Rep. Norcross Announces Nearly $1.5 Million to Bolster South Jersey Climate Science and Engineering

Today, U.S. Congressman Donald Norcross (NJ-01), a member of the Space, Science and Technology Committee, announced that two universities in South Jersey will receive a combined $1,460,522 in federal grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF). Rowan University will receive $512,845 and Rutgers University-Camden will receive $947,677. These grants are in addition to the approximately $370 billion included in the Inflation Reduction Actwhich will go toward a range of climate change mitigation programs nationwide.

The NSF supports innovative scientific research to strengthen our nation's economy and skilled workforce. Read more about the NSF here.

"South Jersey's institutions of higher education are making their mark as leaders in scientific research and innovation," said Congressman Norcross. "This money allows two of South Jersey's best universities to continue making remarkable breakthroughs while training the next generation of scientists and engineers. I'm proud to help strengthen our community's workforce by supporting this funding and look forward to seeing the results of these research programs."

"I am thrilled to congratulate these hardworking Rutgers-Camden research teams," said Antonio D. Tillis, Chancellor of Rutgers-Camden. "Combined, they have received nearly $1 million from the National Science Foundation to investigate biological activity and infectious disease. This substantial support from the foremost scientific agency in the United States proves that our research scientists and university are recognized as leaders in public health scholarship and scientific inquiry."

"This funding from the National Science Foundation is critically important for our researchers and students who are seeking to better understand and mitigate the impacts of climate change," said Tony Lowman, Rowan University Provost. "Not only will our current students benefit from the experience gained working on this project, but future generations will benefit from this investment in sustainability research." ​

"Earth's warming climate and rising sea levels are likely to change coastal wetland methane emissions,"said Charles Schutte, an assistant professor in Rowan University's School of Earth & Environment."This project will help us understand exactly how and why methane emissions shift and also help us make accurate predictions about how coastal wetland methane emissions will change in an uncertain future."

"We are moving into a world that is very different than what we've seen in the recent geological past," said Gerald Rustic, assistant professor in Rowan University's School of Earth & Environment. "The best way of predicting our climate future is by having a solid understanding of the mechanisms and the machinery of the climate system. We hope to improve our future predictions of what the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is going to do, where the greatest impacts are going to be and what sorts of impacts we can expect here in New Jersey and around the world."

Rustic, a paleoceanographer and paleoclimatologist, said the three-year research project seeks to better understand the ENSO, the largest source of interannual climate variability on the planet. Much of the research will be conducted by Rowan University undergraduates in Discovery Hall, the School of Earth and Environment's new academic building.

In Congress, Congressman Norcross has worked hard to expand research opportunities for South Jersey students. In March 2022, he secured $500,000 in community project fundingfor a new wind energy jobs training program at Rowan University. He also participated in negotiationsbetween the House and Senate to hammer out the CHIPS and Science Actto strengthen American research and development and support domestic manufacturing of semiconductors used in our cars, phones, and household appliances. President Biden signed the CHIPS and Science Actinto law on August 9, 2022.

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