Consortium Selected for New Science and Resilience Institute

Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell speaks at a press conference at Riis Landing on the Rockaway Peninsula, New York City, Aug. 12, 2013. To her right is Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan. (Gary Du/Epoch Times)

A consortium has been selected through City University of New York to lead the Science and Resilience Institute, which is currently in development.

The announcement was made on August 12 by NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell, during a press conference at Riis Landing on the Rockaway Peninsula.

“The new consortium we’re announcing today is an all-star team of research institutions and non-profits who will do important work to protect and preserve urban ecosystems from development and from the effects of climate change,” Bloomberg said in a press release.

Focusing on restoring Jamaica Bay, the Science and Resilience Institute will study resilience in urban ecosystems and nearby communities. It is part of a cooperative project to manage 10,000 acres of federal and city-owned parks in and around Jamaica Bay.

The institute will work with academic institutions, non-profits, and other groups, as well as the community. It will host visiting scientists and offer lab space for students and researchers. It will start this fall in a temporary space at Brooklyn College.

“In the City of New York, we have a powerful and dedicated partner to promote visitation, education programs, scientific research and opportunities for recreation in our urban parks,” Jewell said, in a press release, adding that through the consortium “We will develop and coordinate approaches to coastal resiliency for Jamaica Bay that can serve as a model for communities around the world threatened by climate change.”