FROSTBURG, MD - Dr. Emily Cohen of the UMCES Appalachian Laboratory earned a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award from the U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. Dr. Cohen will spend six months with the Lund Migration Group at Lund University in Sweden studying aeroecology with other renowned experts like Dr. Cecilia Nilsson.
Fulbright U.S. Scholars are accomplished faculty, researchers, administrators, and established professionals who teach or conduct research in partnership with institutions around the world. Through these affiliations, they expand their professional networks and often seed future research, innovation, and institutional partnerships. When they return home to their campuses, labs, and classrooms, Fulbright Scholars share their experiences and insights, becoming champions of international collaboration. Many go on to host visiting scholars, and inspire colleagues and students to pursue transformative opportunities abroad.
“There has never been a greater need for scientists to collaborate across borders to address global-scale issues,” Dr. Cohen said. “An international perspective is especially necessary for the study of migratory species that often move across borders and encounter variable environments throughout their lives. The Fulbright award and sabbatical [will] allow for focused work with world-renowned leaders in my field who are also passionate about understanding and conserving migratory animals.”
Aeroecology refers to the study of the airspace – the lowest level of Earth’s atmosphere, closest to the surface – as a habitat for animals. Utilizing new radar datasets and other technology, Dr. Cohen will investigate how features of the airspace influence when and where birds, bats, and insects occur in the airspace during migrations across North America and Europe.
“This work will answer longstanding questions about what shapes the aerial niches of flying animals,” Dr. Cohen shared. “This information is crucial to understanding, and predicting, how the ever-increasing anthropogenic activity in the airspace will affect flying animals.”
The Lund Migration Group is a world-renowned research group comprised of several leading professors in the areas of migration and movement ecology, with a long history of studying bird migration. Dr. Cecilia Nilsson’s work has used animal movement data acquired from weather radar, and Dr. Cohen is especially interested in her unique perspective.
Working with specialized radar in Lund will set UMCES up for future success; the Appalachian Laboratory is in the process of acquiring a similar radar system, set to be the second of its kind in all of North America. This specialty mobile radar system will be able to identify and track different types of birds, bats, and insects in the airspace. Dr. Cohen plans to train with the Lund Migration Group to learn to use their radar system and bring this knowledge back to UMCES.
“We are thrilled to see Dr. Cohen receive this prestigious honor,” Dr. David Nelson, Director of the UMCES Appalachian Laboratory, said. “Dr. Cohen’s Fulbright Award comes at a pivotal moment for the Lab as we prepare to deploy a new, state-of-the-art radar technology. Because migratory animals do not recognize geopolitical boundaries, Emily’s role as a scientist and cultural ambassador in Sweden is essential. Her work will facilitate a vital bidirectional exchange of knowledge that advances aeroecology while strengthening the international partnerships necessary to protect species worldwide.”
The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES) leads the way toward better management of Maryland’s natural resources and the protection and restoration of the Chesapeake Bay. From a network of laboratories located across the state, our scientists provide sound advice to help state and national leaders manage the environment and prepare future scientists to meet the global challenges of the 21st century.
Contact: abenson@umces.edu