspect in the solutions as well (raising wages and working with the consumers)
the story here is very likely to the story in the book of The Civil Action. I think the government should deeply involved in this issue, cause those kind of companies did not care about the personal complain.
This was the first time I had presented a poster or been to an event like this. It was really interesting to share our research with others and see all of the projects done by other students. Everyone focused on different things and had unique experiences collecting data, such as watching people work in the library. It was a memorable experience and was a great way to wrap up the seminar 3 class.
Wow! great presentation. It is very informative. I would like to know more about the efforts of international community
This was also my first time presenting (or creating, for that matter) a research poster at an event. It was great to see the responses and interest that everybody took in our research and work. So many people were shocked and horrified about the information we uncovered, and it was cool to be able to teach people about something that isn’t often discussed in the media. It was incredibly educational to have the amount of response every step of the way to create the best poster we possibly could. I really enjoyed the review process, and I’m very happy with the way the poster turned out. It was very enjoyable, and nice to have such a great tangible accomplishment to show for our work at the end of the seminar.