Welcoming Remarks
Speakers: Rob Pirani (HRF, NY-NJ HEP) and Shawn LaTourette (NJ DEP)
The conference began with an official welcome in person at Central Railroad of NJ Terminal on November 28.
Meeting the Moment: Federal Perspectives
Speakers: Joseph Seebode (NY District of USACE), Richard Balla (USEPA Region 2)
Moderator: Chris Daggett (NY-NJ HEP)
Joseph Seebode, Chief of Programs and Project Management for the New York District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Richard Balla from US EPA discussed recent federal initiatives addressing water quality, habitat, climate resiliency, port improvement, and equity goals with NY-NJ HEP Policy Chair Christopher Daggett.
State of the Estuary: Results and Reactions
Speakers: Isabelle Stinnette (NY-NJ HEP), Heather Gierloff (NY DEC), Chester Zarnoch (Baruch College, CUNY), Shannon Roback (Hudson Riverkeeper), Christian Murphy (Bronx River Alliance), Tenisha Malcolm (Urban Mayors Policy Center at John S. Watson Institute for Urban Policy and Research at Kean University)
Moderator: Jonathan Gramer (HRF)
After a presentation from Isabelle Stinnette (NY-NJ HEP) on the State of the Estuary Report, an expert panel gave their reactions to the State of the Estuary results. Various perspectives were featured, including land management, community, academia, and politics.
Poster Session
Poster presenters: Lesley Baggett (AKRF), Corinne Brenner (Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club), Amanda Flores (Baruch College, CUNY), Yuki Li (Fordham University), Chris Bowser (NYS DEC), Maija Niemisto (NYS DEC), Brian Wilson (Duro UAS), Rich Pendleton (Cornell), Beryl Kahn (The Graduate Center, CUNY), Anh Nguyen (Stony Brook University), Stephanie Arsenault (Stony Brook University), Richard Kane (Monmouth University), Jake Ortiz (Randalls Island Park), Jonathan Fong (Baruch College), Michaela Mincone (Hudson River Park Trust), Abigail Costigan (Stony Brook University), Lilia Ochoa (Rutgers), Asher Pacht (Clarkson’s Beacon Institute)
An in-person session allowed attendees to learn more about research in the Estuary from a variety of informative posters.
State of the Estuary: Break Out Discussions
Attendees participated in smaller discussion groups with other in-person conference attendees, focusing on the State of the Estuary results and talking about takeaways and what is most meaningful about the report from various partipants’ perspectives.
Lightning Talks: Highlighting Student Research in the Estuary
Speakers: Moonmoon Ahmed (Queens College, CUNY), Anh Nguyen (Stony Brook University), Kevin Chaikelson (NYC Audubon, Columbia University), Stephanie Arsenault (Stony Brook University), Beryl Kahn (The Graduate Center, CUNY), Richard Kane (Monmouth University), Jake Ortiz (Randalls Island Park), Jonathan Fong (Baruch College), Nicholas Russell (Queens College, CUNY), Kelsey Alvarez del Castillo (Cornell),
Moderator: Allison Fitzgerald (New Jersey City University)
During the first virtual session of the conference on Day 2 (November 29), students investigating topics relevant to (and taking place within) the Hudson River estuary gave quick summaries of their research. Virtual attendees participated in Q&A after the presentations. We learned about lots of great research and breakthroughs from our student researchers – the future of restoration, research, and policy in the estuary!
Examining and Addressing our Bias-Based Beliefs
Workshop leader: Paul Forbes (Leading with Hearts and Minds)
During this interactive and engaging workshop session, participants learned about implicit bias and how implicit bias manifests daily in our personal and professional life. This session was not recorded.