Congratulations to Brandt Geist on earning a 2024 ESI Pilot Research Grant award!
Congratulations to Brandt Geist on earning a 2024 ESI Pilot Research Grant award
Congratulations to one of our graduate students, Brandt Geist, for earning a 2024 ESI (Evolutionary Studies Initiative) Pilot Research Grant award.
Brandt’s research addresses the pressing issue of artificial light at night (ALAN) and its impact in the urban environment. Urban plants provide essential ecosystem services, but the increasing spread of ALAN, which disrupts phenology such as budburst and senescence, poses significant challenges.
Utilizing high-resolution nighttime light data from the SDGSAT-1 satellite and phenology data from NASA’s VIIRS, the study critically assesses how municipal policies aimed at mitigating ALAN influence these ecological and evolutionary processes. The research will offer novel insights into how urban lighting policies can minimize light pollution and thus preserve the phenology of urban plants.
The research is being conducted under the guidance of Dr. Lin Meng, along with committee members Dr. Steven L. Goodbred, Jr. and Dr. Maria Luisa Jorge. The outcomes of this research are expected to significantly contribute to urban planning and the development of sustainable lighting solutions.