Ph.D. student Smitom Borah was awarded a fellowship with the Southeast Climate Adaptation Science Center. Smitom, who is advised by Dr. Daniel Obenour, is working on models that simulate the dynamics of nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus in Jordan Lake near Apex, N.C.

“I intend to use these models as forecasting tools to understand how these nutrient concentrations will vary in the future, especially under the changing climate. This will help policymakers and the public develop a better perspective for future action courses,” Borah says.

He will continue his work with Obenour, furthering his research developing models that simulate how nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus vary in a water body. By using these models, he will be able to evaluate the efficiency of different nutrient management plans.

“I am very excited to be a part of this cohort of Global Change Fellows and looking forward to many interesting conversations that we will have with each other as well as with experts from different fields,” Borah says.

The center, which is part of a network of eight centers managed by the U.S. Geological Survey National Climate Adaptation Science Center, is focused on gathering scientific information and building the tools needed to help fish, wildlife and ecosystems adapt to the impacts of changing climate and land use. This is the 10th year of its Global Change Fellows program, which is designed to “train the next generation of global change scientists by providing financial, scientific and professional development support for graduate students who are interested in multidisciplinary research.” The Fellows will meet together as a cohort throughout the year to engage in the challenges of global change through a multidisciplinary perspective.

“They’re off to an excellent start and have already made strong connections,” says Aranzazu Lascurain, assistant university director at the Southeast Climate Adaptation Science Center. “I am so heartened to see them engaged and working together across disciplines.”