I’m not much of a planner. I put together professional plans, creating a schedule for stories I’d like to research and write, and I coordinate calls and meetings all week, but I don’t tend to go through the calendar to figure out when to visit socially with friends and family or to attend cultural events.
This summer, however, I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to look at the calendar and consider a wide range of activities that would have been difficult or impossible a year ago.
I’m delighted to plan to visit with my extended family. I haven’t seen my brothers in over 19 months. I have visited with them on the phone and zoom, but that’s not nearly the same thing as seeing them in person, throwing a ball with them, flying a kite off the beach or just sitting on the couch and having a free-flowing conversation.
I am also delighted to consider planning a trip to museums. On one of our first dates, my wife and I went to the Metropolitan Museum, where we wandered slowly through the exhibits, continuing to build on our relationship even as we studied the artifacts left behind by the generations that fell in love and married hundreds of years earlier. I recall wandering through those wide hallways close to a quarter of a century ago, listening to my wife’s stories and delighting in laughter that, even now, provides validation and meaning to each moment.
I am hoping to travel to Washington, D.C., this summer, to see the air and space museum. Each of the planes hovers overhead, and the space capsules from the early days of the NASA program are inspirational, giving me a chance to picture the world from a different vantage point, seeing the shimmering blue waters that cover the Earth.
I have watched planes fly overhead throughout the pandemic, but I haven’t ventured to the airport or onto a plane. I’m looking forward to the opportunity that flight provides to turn trips that would take over 10 hours into one- or two-hour flights.
Visiting family, friends and strangers in different areas, eating foods that are different and unfamiliar and experiencing life outside of the small circles in which we’ve restricted ourselves opens up the possibilities for the summer and beyond.
My son can prepare for the start of college and my daughter for a return to college with the hope that they can enjoy more of the academic, social, extracurricular and community service experiences that they imagined when they envisioned these years of growth, development and, hopefully, independence.
I spoke with a scientist recently who told me that the inspiration for a work he’d just completed came from a conversation he had during a conference a few years ago. He had been sitting in an auditorium, listening to a speech, when he and a stranger exchanged thoughts about the implications of the work. From that interaction, he started a new project that became a productive and central focus of his research efforts. As soon as conferences are back on the calendar, he hopes to return to the road, where such unexpected and unplanned conversations can trigger inspiration.
To be sure, I recognize that the realities of travel and planning don’t always dovetail with the hopes and expectations. I recently visited with our extended community at a social gathering, where I stood downwind of someone who wore so much cologne that I couldn’t taste the food I was eating.
I’m sure there’ll also be lines, traffic jams and literal and figurative turbulence as I leave our home cocoon.
Still, this summer, I’ll be grateful for the opportunity to do so much, including and especially, the chance to plan.
Congratulations are in order for this past weekend’s activities. First and most importantly, my youngest grandchild graduated from high school last Friday. What a lovely milestone for him, one not to be missed by us.
We decided to drive there, the 11-hour trip notwithstanding, rather than deal with the inevitable crowds and COVID risks and restrictions at the airport. But so much more had to be factored into our plans. Why, I wondered, would a school arrange for graduation during Memorial Day weekend? This was an especially puzzling question as reports were warning of major travel activity by car and plane. Over 37 million people were expected to venture more than 50 miles away from home, a 60% increase above last year, with a big post-pandemic breakout looming.
Clearly this situation called for some careful strategizing. First we called and secured reservations at a hotel near the school. This was going to be more than a one-day trip. That was the easiest part. Then we decided to start right after work on Tuesday evening since that would probably beat the traffic leaving the Island for the weekend. We would drive as far as we could before stopping at a roadside lodging for the night, which we figured would give us a good head start on the trip for the following day.
Next we thought to pick up some sandwiches for dinner in the car on our way out of town. We ordered those in advance, as well as the much loved chocolate chip cookies from the local bakery to bring my family. And we would stop for a package that a friend, who lives near my grandson, requested we bring to her.
We followed the plan.
After five hours of night driving with blissfully no traffic, we saw a sign for a familiar hotel at the next exit and drove off the highway feeling quite ready for a good sleep. Our first problem was that, in our haze, we couldn’t immediately find the hotel. After a bit of exploring and a U-turn, we did and pulled into a parking lot that looked ominously full. When we tried the front door, it was locked.
Fortunately, as we stood there in a fatigued stupor, a worker at the hotel came along and opened the door for us. She then called to the clerk behind the front desk, who had appeared from nowhere, and who told us what we feared: no rooms available. She directed us to the next hotel down the highway.
“But wait,” the first worker said as she scooted around behind the desk, “let me look at the register.” After several minutes, she found an unfulfilled reservation for a room on the fourth floor and offered it to us. Relief!
The next day, we happily arrived at our destination by mid-afternoon. I don’t have to tell you how wonderful it was to come together with family we had not seen in over a year, to hug them and note how the children had grown, and talk with them in person for hours. Thursday, other members of the extended family arrived, everyone in a happy mood, and Friday, under a beautiful blue sky, we all went to the commencement and cheered mightily as our grandson walked on stage, shook the president’s hand and received his sheepskin.
We, of course, celebrated the rest of the day and well into the evening. It felt a little unreal to be casually chatting together after the year of pandemic isolation, something we would otherwise, in earlier times, so taken for granted.
Now came the tricky part: when to leave for the drive home through the midst of the holiday weekend. We had decided on Saturday, hoping that was a good travel day, when most people would already have gotten to their destinations and before they would have started to return. Picking up some provisions for the car ride, we filled the gas tank and left in the morning for home. There was never any serious traffic along the route. Score one for strategy, another for luck. And another for appreciation and gratitude for all that we would have simply accepted pre-pathogen as our due.
Suffolk County Legislator Kara Hahn announced her bid to run for Congress on June 2. Photo from Hahn’s campaign office
As TBR News Media papers were going to press Wednesday, June 2, Suffolk County Legislator Kara Hahn (D-Setauket) was scheduled to discuss something big in the front courtyard of the Three Village Inn in Stony Brook later in the day.
Hahn, who is also deputy presiding officer of the county Legislature, announced in a press release June 2, her bid to be the next congresswoman for New York’s 1st Congressional District. The seat is currently held by U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin (R) who has his eyes on the New York State governor’s seat in 2022.
The June 2 event was organized for Hahn to make her first public remarks about her decision. When she was younger, Hahn was a waitress at the Three Village Inn.
She said in the press release she is running for Congress “to make an even greater impact for the community where she grew up and continues to raise her family today.”
“For too long, our community has paid the price for a representative in Washington who is more dedicated to partisan politics than the needs of this district,” Hahn said. “The cost of living on Long Island is squeezing students, workers and homeowners across this district, and it’s time we have a representative that’s laser-focused on building an economy that supports Suffolk County’s working families.”
In her time in the Legislature, Hahn has risen to the deputy presiding officer leadership post and her accomplishments include authoring laws to protect land and water from pollutants, leading the charge to confront Long Island’s opioid epidemic, and working to keep women and children safe from domestic abusers.
The legislator lives in Setauket with her husband Chris and two daughters. For more information on her campaign, visit www.karaforcongress.com.
Brookhaven Highway Superintendent Daniel Losquadro recently assisted with the distribution of donated flowers and plant material from the Holtsville Ecology Site to be used for beautification projects across Brookhaven Town.
Bea Roberto with Sup. Losquadro
Grown in on-site greenhouses, the flowers and plant material are requested by local non-profit organizations, civic groups, school districts and hospitals. Some groups choose to borrow the plants for decoration at specific events; others use the plants to enhance community gardens or beautify local parks. Each year, Mather Hospital requests a donation of seasonal and sensory plants which are used in hands-on gardening experiences to advance healing among patients.
“The Ecology Site staff do such a wonderful job propagating, growing and caring for a beautiful variety of flowers, from annuals and perennials to flats and house plants,” said Superintendent Losquadro. “We are happy to provide them to assist local groups and organizations in their efforts to beautify our Town.”
Sound Beach Civic Association President Bea Ruberto said, “This program allows us to put color in our community and beautify our parks. Especially now, a program like this means a lot. Being able to again plant flowers in our public spaces shows that Brookhaven is coming alive after more than a year that’s been hard.”
Rocky Point Civic Association President Jennifer Carlson said, “Two years ago, I became the park steward to the park behind Tilda’s Bakery (Veteran’s Park) in Rocky Point. I requested flowers and it makes a huge impact on the park. The addition of the flowers welcomes visitors and makes the park look more cared for. When the park looks cared for, people are more respectful of the space.”
Flower and plant donation requests can be sent to Superintendent Losquadro, 1140 Old Town Road, Coram, NY 11727. Requests are approved based on availability.
We are proud to present our second Times Beacon Record News Media Artist Coloring Book contest winners. Our intentions for the coloring book and contest was to offer our local art community grand exposure by fostering appreciation for the arts, as well as providing an enriching cultural experience for our audience.
We are grateful to Bank of America as our Coloring Book partner, to all the artists who contributed a beautiful gallery of sketches and to our coloring contest participants who submitted beautifully colored drawings, as well as our voters. Look for the winner’s colored masterpieces in select Bank of America financial centers.To see the rest of the contestant’s entries, visit our TBR Facebook page: facebook.com/tbrbewsmedia and check out the photo galleries.
Congratulations to all our winners!
Category 1: Ages 5-12
Winner
Mia Radi
COLORIST
Mia Radi, 5, Suffolk County
‘Nova’ by Marlene Bezich
1. What did you think of the coloring book?
“It Looked Beautiful.”
2. Why did you select this drawing to color?
“I chose to color the doggie because my Nanny and Poppy have a doggie. Her name is Cali.”
3. What are your other hobbies?
“I like to play with Anthony. I love to play with my Mommy. I like to do Art.”
Marlene Bezich with her dog Nova
ARTIST
Marlene Bezich, Port Jefferson
‘Nova’
1. What did you like about the winning colorist’s submission?
“First of all for a five year old her color understanding is amazing!!!Color is very important to me in my artwork, I love Mia’s color choices!She has successfully juxtapositioned complimentary colors to create a delight to the eye!!!!Under further examination I feel that wrapping Nova in an orange background gives Nova’s spirit a feeling of love and warmth.Her blue face indications “true blue” loyalty, and her green chest a sign of rebirth!I noticed she stayed well between the lines displaying a very organized personality!!! Her family should be truly proud of her!!!!”
2. What was your inspiration for the drawing?
“Nova is my sister’s dog who they rescued from the Brookhaven Town Shelter.She is the sweetest most loyal companion anyone could want.Her markings are stunning, so as an animal lover I just had to capture her!Hopefully this should be an example of the many wonderful dogs and cats available for adoption!They deserve a chance too!!”
3. What did you think of the coloring book?
“I loved the coloring book!!! So many different subjects and styles!!! I’m so proud to be among the many talented artists who participated.A Big THANK YOU for including us!!!!!!!”
4. What are your other hobbies?
“I love gardening and cooking!”
Runner Up
Junior Rivas
COLORIST
Junior Rivas, 11, Central Islip
‘KAMAHAMEHA!!!’ by Clara Heller
Why did you select this drawing to color?
“Out of all the pictures to choose from, this was my favorite because I like Dragon Ball Z and Goku.”
ARTIST
Clara Heller, Port Jefferson
‘KAMAHAMEHA!!!’
What was your inspiration for the drawing?
“I grew up drawing, and I grew up watching Toonami, especially Dragon Ball Z. I stopped drawing regularly as I got older, but when the pandemic hit and I suddenly had all this free time, I thought I’d give it another try. And what better subject than that of my favorite childhood anime! I’m just happy other people appreciate Goku as much as I do!”
Category 2: Ages 13-19
Winner
Rebecca Fear
COLORIST
Rebecca Fear, 19, South Setauket
‘Nature’s Healing Spirit’ by Iris Rosenhagen
1. What did you think of the coloring book?
“ I loved this coloring book because it included some beautiful pieces from different talented artists that brought a lot of positivity to me during this past year.”
2. Why did you select this drawing to color?
“I chose the piece Nature’s Healing Spirit because during this past year it’s important for everyone to find something to heal themselves during these difficult times. Through this coloring page I was able to use many vibrant colors and intricate detail. Coloring is relaxing for me and helped me heal during a stressful time. While coloring this page I had my newly adopted dog on my lap, which was also calming for me.”
3. What are your other hobbies?
“My other hobbies are singing, dancing, coloring, drawing, acting and volunteering.”
Iris Rosenhagen
ARTIST
Iris Rosenhagen, Selden
‘Nature’s Healing Spirit’
1. What did you like about the winning colorist’s submission?
“I love Rebecca’s use of jewel tones. The colors that she used and her out of the box thinking for how to apply them are very much how I envisioned it had I colored it.”
2. What was your inspiration for the drawing?
“The subject of my drawing was inspired by this past year. Everyone has faced many challenges and fortunately nature has been an incredibly therapeutic outlet for healing.”
3. What did you think of the coloring book?
“Everyone’s art is just so beautiful, and I’m honored to be a part of it. In addition to Mother Nature being one of the best healers, so is art, and it’s wonderful that the community had this opportunity to experience and create art together.”
4. What are your other hobbies?
“Some of my other hobbies include yoga, holistic healing, vegan cooking, eco-activism, birding, and hiking.”
Runner Up
COLORIST
Ella Psaltos, 16, Port Washington
‘Let’s Clean Up!’ by Bina Firestone
Why did you select this drawing to color?
“I chose that image because it reminded me of an old cartoon.”
ARTIST
Bina Firestone, Port Jefferson Station
‘Let’s Clean Up!’
What was your inspiration for the drawing?
“The drawing was from a watercolor I had recently completed. I had wanted to create a winter scene, but something different than a pristine and peaceful landscape. I started out with the idea of sending a snowplow through a residential neighborhood. Then I remembered how, after a snow, all the neighbors would emerge from their homes, and the street would become a hive of activity, so I added the people to the scene.”
Category 3: Ages 20+
Winner
COLORIST
Hedi Flickstein, Coram
‘Lily’ by Christopher Reisman
1. What did you think of the coloring book?
“It was very good. I wish more of the drawings had white space to color.”
2. Why did you select this drawing to color?
“It was a very beautiful rendition of the picture.I wanted to add things like eyeshadow, lipstick and nail polish.She needed some beautification.”
3. What are your other hobbies?
“Senior groups, school related groups, Legislative groups, groups that help the handicapped.”
Christopher Reisman
ARTIST
Christopher Reisman, Shoreham
‘Lily’
1. What did you like about the winning colorist’s submission?
“I love theway the artist took Lily to a new look and dressed her up a bit. Fabulous!”
2. What was your inspiration for the drawing?
“My inspiration for the drawing came from a picture in the New York Times Magazine section several years ago. I fell in love with the pose and the mystique of the lady. I added the flowers and Lily was born.”
3. What did you think of the coloring book?
“I think the coloringbook gives a wonderful view of fine art by Long Island artists. I think this should be very inspiring to a lot of people. What a great way to add more beauty into the world, which the world really needs.”
4. What are your other hobbies?
“My other hobbies are making music, sewing and gardening and taking care of our wonderful magic sanctuary every day. Actually my sewing is more than a hobby. It is a great creativejoyful experience for me to design and make one of a kind wearable art. I love it.”
Runner Up
COLORIST
Evelyn Rose, 78, Smithtown
‘Nature’s Healing Spirit’ by Iris Rosenhagen
Why did you select this drawing to color?
“She was very whimsical!”
ARTIST
Iris Rosenhagen
‘Nature’s Healing Spirit’
What was your inspiration for the drawing?
“In addition to being inspired by nature, I was inspired by the future colorists.I love the idea of someone interacting with my art.The opportunity of two creative energies coming together is so motivating to me.”
And there’s more!Six Long Island nonprofits, chosen by the winners & artists,will share $10,000 in community funding from Bank of America.
In observance of Memorial Day, the office of TBR News Media will be closed today, Monday, May 31. Thank you to the brave men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice.
“Our flag does not fly because the wind moves it.
It flies with the last breath of each soldier who died protecting it.”
Our national remembrance of Memorial Day had its roots after this nation fought the Civil War that ended in April of 1865.
Former veterans remembered their comrades after the terrible fighting of this four-year war in Waterloo, New York, in 1866.
Almost, a year after the fighting came to an end, the residents of this upstate town used flowers and flags to pay tribute to those citizens that were impacted by this war.
In 1868, General John A. Logan called for the nation to show unity in honoring the soldiers from both regions, as he stated that the battle scars and losses were felt within every American town.
“Decoration Day” was loosely recognized by most states until 1971, when “Memorial Day” was established by the government as a federal holiday. Through a three-day weekend, the blooming of flowers paid tribute to those men and women that served to protect this proud nation.
On this day, Americans take a moment to understand the historic examples of military service that has strengthened this country since the creation of our republic.
From May 18 to July 4, 1863, General Ulysses S. Grant was in position to drive a decisive wedge against the Confederate ability to carry out this war. At this time, Grant was in the midst of a 47-day siege against the mighty fortifications and gun emplacements that hindered the Union transportation on the Mississippi River.
Since December of 1862, Grant struggled to overtake this southern post that was called the “Gibraltar of the Confederacy.”
For several months, Grant sought one scheme after another that failed within his goals of taking control of these powerful guns that proved impossible to overcome. The press turned against Grant, whom they wrote was heavily drinking on duty and should be replaced by Lincoln. Even this president who appreciated the fighting devotion of Grant believed that he was the only friend that Grant had within the government.
On April 16 and 17, Grant gambled perhaps the entire war, by moving his forces under all of the guns at Vicksburg to operate south of these enemy forces. Even as the Confederates opened fire, Grant who was accompanied by his wife and son, observed that his entire flotilla of ships that held men and materials were practically unscathed by this assault.
Now, Grant was within the interior of the state of Mississippi, where he successfully fought several battles, took over the capital of Jackson, and pushed General John C. Pemberton back to the gates of Vicksburg. Lincoln was ecstatic over the fighting exploits of Grant, and this was shown when he was visited by several congressional leaders.
They were alarmed at reports that this general was drinking too much alcohol while he led this massive army. The President listened to the complaints against Grant and firmly stated that whiskey should be allocated to his other generals that have yet to fight and win any significant battles.
By June of 1863, he established a siege of Vicksburg, where these heavy artillery guns were useless to the southerners, and it was only a matter of time before this position was captured by Grant on Independence Day of 1863.
Grant was at the cusp of the largest victory of the war, where he proved that Lincoln was correct to stick with this general that was widely criticized after the Battle of Shiloh and during the earliest attempts to take Vicksburg.
Closer to home during World War I, Camp Upton that is now known as Brookhaven Laboratory, played a pivotal role in preparing American soldiers for the rigors of this conflict.
Once President Woodrow Wilson finally declared war on Germany and the Central Powers on April 2, 1917, the United States compared to the European powers, had a small force of 127,000 soldiers, with 181,000 National Guardsmen.
While Wilson kept “our boys out of the war” before he was re-elected in 1916, the President was now responsible to prepare our soldiers that were mostly drafted into service to fight against the battle-hardened strength of Germany.
At once, the government invested three billion dollars to raise, equip, and modernize the armed forces within an extremely brief period of time. Eventually 40,000 soldiers from mostly New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut received their earliest instruction at Camp Upton.
They were comprised of more than twenty-five national backgrounds that came from different walks of American life. There was musical composer Irvin Berlin and one of the most decorated veterans of this war, Sergeant Alvin York, briefly called this part of Yaphank their home.
This army base that was established at Camp Upton played a vital role in establishing the training that was necessary to fight an experienced German military on the Western Front.
At this moment, the local towns of Rocky Point, Miller Place, Ridge, Middle Island, Wading River, and Yaphank, watched a huge influx of civilians from around this nation walked into the confines of Camp Upton.As we remember Memorial Day, it was some-105 years ago, that these soldiers were trained how to march, shine their boots, make a bed, follow orders, fire a weapon and handle explosives at this local base.
While Camp Upton was across the vast Atlantic Ocean, it provided a vital morale booster for our country that American soldiers that were trained at this installation were sent overseas to help win this war.General John J.
Pershing the Expeditionary Commander of all-American forces in France counted on the soldiers that were from Camp Upton that later aided the British and French in finally defeating the Germany Empire.
Reinforcements from the United States were desperately needed, as the casualty rate for both sides was excessive with an average of 230 soldiers that died during every hour of fighting between these fighting nations.
About 81 years later, General Dwight D. Eisenhower was preparing for the D-Day invasion of France that took place on June 6, 1944.
Like that of Grant, he was a mid-western officer, that was an easy officer to like, and a figure that believed in his duty to help win the war. Eisenhower was chosen over General George C. Marshall the great “Organizer of Victory,” due to the unwillingness of President Franklin D. Roosevelt to allow his most trusted general to leave the nation.
And with this massive buildup of men and materials, Eisenhower with his trademark smile and ability to get along with the other senior leaders of the allies, was determined to establish the best possible plan to pierce Hitler’s “Atlantic Wall” in Normandy.
For several months leading up to this invasion, there were 73,000 American soldiers, and 83,000 British and Canadian men that were preparing to land on five beaches that spanned over fifty miles.
To support this massive operation that was the beginning of the end for Nazi Germany, over 7,000,000 tons of resources were shipped from the United States, that included 450,000 tons of ammunition.Citizens from every part of America prepared for their role in the “Great Crusade” to defeat one of the worst tyrannical leaders in world history.
While the British were in their fifth year of the war, they were pleased to see American soldiers and to befriend young men that were from places like New York City, Boston, Duluth, Galveston, Phoenix and Seattle.It was common to read the British slogan about the American presence of being “overpaid, oversexed, and over-here.”
As the Yanks were never shy to show their wild side, many of these soldiers were barely out of high school, and they were ultimately used to defeat the 50,000 German soldiers that defended these beaches that rested on the English Channel. As one of the most accomplished generals that this nation ever produced, Eisenhower was a simple officer that cared about his men.
Eisenhower had much in common with the average private, sergeant and officer that was expected to carry out this complex operation. He was from a poor background, that was fortunate to gain an admission for a college education at the United States Military Academy at West Point, was a talented football player and later coach, and he played minor league baseball under an assumed name.
When meeting with American soldiers, Eisenhower looked for army personnel that was from his hometown of Abilene, Kansas.
Although he was devoted to win the war, he accepted that casualties were going to be high, Eisenhower identified with some of the parents that were praying for their children that were in uniform.At the very moment that he prepared to issue the Operation Overlord orders, his son John prepared to graduate from West Point as a second lieutenant.
By the end of the war, both father and son were serving together within the European Theater to see the collapse of the Third Reich. Over the important history of the United States, Americans have always sacrificed and served for this nation.
May we always remember the examples of military service by our men and women that have proudly defined the strength and character of this country.
Rocky Point High School students Madelynn Zarzychi and Rosario Orantes helped write this article.
Rich Acritelli is a social studies teacher at Rocky Point High School and an adjunct professor of American history at Suffolk County Community College.
Three scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory have been selected by DOE’s Office of Science to receive significant funding through its Early Career Research Program.
The program, now in its 12th year, supports exceptional scientists during the crucial years when many do their most formative work in the agency’s priority research areas. These awards are part of DOE’s longstanding efforts to support critical research at the nation’s universities and National Labs, grow a skilled STEM workforce, and cement America as a global leader in science and innovation.
“Maintaining our nation’s braintrust of world-class scientists and researchers is one of DOE’s top priorities—and that means we need to give them the resources they need to succeed early on in their careers,” said Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “These awardees show exceptional potential to help us tackle America’s toughest challenges and secure our economic competitiveness for decades to come.”
A total of 83 awardees represent 41 universities and 11 DOE National Laboratories in 32 states—including five universities that are receiving funding for the first time under this award. Researchers based at DOE National Labs will receive grants for $500,000 per year. The research grants are distributed over five years and will cover salary and research expenses.
The Early Career Research Program is funded by DOE’s Office of Science, which has awarded millions in funding over the past month to grow a skilled, diverse STEM workforce—including $11.7 million for undergraduate and community college STEM internships and faculty research opportunities, and $2.4 million for graduate student research opportunities.
A list of all 83 awardees, their institutions, and titles of research projects is available on the Early Career Research Program webpage. [https://science.osti.gov/early-career]
This year’s Brookhaven Lab awardees include:
Dié Wang, “Understanding Deep Convective Cloud Kinematic Processes and Their Responses to Aerosols”
Dié Wang
Dié Wang, an assistant atmospheric scientist in Brookhaven Lab’s Environmental and Climate Sciences Department, will receive funding through the DOE’s Office of Science’s Biological and Environmental Research program. Her research project aims to fill knowledge gaps in our understanding of the lifecycle of deep convective clouds (DCCs)–the type of clouds present during thunderstorms–and how aerosols, tiny solid or liquid particles suspended in the atmosphere such as pollutants or sea spray, impact these systems.
Ultimately, the goal is to improve the representation of DCCs in Earth system models and the predictability of the water cycle.
DCCs are an important part of Earth’s water cycle that produce a significant portion of the global precipitation, regulate the global energy cycle, and drive large-scale atmospheric circulation that impacts climate sensitivity. Despite the critical role DDCs play in weather and climate, especially in the tropics and midlatitudes, their accurate simulation in state-of-the-art models remains extremely challenging.
“The interactions between aerosols and deep convection are very poorly understood for a number of reasons, one being that we don’t have a lot of key supporting observations of the processes going inside of the clouds during these interactions,” Wang said.
To overcome uncertainties found in climate models, the project will use advanced ground-based and satellite measurements to better observe cloud properties.
Wang and her team will also use machine learning techniques and high-resolution modeling to identify cause-and-effect links between aerosols, the environment, and convective vigor. They will examine DCCs in four different climate regions: the Southern Great Plains, Gulf Coast, the Amazon, and the mountains of Argentina.
“It means a lot to see this research funded,” Wang said. “I have a lot of responsibilities in managing this project, but it offers a good challenge. This is also a booster to my confidence in the research because it means people loved my ideas for the project. I had lots of support from folks at Brookhaven and other agencies to get to this point.”
Wang first joined Brookhaven Lab as a research associate in 2017. She currently serves as an instrument mentor for the gauges and disdrometers operated by the DOE Atmosphere Radiation Measurement Program.
Wang received her undergraduate degree in atmospheric science in 2010 and an M.S. in meteorology in 2013, both from Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology. She received a PhD in physics from the Université Pierre et Marie Curie in 2016.
Gregory Doerk, “Adaptive Synthesis of Nanoporous Membranes by Pathway-Directed Self-Assembly”
Gregory Doerk
Gregory Doerk is a materials scientist in the Electronic Nanomaterials Group of the Center for Functional Nanomaterials (CFN)—a DOE Office of Science User Facility at Brookhaven National Laboratory. Since joining the CFN in 2015, he has been leveraging the unique ability of some materials to self-assemble into organized molecular patterns and structures. Ultimately, the goal is to use these nanoscale architectures to control material properties for energy applications.
Through the DOE’s Early Career Research Program, Doerk will develop a new, transformative manufacturing strategy—pathway-directed self-assembly—to produce high-performance separation membranes for water purification. This research project is motivated by the global issues of water scarcity and pollution and the energy-intensive nature of current industrial separation processes.
Current membranes exhibit randomly oriented nanopores with a large size distribution, which severely limits their performance. Doerk will adapt spray-based processes, already adopted in industry for other applications, to direct the synthesis of self-assembled polymer membranes with well-aligned and uniformly sized nanopores. At the CFN, he will build an ultrasonic sprayer that uses high-frequency vibrations to deposit materials with controlled compositions on different substrates. As the polymer self-assembles, different spray processing parameters will be tuned to elucidate their effect on critical membrane structural properties, including pore morphology, orientation, and degree of order. To perform this real-time characterization, Doerk will integrate the sprayer with x-ray scattering beamlines at the National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II)—another DOE Office of Science User Facility at Brookhaven. Employing a fully autonomous workflow developed at Brookhaven with collab
orators will accelerate the discovery of self-assembly pathways and identify those that provide the desired membrane functionality.
“Membranes are very sensitive to the way they’re made,” said Doerk. “Instead of relying on conventional trial and error, this project aims to introduce adaptive manufacturing processes by characterizing the properties of the synthesized materials in situ and adjusting the spray parameters—such as flow rate and solvent composition—on the fly. Receiving the Early Career award is a great honor and provides a unique opportunity to pursue this research with important technological applications.”
Doerk received a PhD and bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of California, Berkeley, and Case Western University, respectively.
Mengjia Gaowei, “Cathode R&D for High-Intensity Electron Source in Support of EIC”
Mengjia Gaowei
Mengjia Gaowei, an associate scientist in Brookhaven Lab’s Collider-Accelerator Department, will receive Early Career Award funding from DOE’s Office of Nuclear Physics to conduct research and development of a cathode for a high-intensity electron source in support of the future Electron-Ion Collider (EIC). This work will be essential for accelerating a beam of electrons that will be used to cool the ion beam at the EIC, a future nuclear physics research facility to be built at Brookhaven Lab.
As ions travel around the EIC at close to the speed of light they will tend to heat up and spread out. That reduces the chances of collisions between the ions and a counter-circulating beam of electrons. Scientists need to study many electron-ion interactions to learn about the internal building blocks of matter. So they are exploring ways to keep the ions tightly packed.
Gaowei’s work relates to an approach that uses cooling techniques—for example, where a separate accelerated beam of electrons mixes for a brief period with the ion beam to extract the heat from the spreading ions, much like the liquid coolant in a home refrigerator. She’ll conduct research on materials for a photocathode electron gun that will accelerate those cooling electrons. The goal is to find materials that, when activated by a laser, will produce a beam of high-brightness, high-current electrons that can be “bunched” to meet up with the bunches of ions circulating in the EIC. Her project will explore different methods to fabricate large single crystal photocathodes to improve their lifetime and other properties. She’ll use various methods, including x-ray studies at Brookhaven’s National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II), to study the materials’ crystal structure, bulk and surface properties, and chemical compositions. The aim is to identify the optimal characteristics f
or producing high-performance cathodes that will have a long lifetime—so they don’t need to be replaced frequently when the EIC is running.
“I’m truly honored to receive the Early Career Award and I’m grateful to be given this unique opportunity,” said Gaowei. “I’m looking forward to making new discoveries in the field of photocathode materials and supporting the electron source R&D for the EIC.”
Gaowei has been working on photocathode development for a low-energy electron cooling application at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC)—a DOE Office of Science user facility for nuclear physics research. “I was delighted to see its success in the world’s first demonstration of bunched-beam electron cooling,” she said. “I believe my experience in that low-energy RHIC electron cooling project will be a great help in fulfilling the tasks in the cathode research for the EIC, and I’m really looking forward to the exciting research that is sure to come out of this new machine.”
Gaowei received her bachelor’s degree in applied physics at Shanghai Jiao Tong University in 2006, a master’s in condensed matter physics from the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2009, and her PhD in materials science and engineering from Stony Brook University in 2014. She then joined Brookhaven Lab as a postdoctoral fellow conducting photocathode research, was promoted to assistant scientist in 2018, and associate scientist in 2021. She has more than 10 years of experience in semiconductor photocathode development, including multi-alkali antimonide, cesium telluride, Superlattice-GaAs (SL-GaAs) photocathodes and diamond electron amplifiers. She holds one patent with a second one pending. She was a 2016 R&D 100 Award finalist for work on an ultra-compact diamond x-ray monitor.
Brookhaven National Laboratory is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science. The Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, visit https://www.energy.gov/science/.
Miller Place junior Kenny Leen with one of his ten saves in a rain-soaked game against West Babylon. Bill Landon photo
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Miller Place co-captain Anthony Bartolotto with a diving shot on goal in an 8-7 victory over West Babylon May 27. Photo by Bill Landon
Miller Place co-captain Anthony Bartolotto with a diving shot on goal in an 8-7 victory over West Babylon May 27. Photo by Bill Landon
Patrick Ging (R) celebrates with Anthony Bartolotto after Bartolotto’s 3rd goal in the game May 27. Photo by Bill Landon
Junior midfielder Devon Duchnowski fires at the cage for the Panthers at home against West Babylon. Bill Landon photo
Miller Place junior Jack Davis looks for a cutter in a must win game against West Babylon at home May 27. Photo by Bill Landon
James Sternberg at “X” for the Panthers in a must win game against West Babylon at home May 27. Photo by Bill Landon
James Sternberg wins at “X” for the Panthers in a must win game against West Babylon at home May 27. Photo by Bill Landon
James Sternberg wins at “X” for the Panthers in a must win game against West Babylon at home May 27. Photo by Bill Landon
James Sternberg wins again at “X” for the Panthers in a must win game against West Babylon at home May 27. Photo by Bill Landon
Miller Place goalie Kenny Leen with one of his ten saves in a rain-soaked game against West Babylon. Bill Landon photo
Miller Place junior Kenny Leen with one of his ten saves in a rain-soaked game against West Babylon. Bill Landon photo
Miller Place senior Nicholas Belvedere cuts back in a rain-soaked home game against West Babylon May 27. Bill Landon photo
Miller Place senior attack Nicholas Belvedere shoots in a rain-soaked home game against West Babylon May 27. Bill Landon photo
Miller Place senior attack Nicholas Belvedere gets checked in a rain-soaked home game against West Babylon May 27. Bill Landon photo
It was a rain-soaked Div II matchup Friday night as the Miller Place Panthers trailed visiting West Babylon by one goal at the halftime break. The rain intensified to open the second half coming down in sheets at times but that didn’t dampen the Panthers resolve as they clawed their way back to take the must win game 8-7 May 27.
Co-captain Anthony Bartolotto, a junior , topped the scoring charts for the Panthers with five goals, senior co-captain Nicholas Belvedere stretched the net twice with two assists, and senior Patrick Ging’s shot split the pipes. Kenny Leen a junior, had ten stops in net for the Panthers.
The win lifts the Panthers to 5-6 in the division with three games left in the regular season before post season play begins June 9.
Pictured left to right, Miller Place goalie Kenny Leen with one of his ten saves in a rain-soaked home game; Miller Place co-captain Anthony Bartolotto with a diving shot on goal.
Town of Brookhaven residents gathered on Tuesday morning to honor Glen “Doc” Moody Jr., an Iraq and Afghanistan veteran who passed away April 8, 2020 at just 39 years old.
The town renamed Groveland Park Boulevard and 7th Street in Sound Beach after the heroic Marine.
The Moody family embraced each other as the street sign — which read “HM2 Glen ‘Doc’ Moody” — was revealed to the community. They were also presented with a proclamation by Councilwoman, Jane Bonner (R-Rocky Point) stating May 25 will be declared as “Glen ‘Doc’ Moody Day” in the Town of Brookhaven.
The new sign is located adjacent to the Moody household.
“Growing up, Glen was really into GI Joes and guns,” said Glen’s brother George Moody. “So, there’s a lot of memories growing up in this home with him.”
Photo by Kimberly Brown
Joined by Navy personnel, veterans, police officers and firefighters, Moody was largely recognized by fellow war heroes and the community for the sacrifices he had made for his country.
After serving as an FMF Corpsman with the United States Marines for six years, Moody, of Miller Place, returned home unaware he was about to face one of his toughest battles yet, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Although Moody suffered from his disorder, Moody’s family highlighted the positive influence he created by being an active member of the community.
“He started working with the Lt. Michael Murphy Sea Cadets. He would dress in fatigues and pack up all his equipment,” George said. “Something about it just lit him up to get out there and help these kids, teach them what he knows, and instill confidence and pride in them.”
In efforts to aid Moody with his disorder, his family reached out to the Patriotic Service Dog Foundation in California, which trains service dogs for veterans and first responders. With the support of the community, the Moody family was able to fundraise for a service dog named Independence.
Moody had also been involved with the Veterans of Foreign Wars and led the Port Jefferson Dragon Boat Team.
“This is what Glen always wanted to do, to help others and back our country up. That’s really what he was all about,” George added.
Bonner said the late veteran was a tremendous advocate in speaking about PTSD.
“Even though Glen is gone from this Earth, his legacy and advocacy continue to live on and bring awareness and help to those suffering with PTSD,” she said.
TBR News Media talked to Moody in 2015 about a fundraiser he hosted at Napper Tandy’s in Miller Place. The event was aimed to raise PTSD awareness and raise money to help veterans afford and obtain a PTSD service dog.
“I’m not the only guy [suffering] — I know I’m not,” Moody said at the time. “When I talk to veterans, they say the same thing. We need more awareness and that’s what I’m doing.”