News

AP: How this one climate fix means a school nurse sees fewer students sick from the heat

September 13, 2024 – Isabella O’Malley

But for those schools that can make them work, there are year-round benefits. Heat pumps act as heaters in winter, so there’s little need for an additional gas or heating oil system after one is installed. Schools are also increasingly dealing with bad air from wildfire smoke, and many are located near roadways, exposing kids to pollution. Highly-efficient air filters that can pair with ground source heat pumps reduce kids’ exposure to traffic-related air pollution, which disproportionately affects minority and low income children, said Max Zhang, an engineering professor at Cornell University.

ABC News: How extreme weather impacts power grids and the customers who rely on them

August 31, 2024 – Julia Jacobo

The effects of global warming are worsening in every part of the United States, according to the Fifth National Climate Assessment, a breakdown of the latest in climate science coming from 14 different federal agencies, published in November. “You can see the trend, and there’s an increased frequency of extreme events due to climate change,” Max Zhang, an engineering professor at Cornell University, told ABC News.

AP: Blackouts in extreme weather drive demand for cleaner backup power

August 22, 2024 – Alexa St. John

“If we are talking about the heat waves, that’s almost guaranteed high ozone,” which is harmful to people’s health, said Max Zhang, an engineering professor at Cornell University. Hot days are when “you’ll see the worst impact of diesel generator emissions,” he said.

Cornell Chronicle: Zhang named provost’s fellow for public engagement

August 20, 2024 – David Nutt

Max Zhang, the Irving Porter Church Professor in Cornell Engineering’s Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, has been appointed the provost’s fellow for public engagement. Zhang will work with staff members in the Office of the Vice Provost for Engagement and Land-Grant Affairs and the Einhorn Center for Community Engagement, as well as administrators and stakeholders across the university, to advance Cornell’s public engagement mission and initiatives around community-engaged learning and research

Cornell Chronicle: Southern Tier officials tap Cornell expertise to envision smart cities

May 29, 2024 – Chris Dawson

“This is an engagement-driven process,” said Zhang, of assisting with the smart city initiative. “The people living and working in Binghamton and Broome County know better than we do what their needs are. I described the capabilities of the technology and now we can work together to come up with some potential solutions.”

WESA: Swisshelm Park solar project radiates Pittsburgh’s energy future

May 28, 2024 – Julia Fraser

As far as renewables go, solar is consistent. For wind power, windy locations vary widely within a region and most places with high wind speed on land have already been developed, according to Zhang. There’s also a threshold of wind speed necessary to generate wind power. There is no threshold for the sun to produce solar energy. And the amount of GHI is fairly consistent across a region, providing “many more opportunities to develop solar farms than wind farms,” Zhang said.

Cornell Chronicle: Students transmit health care data without cell service, internet

May 23, 2024 – Caitlin Hayes

The challenge for a group of students in Professor Max Zhang’s Internet of Things course was to take their own data from a blood pressure cuff and send it to Cayuga Health System – without internet or cell service.

“Every health care system is going to have this population in their service areas that faces this barrier – either they don’t have reliable cellular or broadband access, or they just can’t afford it,” said Zhang, the Irving Porter Church Professor in Cornell Engineering’s Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and the Kathy Dwyer Marble and Curt Marble Faculty Director at the Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability. “They have to travel quite a distance for routine monitoring, which is not good for the patients or the hospitals.”

WBNG: Cornell researchers hope to turn Binghamton into a ‘smart city’ (video)

May 16, 2024 – Erin Lawlor

Cornell University researchers presented information about Smart Cities to municipal officials and practitioners in Binghamton. Smart cities is helping communities across the state bridge the digital gap through ‘Internet of Things.’ Researchers explained Thursday that Internet of Things is something that helps devices communicate with each other. For example, an app that tells you a parking garage is full.

Principal Investigator Max Zhang explained that he hopes to promote it in Binghamton. He said the city is a regional hub for the Southern Tier. “We are hoping whatever we do here can propagate through the Southern Tier and then to the rest of the state,” Zhang said.

WICZ: Broome County Learns Partners with Cornell University to Hear About Smart Cities Technology

May 16, 2024 – Ziggy Hill

Broome County invited members of Cornell University to speak about what smart cities technology is and how it can be utilized throughout Broome County. Smart cities involve using studies showing how technology communicates to improve efficiency and the quality of services within communities. This includes everyday things like parking management, the flow of traffic in cities, and even storm water management and flood resiliency. Implementing these types of technology can help reduce associated costs and time in day-to-day operations.

WKBW: ‘Check every day’: Will WNY be impacted by Canadian wildfire smoke? Tips for dealing with poor air quality

May 15, 2024 – Michael Wooten

Dr. Max Zhang also joined 7 Voices on Wednesday to discuss how smoke from Canadian wildfires could impact Western New York. You can watch the full conversation below.

Spectrum News: Why New York’s push for renewable energy concerns farm advocate

March 12, 2024 – Emily Kenny

Max Zhang, a professor of mechanical engineering at Cornell University, said there are two factors to consider when looking at how the grid can support farms. “One is whether we can generate electricity and renewable electricity to support electrification, and the second is whether the power grid or power lines and electrical infrastructure can support the increased electricity consumption,” he said. Agriculture is a seasonal industry and is time-sensitive, which poses another challenge to the use of electric machinery and equipment. “If there is a short-time window say for planting, all the tractors have to be utilized for that purpose. You have to finish all your planting within that window. All the equipment has to be working so this type of seasonal dependence will pose a greater challenge than the use of personal electrification,” Zhang said.

Cornell team advanced to the national competition of EnergyTech University Prize 2024

The EnergyTech University Prize (EnergyTech UP), sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Technology Transitions (OTT), has named the 28 student finalist teams selected to earn cash prizes and compete in the EnergyTech UP National Pitch Event this April. Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) selected “Agrivoltaic Design Studio” led by Cornell University as one of the finalists. Henry Williams and Mike Liao led the Cornell team.

Spectrum News: In the battle between solar and agriculture, what if farms could have both?

February 29, 2024 – Emily Kenny

Competition between agriculture and solar development in the Northeast continues, but some researchers suggest they don’t need to be mutually exclusive endeavors. Max Zhang, a professor of mechanical engineering at Cornell University is researching agrivoltaics, which combines solar panels with agriculture. “We set up microclimate monitoring at solar farms to understand how much solar radiation can reach the ground under the panel or near the panel, what is the soil moisture like, temperature — so those all have a direct implication on what kind of crops can thrive under those conditions,” Zhang said.

The Ithacan: State funding enables Cornell to research solar farming for sustainable crop production

February 7, 2024 – Kaeleigh Banda

Max Zhang, Irving Porter Church Professor of Engineering in the Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Cornell University, said he has been researching agrivoltaics since 2018. In 2020, Zhang received a grant from the New York State Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to help fund the engineering side of the research. “There’s an inherent challenge because both crops and solar panels are competing for the same thing and that is solar radiation,” Zhang said.

Cornell Chronicle: X-ray probes, microfluidics, nanomaterials earn Research Excellence Awards

December 7, 2023 – Patrick Gillespie

Imaging the atomic details of materials as they function, forming microfluidic structures to study plants and animals, and new techniques for manufacturing polymer nanomaterials are among some of the research themes that helped six faculty members earn Cornell Engineering Research Excellence Awards – the highest research honor given by the Ivy League’s top-ranked engineering college. … Recipients of the annual awards are nominated by their departments and selected by a committee for more than just their individual research outcomes. Awardees are also recognized for their impacts on society, reputation in the field, leadership, mentorship and citizenship within the college and university.

Note: Prof. Max Zhang is among the six awardees.

Cornell Chronicle: Dead & Co concert proceeds fund climate solutions

December 1, 2023 – Krisy Gashler

The 2030 Project: A Cornell Climate Initiative, which is administered by the Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability, has also announced its second round of Research-to-Impact Fast Grants for 2023. Proceeds from the Dead & Company concert also funded this year’s 15 grants, which support 36 researchers across nine colleges and units. Awarded researchers are evaluating clean energy subsidy policies, improving weather balloon forecasting, utilizing captured carbon in pharmaceutical manufacturing and more.

Prof. Max Zhang is leading the following project:

Designing Research Solar Farms to Accelerate Sustainable Solar Development. As development of solar farms competes with agriculture for prime rural land, researchers will develop a solar farm on Cornell’s Ithaca campus. The farm will host both agriculture and solar energy systems, to better understand the practical engineering, design, regulatory, and safety logistics involved in creating such a facility.

Cornell Daily Sun: Ph.D. Student Henry Williams Qualifies for Marathon Olympics Trials

November 26, 2023

When Henry Williams grad, a mechanical engineering Ph.D. student, is not researching solar energy, he is an extremely dedicated and driven long-distance runner. On Oct. 14, Williams qualified for the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials after running a marathon in just nine seconds under the 2024 qualification time for men (two hours and 18 minutes) at the McKirdy trained marathon.

Finger Lakes Times: Blueprint Geneva scores state environmental grants

November 25, 2023

She said BluePrint’s proposal was one of only four in the state to receive funding, a fact that Augustine believes is a result of the team that the organization has pulled together to work on the project. “We are bringing together scientists, engineers, and public health specialists from as far as Cornell and the University of Rochester to do a focused investigation of air quality conditions in the Finger Lakes,” she said.

Notes: The Governor’s announcement can be found here. BluePrint Geneva received $563,000 for environmental justice and air quality monitoring.

The IoT class highlighted in President Pollack’s 2023 State of the University Address

October 20, 2023

So the students in Professor Max Zhang’s class on the Internet of Things spend six weeks learning how to build, code, and extract data from sensors—then they spend the rest of the semester putting that knowledge to work, as part of a National Science Foundation-supported project to design and implement a statewide Internet of Things network in New York. Last year, the students invented devices that monitor blood pressure and send data directly to health care providers; track needed road repairs for the Ithaca Department of Public Works; and notify Mutual Aid Tompkins when a food pantry needs restocking.

Cornell Daily Sun: Ithaca Responds to Climate Change, Increasingly Variable Weather

September 21, 2023 – Kate Sanders

While the damage to properties and homes is difficult to address in flooding events, innovations like the implementation of a low-power wide-area network — a technology that connects devices that transmit small volumes of data — aim to decrease the threat to public safety that storms and flooding produces, particularly in rural regions with less widespread internet connectivity. “We are working on a low cost, low bandwidth network where instead of relying on cellular, we are relying on radio,” said Prof. K. Max Zhang, mechanical engineering, who is a designer on the project. “You cannot transmit a lot of data, but at the same time, for a lot of emergency related services, you do not need to transmit a lot of data.”

NCPR: An expert talks solar battery farms, how they work and the risks (audio)

September 11, 2023 – Catherine Wheeler

Battery storage helps address the challenges of solar generation. Cornell University mechanical engineering professor Max Zhang says while solar is renewable energy, what’s generated can vary over the course of a day, season and even year to year. He says that’s called variance. On top of that, there’s intermittence- the unpredictable stuff, like cloud cover. Zhang says there are generally two types of places for these solar batteries to live. One is at a solar farm where the energy is produced. The other isn’t found in New York State often: dedicated energy storage farms. He says there are three in the state, including one in Franklin County that recently started operating. It’s New York’s first-ever state-owned utility-scale energy storage facility.

WWNY: Cornell professor: solar battery risk ‘manageable (video)

August 24, 2023 – Sandy Torres

“One clear pro is that battery storage helps us integrate more renewable energy,” said Dr. Max Zhang, Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Cornell … Dr. Zhang acknowledges there is some risk to the batteries – they could become flammable in time, “but I think it is a manageable risk,” he said.

Planet Detroit: Blackouts and generators add to Michigan’s air quality problems

August 3, 2023 – Brian Allnutt

Max Zhang, an engineering professor at Cornell University who studies air pollution from generators, said widespread use of gasoline-powered units in neighborhoods is like “everyone going out and using their lawnmowers at the same time.” Zhang notes that gas generators produce pollution much closer to where people live than emissions from centralized coal and gas plants generally would.

Spectrum News: Impact of wildfire smoke in New York yet to be known (video)

July 11, 2023 – Krystal Cole

Cornell University professor Max Zhang says smoke like this is unprecedented in New York so there isn’t enough data yet to quantify what the impact will be but it’s expected to be high. Zhang is a professor of mechanical engineering and said our air has been impacted by Canadian wildfires before, but never to this extent.

Cleveland.com: How dangerous is the smoke from your campfire? And have wildfires turned us all into smokers?

June 30, 2023 – Gretchen Cuda Kroen

Zhang says that using this type of comparison isn’t exactly accurate, but it’s about the best comparison we have. And, when it comes to conveying just how much damage breathing smoke can do, the analogy, while flawed, does a pretty good job of putting the problem into terms the public can understand. And that, Zhang says, is probably why the media latched onto it.

The Journal News: NY air quality FAQ – Can I use my air conditioning? Is air inside much better than outdoors?

June 9, 2023 – David Robinson

Authorities this week urged New Yorkers to stay indoors to limit health risks from the dangerously poor air quality outside amid hazy smoke-filled skies caused by Canadian wildfires. But many factors determine just how safe the air remains inside amid wildfire air pollution, including the quality of air conditioning units, filtration systems and the age of buildings, said Cornell Professor Max Zhang.

WGRZ: Here’s what you need to know about the long-term effects of wildfire smoke (video)

June 8, 2023 – Danielle Church

“Actually, before this severe episode, New York State does not have the exceedance of the particulate matter ever. So what we are seeing now could be a change in the paradigm and what the air quality is going to be like in the next decades,” Zhang said. In fact, Gov. Kathy Hochul says the smoke from the wildfires is the worst the state has seen since before the Clean Air Act became law.

WTSP: Breathing wildfire smoke like smoking cigarettes imperfect, but effective comparison (video)

June 8, 2023 – Josh Sidorowicz

The Citizen: Auburn, CNY hit with worst of air quality ‘crisis’ as wildfire smoke lingers

June 8, 2023 – Robert Harding

Max Zhang, a Cornell University professor focused on energy and the environment, told The Citizen that being exposed to the pollutants from the wildfires is similar to sitting in a house with a chain smoker breathing in secondhand smoke. To counter the poor conditions, Zhang said he is running an air purifier with a high efficiency particulate air filter indoors. If you’re going outdoors, he recommended wearing a mask, specifically an N95 or KN95 that can protect against small particulates.

The Post-Journal: ‘Unhealthy’ Haze To Linger Until Weekend

June 8, 2023 – Sara Holthouse

Zhang said the concern also revolves around those with pre-existing conditions and children and the elderly, all of whom will be most at risk with the air quality concerns. The current air pollutant causes a discussion similar to the Covid era, Zhang said, so if someone chooses to wear a mask, they need to make sure it is tight.

“The current concentration level is equivalent to living in a house with a chain smoker,” Zhang said. “Or, perhaps a little bit more than that.”

Democrat & Chronicle: Is breathing wildfire smoke like smoking cigarettes? In some ways, it’s worse

June 7, 2023 – David Robinson

Various formulas look at air pollution levels, duration of exposure and mortality rates to compare the health risks from wildfire and cigarette smoke. But the methods fail, in part, to properly reflect acute exposures to smoke, such as those being caused by the wildfires, said Cornell Professor Max Zhang said. Poor air quality levels in New York this week are more equivalent to “living in a house with a chain smoker” than imperfect comparisons to smoking several cigarettes, he added.

Also appeared in Ithaca Journal.

Hugh Peng was awarded the 3rd place in the Solarpunk Futures Scholarship compeition

June 2, 2023

The compeition is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, which challenges undergradute students to create a Solarpunk art piece that communicates the potential of solar energy in support of an equitable transition to a decarbonized economy. Hugh Peng is an undergraduate reseracher in the solar subgroup and the submission is based on his work on Brownfields to Brightfields with Henry Williams.

Haomiao Wang won the Bart Conta Prize in Energy and the Environment

May 27, 2023

Haomiao’s M.S. thesis on agrivoltaics monitoring and modeling was recoganized by this award during the Sibley School Commencement on Saturday, May 27.

Cornell Chroncile: Students use the Internet of Things to connect, inspire

May 17, 2023 – Caitlin Hayes

“The course asks the students to figure out how to use IoT to understand society, so the work they do has social impact,” said Zhang, the Irving Porter Church Professor in Cornell Engineering’s Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and the Kathy Dwyer Marble and Curt Marble Faculty Director at the Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability. “Engineering curriculums usually focus on results – your grades depend on results – and we don’t pay attention to relationships, how to build a mutual relationship, how to build trust. The course asks students to do both.”

Max Zhang elected the Irving Porter Church Professor of Engineering

April 21, 2023 – Chris Dawson

Sibley School Professor Max Zhang has been elected the Irving Porter Church Professor of Engineering by the Cornell University Board of Trustees. The Trustees noted Zhang’s dedication to academic excellence, environmental justice, and community engagement as well as his work’s focus on moving toward a sustainable and equitable society.

Anthropocene Magazine: Solar panels handle heat better when they’re combined with crops

March 31, 2023 – Emma Bryce

Using a one-of-a-kind model, researchers on the new study simulated the effects of varying ground cover levels, different amounts of evapotranspiration from the vegetation, and various panel heights combined to affect the hyperlocal microclimate. Using these factors their model worked through 18 different scenarios, which also simulated different wind speeds and ambient air temperatures.

The Cornell Daily Sun: Future of Scholarly Communications Committee Promotes Equitable, Sustainable Academic Publications at Faculty Senate Meeting

March 17, 2023 – Julia Senzon

The committee details seven charges towards more accessible scholarly journals. Zhang summarizes these charges into four categories — assessing the current publishing model, evaluating new publishing models, identifying the University’s role in new models and reporting to the faculty about the problems of for-profit publishing.

Fast Company: Growing crops under solar panels makes food—and healthier solar panels

March 8, 2023 – Kristin Toussaint

It’s an interesting time for the solar industry, Zhang notes. In its nascent stages, “the design has been relatively straightforward: You want to maximize your energy production only, for a given area of land.” But as the industry moves to a larger scale, its players, along with regulators and the communities the farms are in, are considering multiple objectives for those arrays: “Not just the energy production,” Zhang says, “but how to be more ecosystem friendly, more environmentally friendly, and more community friendly.”

That approach could change how receptive communities are to having solar farms come into their area. It could also change the solar farms’ design. “Ten years from now,” Zhang says, “solar farms will be quite different than they are today.”

CleanTechnica: Cornell Study Finds Solar Panels Help Crops Grow & Crops Help Solar Panels Last Longer

March 7, 2023 – Steve Hanley

Symbiosis — 1. an interaction between two different organisms living in close physical association, typically to the advantage of both. 2. a mutually beneficial relationship between different people or groups. By those definitions, researchers at Cornell University led by graduate student Henry Williams have identified a symbiotic relationship between solar panels and agriculture. Their findings were published February 15 in the journal Applied Energy in a paper entitled “The potential for agrivoltaics to enhance solar farm cooling.”

PV Magazine: Agrivoltaics can provide food and energy for growing world population

March 2, 2023 – Anne Fischer

Cornell researchers examined agrivoltaics to find out if there is merit to the perception that co-located sites will see major tradeoffs between food and energy production. The study showed how solar and crop production can not only exist side by side, but how the co-location improves the microclimate and surface temperature of solar PV modules.

Cornell Chronicle: Made in the shade: Growing crops at solar farms yields efficiency

March 1, 2023 – Blaine Friedlander

“Up to this point, most of the benefits from agrivoltaic systems have revolved around hot and arid climate zones,” said Zhang, also the Kathy Dwyer Marble and Curt Marble Faculty Director for the Cornell Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future, “This paper is taking a step toward evaluating the viability of agrivoltaics in climates representative of the Northeastern U.S. in relaxing the land-use competition the world faces.”

Also appeared at Earth.com

WNYT (News Channel 13): Experts: No ‘abnormalities’ from Ohio train derailment detected so far in New York

February 21, 2023

NewsChannel 13 spoke to Dr. Max Zhang, Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Cornell University whose area of research is in energy and environmental systems. Dr. Zhang said there was no indication of an impact on New York’s air, despite the state being downwind.

CNY Central: Should Upstate New York be worried about Ohio train derailment?

February 21, 2023

Cornell scientist Max Zhang, a professor of mechanical engineering, said there is no reason to panic.”So far, I haven’t seen any abnormally high concentration, so my sense right now is there is no evidence for concern,” Zhang said, adding that the level of pollution is still in the normal range for the region so far.

WENY: Impact of the Ohio train derailment on the Twin Tiers

February 20, 2023

“However, because the lifetime of those chemicals are short. The impact on the larger areas beyond Ohio, Pennsylvania, that is likely to be small,” said [Chemical] Engineering Professor Zhang at Cornell University.

The Cornell Daily Sun: Cornell’s Sustainability Plan Makes Progress, But Some Setbacks Still Remain

February 20, 2023

“[Sustainability] was initially a student-driven initiative,” Zhang said. The student organization Kyoto Now! began peaceful protests in April 2001 to pressure the administration to address the University’s carbon footprint. Later that month, an agreement was reached, which set new targets for reducing carbon emissions, initiated the publication of regular progress reports and emphasized the growing importance of developing on-campus sustainability projects.

Observer Today: Agriculture Renewables taking valuable property

January 24, 2023

There is only so much land and, given New York’s stated legislative goals in the 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, solar and wind developers are going to be in pretty constant conflict with the state’s farmers — and that’s a problem in Chautauqua County, where even a decreasing number of farms still comprise a formidable segment of the county economy. According to a 2021 paper written by Max Zhang, a Cornell University professor, 40% of current solar energy capacity in New York state has been developed on agricultural land, with researchers finding 84% of land identified as suitable for future solar development — about 140 gigawatts — is agricultural. This kind of concentration leads to agricultural land conversion and then initiates a negative, economic chain reaction for businesses that depend on farming, according to the paper.

Cornell Chronicle: Town-gown awards honor food-related community partnerships

November 22, 2022 – Laura Gallup

Three community organizations dedicated to food research and security and agricultural justice were honored by Cornell for their campus-community partnerships in 2022 … The award was presented to Theresa Fulton and the Mutual Aid Tompkins network as well as Zhang, teaching assistants Haomiao Wang M.S. ’22 and Alex Coy ’21, and students Jerry Jin ’23, Canwen Zhang ’23, L.M. Nawrocki ’23, Felipe Santamaria ’23 and Alfredo Alberto Rodriguez, M.S. ’22.

PV Magazine USA: U.S. DOE invests in enhancing environmental and wildlife benefits of solar

October 17, 2022 – Anne Fischer

“DOE is committed to ensuring that renewable energy deployment protects natural environments,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “This first-ever DOE investment in tools to better understand how solar energy infrastructure interacts with native wildlife and the environment will help increase adoption of ecosystem-friendly clean energy deployment.”

City Magazine: Remelt family’s project combines solar panels and perennials

August 19, 2022 – Jeremy Moule

Max Zhang, a mechanical engineering professor at Cornell University and faculty director of the Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability, said that when possible, solar projects should not be sited on productive farmland, which have high yields and are valuable for food production. But, he added, that doesn’t mean all farmland should be off limits.

Link to the magazine version.

Utility Dive: Smart thermostats can drive higher peak electricity demand, Cornell researchers find

July 20, 2022 – Robert Walton

The larger problem has to do with the energy being used to serve those heat pumps, and whether it is being supplied by carbon-free sources, said Zhang. As building electrification grows, the issue will become more pronounced as demand ramps occur in times when renewables, like solar, are not producing at peak and supply gaps are met with fossil fuel generation.

Smart Energy International: Smart thermostats – the unintended consequences

July 18, 2022 – Jonathan Spencer Jones

Are smart thermostats, like electric vehicles, a potential threat to the grid? Yes, say Cornell researchers. The reason, like the potential threat from EVs when drivers might set them to charge at the same time, is that the smart thermostats are commonly set to a default setting. This could mean that for example, they turn on heating at the same time, leading to potential demand spikes.

“Smarte” Thermostate sind zu dumm und ein Risiko für das Stromnetz

July 15, 2022 – Christian Kahle

Die Situation wird sich aus Sicht der Forscher in den kommenden Jahren zuspitzen. “Da wir den Heizungssektor elektrifizieren, um das Netz zu dekarbonisieren, wird diese sogenannte Lastsynchronisation in naher Zukunft zu einem Problem werden”, führte Zhang aus. Denn die Wärmenetzbetreiber fördern den Einsatz der Technologie, die aber auf dem derzeitigen Stand nur begrenzt Nutzen bringt.

(From the researchers’ point of view, the situation will worsen in the coming years. “Since we electrify the heating sector to decarbonize the grid, this so-called load synchronization will become a problem in the near future,” Zhang explained. Because the heating system operators promote the use of technology, which, however, brings limited benefits at the current level.)

Heise Online: Heizen – Programmierte Thermostate werden schwere Last für das Stromnetz (Heating: Programmed thermostats will be heavy loads for the power grid)

July 14, 2022 – Daniel Sokolov

Zachary E. Lee und K. Max Zhang von der Cornell University im US-Staat New York haben die Daten von 2.244 New Yorker Haushalten mit vernetzten Ecobee-Thermostaten aus den Heizungsmonaten des Kalenderjahres 2019 ausgewertet. Diese Haushalte nutzten meist Wärmepumpen, aber es sind auch andere Heizmethoden vertreten. Der Datensatz zeigt einen Spitzenwert des Heizungsbetriebs um 6:05 Uhr in der Früh. Die üblichen Programmierungen lassen die Räume nachts etwas abkühlen und heizen sie morgens wieder auf, damit den Bewohnern beim Aufstehen nicht kalt ist.

(Zachary E. Lee and K. Max Zhang from Cornell University in the US state of New York evaluated the data from 2,244 New York households with networked Ecobee thermostats from the heating months of the 2019 calendar year. These households mostly used heat pumps, but other heating methods are also represented. The data set shows a peak in heating operation at 6:05 am. The usual programming allows the rooms to cool down a bit at night and heat them up again in the morning so that the residents are not cold when they get up.)

S&P Global: Smart thermostats could complicate transition from fossil fuels, study finds

July 14, 2022 – Karin Rives

“All of a sudden, there’s a huge demand for electricity and that demand has to be managed by something,” said Zachary Lee, a recent Cornell Ph.D. graduate who co-authored the study with Max Zhang, a professor at the university’s Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. “It means dispatching controllable generation, like natural gas or some more fossil fuel-based generation.”

The Peggy Smedley Show: IoT for social impact (Audio)

July 13, 2022 – Peggy Smedley

Peggy and Max Zhang, professor, Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Cornell University, discuss specific examples of the IoT (Internet of Things) for societal impact. He says he feels very passionate about the IoT as an emerging technology that we should take of advantage to create a more equitable and just society.

The Register: Smart thermostat swarms are straining the US grid

July 13, 2022 – Brandon Vigliarolo

Cornell professor Max Zhang and PhD candidate Zachary Lee, the paper’s authors, wrote that most studies predicting electrical demand fail to account for smart thermostats and the stress they can place on the grid. “As we electrify the heating sector to decarbonize the grid, this so-called load synchronization will become a problem in the near future,” Zhang said.

Cornell Chronicle: Smart thermostats inadvertently strain electric power grids

July 12, 2022 – Blaine Friedlander

“The temperature can be programmed to ramp up before you wake up – and you’ll have a warm house. That’s the smart thing to do. But if everyone keeps their default setting, let’s say 6 a.m., the electric grid suffers synchronized demand spikes and that’s not smart for the system. That’s the challenge. “As we electrify the heating sector to decarbonize the grid,” he said, “this so-called load synchronization will become a problem in the near future.”

WNYC/Gothamist: Community solar programs gain popularity among the many New Yorkers who don’t own their roofs (Audio)

June 27, 2022 – Rosemary Misdary

“There’s no point if we achieve our goal of solar deployment by ignoring a large fraction of our society,” said Max Zhang, engineering professor and director at the Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability. “The energy transition needs to be taking place in an equitable way, and I think community solar plays a very crucial role.”

Cornell Chronicle: New assessment maps emissions in New York neighborhoods near industrial areas

June 23, 2022 – Krisy Gashler

Max Zhang, the Kathy Dwyer Marble and Curt Marble Faculty Director of the Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability and a professor in the Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, is leading a project to quantify truck emissions around e-commerce warehouses in New York City. He will also be studying the air quality impact of wood stoves and fuel oil in Tompkins County. “Typically, these e-commerce warehouses are being located near low-income neighborhoods or communities of color with existing air quality problems, and now you’re adding to the environmental burden,” Zhang said. “My goal in this research is to inform policy in a more environmentally responsible, just way.”

Cornell Chronicle: Curbing hunger: Students build inventive outdoor food pantry

June 22, 2022 – Blaine Friedlander

Helping the local community originated in the engineering class, “Introduction to the Internet of Things (IoT) – Technology and Engagement,” a senior-level undergraduate course taught by Max Zhang, a professor in Cornell’s Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. Zhang is also the Kathy Dwyer Marble and Curt Marble Faculty Director at the Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability. Zhang said the interdisciplinary design course provides a holistic introduction to Internet of Things, while developing students’ core technological and communication skills through community engagement and real-world applications.

Medical News Today: Air pollution exposure in the US: Systemic racism, not income, drives disparities

December 22, 2021 – Robby Berman

Dr. Zhang concluded:“While it is crucial to augment our efforts to address the racial/ethnic exposure disparities remaining in all states, it is also important to recognize that air pollution does not follow state or city boundaries. It is our shared responsibility as a society to keep up our efforts to address regional air pollution problems, which have been associated with a wide range of adverse health effects and mortality.”

Cornell Daily Sun: Ithaca Launches City-Wide Decarbonization, Partners with Climate Startup and Cornellians

Nov 3, 2021 – Meher Bhatia

Renewable electricity generation may be an even bigger challenge. According to Zhang, renewable generation is intermittent as ​​wind and solar resources aren’t constantly available or predictable with high percent accuracy. “So, basically you have a potential ‘all-electric’ community but you have to deal with this challenge with intermittent electric generation,” Zhang said.

CNN: 5 alternative energy sources to speed our transition away from fossil fuels

Oct 7, 2021 – Rachel Ramirez

According to K. Max Zhang, an engineer and faculty director at Cornell University’s Atkinson Center for Sustainability, the US has more than enough land to support the deployment of solar, which would also create jobs.

“The distinction between 100% renewable and 100% clean is seen in nuclear,” Zhang said. “Nuclear is nonrenewable, but it’s in the mix of what is clean electricity.”

Also seen on KAKE, KPTV, WLFI, WVTA, WJDT

Medical News Today: Pollution linked to 6 million premature births each year

October 5, 2021 – Robby Berman

Dr. Zhang was not surprised by this finding, even though, he noted, “Only two out of a total of 180 studies included in the meta-analysis took place in Sub-Saharan Africa.” He explained: “Africa, in general, has a much smaller number of air quality monitoring stations than any other continents, according to the 2020 World Air Quality Report. The lack of air quality data and health studies contributed to the uncertainties of the findings, but the health effects are very likely to be underestimated rather than overestimated. This is a vivid example of global health inequalities.”

Planet Philadelphia Radio: Solar & Agriculture, a good mix? (Audio)

September 17, 2021

Solar panels on agricultural land, a trend known as agrivoltaics, is growing. What are the concerns and ways to combine solar photovoltaics with farming that are best for the environment, communities, the public, and farmers? We explore these issues and have an update on solar legislation in Pennsylvania. Dr. Max Zhang is professor in the Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering in the College of Engineering at Cornell University and senior author of “Strategic Land Use Analysis for Solar Energy Development in New York State.”

Cornell Chronicle: New Faculty Directors to Support Research and Training at Cornell Atkinson

June 30, 2021 – John McKain

K. Max Zhang will succeed Lindsay Anderson as the Kathy Dwyer Marble and Curt Marble Faculty Director. He studies the potential for energy technologies to influence the transition to renewable energy. He also studies the effects of airborne particulate matter and gaseous pollutants on ambient air quality and indoor environmental quality, using numerical models and experimental techniques.

NSF CIVIC Innovation Challenge Stage 1 Video

June 25, 2021 – The Cornell team presented their feature video at the closing event of the CIVIC Innovation Challenge Stage 1 sponsored by the National Science Foundation.

Cornell Daily Sun: Engineering and Environmental Analysis Researchers Develop Technology to Invest in Local Communities

June 14, 2021 – Anirudh Sharma

Zhang explained that a major driver for this work is the large number of school-age children — consisting disproportionately of low-income students — who face health risks from air pollution, often due to proximity of schools to busy highways. “We’re seeing how we can introduce green designs, near roads, schools or other community [areas] to mitigate the air pollution impacts from highways,” Zhang said.

Cornell Engineering Spotlight: Kayla Keriazes ’21: Analyzing viability of electric buses in the cold climate of Ithaca, NY

Keriazes is working with Zhang and the Energy and the Environment Research Laboratory to analyze the performance of electric buses in the cold climate and rugged terrain of Ithaca, NY. The Tompkins Consolidated Area Transit, Inc. (TCAT) has recently acquired electric buses, manufactured by Proterra, will be circulating around Cornell University and the surrounding areas.

Congrats, Class 2021

The photo that Emily, Connor, Navin, Chloe, Jeff, Zach, Alfredo and Max created together is well-liked on Instagram!

Cornell Chronicle: Six grants support joint research in China through pandemic

May 27, 2021 – Sheri Englund and Priya Pradhan

CCC research teams found ways to collaborate virtually and adapt their work to meet the moment. K. Max Zhang, professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering in the College of Engineering, is leading a CCC-funded project team to develop a cost-effective air-quality system for Chinese cities. When COVID-19 lockdowns began in China, his team recognized an opportunity: They analyzed the air-quality impacts from January to April 2020 for six megacities with different lockdown durations. Using machine learning techniques to evaluate this “naturally controlled experiment,” they found that the lockdown reduced ambient NO2 concentrations by 36% to 53% during the most restrictive periods

WSYR-TV: Meeting climate goals comes with a catch, how researchers are working to find the balance (Video)

Max Zhang is a professor of mechanical engineering at Cornell. He’s also helping find the best ways for New York to meet the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act goals.

WAMC: Cornell Study Considers Balance Between NY’s Solar Development And Farmland (Audio)

May 17, 2021 – Jim Levulis

Solar is a key piece of New York’s goal of reaching 70% renewable energy generation by 2030 under the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. With farmland seen by solar companies as prime real estate for their arrays, new research from Cornell University considers how to best balance solar development with the state’s agricultural sector and food production needs. WAMC’s Jim Levulis spoke with Max Zhang, the study’s senior author and professor of mechanical engineering at Cornell.

Times Union: Growth in solar power sparks a land rush

May 6, 2021 – Rick Karlin

A recent study from Cornell University, to be published this summer, urges developers to look at low quality farmland in order to protect the best spots for agriculture. The study by Professor Max Zhang noted that, so far, 40% of current solar energy capacity has been on agricultural land. But 84% of land identified as suitable for future solar development is also farmland.

Cornell Chronicle: Engage public, explore methods to secure NYS green energy

May 4, 2021 – Blaine Friedlander

So far, 40% of current solar energy capacity has been developed on agricultural land, the researchers found, while 84% of land identified as suitable for future solar development – about 140 gigawatts – is agricultural. “Solar farms are already taking up agricultural land and it will likely take even more to achieve New York’s energy goals,” Zhang said. “For the solar-energy community, this is not a surprise. But for the agricultural community, this is a surprise.”

Also seen on ScienceDaily, Nature World News, Rockland Report, Morning Ag Clips, WCHU-Radio, Rome Sentinel, Olean Times Herald, the Post Journal, Livingston County News, The Daily News, Observer Today

Research and restore: How Cornell scientists are conserving Earth’s resources

April 19, 2021 – Cornell University

Cornell researchers are working to restore our planet’s natural resources — from the soil to the seas to the skies — and helping to ensure a sustainable future for years to come.

Cortland Standard: Pandemic spurs interest in outdoors, environment

April 17, 2021 – Colin Spencer

Zhang calculated that with this reduction, Tompkins County produced about 61,665 metric tons less carbon dioxide, or the equivalent of taking 13,400 fewer cars off the road for a year. Figuring that Cortland County is one county over, Zhang said results were likely similar. “This is really unprecedented, but this is temporary,” he said, and will likely return to normal once people need to drive to work, again.

This article appeared on the front page.

Cornell Engineering Spotlight: Emily Carr ’21 is working to make electric heat pumps more efficient

March 2021 – Erin Philipson

Carr is working with Max Zhang, professor in the Sibley School, and Zach Lee, a Ph.D. student in Professor Zhang’s group, to identify whether heat pumps in the Northeast United States are properly sized, whether they are using excess amounts of inefficient backup heat, and what effect that has on a grid-level scale. Carr analyzes the Ecobee “Donate Your Data” dataset which contains residential heating system operating data from smart thermostats around the country.

Bloomberg News: Record-Breaking Wildfires Made North American Air Worse in 2020

March 15, 2021 – Laura Millan Lombrana and Camille Squires

Wildfires and other discrete events further complicate the idea that a mass reduction in certain human activity is all that’s needed to improve air quality, Dr. K. Max Zhang, a professor at Cornell University who researched pollution in six Chinese cities during lockdown. While he finds hope in the fact that most countries did see a reduction in particulate pollution last year, he says a larger climate mitigation is needed.

Also appeared at Phys.org and Anchorage Daily News

Cornell Engineering Spotlight: Connor Bayne ’21 researching renewable energy’s ability to meet electricity demand

March 2021 – Erin Philipson

Bayne is working with Zhang and Jeff Sward, a Ph.D. student at EERL, on research centered around renewable energy’s ability to meet electricity demand. He is particularly interested in the ability of offshore wind to supply electricity to New York State. Offshore wind energy is positioned to become a major source of affordable, renewable power in the coming years, especially in New York.

Ithaca Week: One stretch of road at a time

March 15, 2021 – Alex Hartzog

For Tidball and Orr, this project has brought the team together and has started a creative process that will continue going regardless of the Civic Innovation Challenge. “We are not doing research just for research’s purpose,” Zhang said. “We are doing research to make a difference, so hopefully some of this will be adopted by the local community.”

Spectrum News: Applying Science to New York Weather (Video)

March 13, 2021 – Krystal Cole

The problem is not knowing how much snow is falling, and where. The solution will hopefully come from Cornell professor Max Zhang and his research team. They’re developing a hyperlocal weather forecasting system.

March 2, 2021 – Doug Mosher

Predicting winter storms and how quickly we response to them, has been an ongoing mission, especially for area’s like New York and Pennsylvania, who can be pummeled with snow during those months. The researchers at Cornell University are developing plans for a hyperlocal weather forecasting system, that will improve how quickly we respond to winter storms. The plan also includes ways to improve our coordinated efforts during natural disasters, most importantly in our rural communities.

WENY-TV: Cornell University to lead study on hyperlocal weather

March 1, 2021 – Connor Thompson

Cornell University is developing and planning a hyperlocal forecasting system meant to improve the response time for rural areas during a winter weather emergency. “The rural communities are more vulnerable to extreme weather,” Max Zhang said.

FL1 News: Cornell University researchers developing weather forecasting system

March 1, 2021

Partnering with community organizations, Cornell University researchers are developing and planning a hyperlocal weather forecasting system designed to improve winter-storm emergency response and enhance natural disaster coordination for New York state’s rural communities. Max Zhang, professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, will lead the federally funded effort this spring.

Cornell Chronicle: NSF challenges Cornell to tame winter, natural disasters

February 25, 2021 – Blaine Friedlander

Partnering with community organizations, Cornell researchers are developing and planning a hyperlocal weather forecasting system designed to improve winter-storm emergency response and enhance natural disaster coordination for New York state’s rural communities. Max Zhang, professor in Cornell’s Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, will lead the federally funded effort this spring.

Also appeared on Olean Times Herald

Network Computing: First Statewide Public IoT Network to Span Digital Divide in NY

January 19, 2021 – Bob Wallace

Cornell University uses an NSF grant for a low-budget system to bring Internet connectivity to cities, towns, and villages.

Habitat Magazine: Pump it up

January, 2021 – Tom Sahagian

All 10 heat pumps were up and running for the last month or so of the cooling season, and residents have since shifted over to heating mode. Generally speaking, everyone seems to be happy with the heat pumps’ performance so far. “The heat pumps are great,” says Harrison, the co-op board member. “They’re quiet and cover a large area. Each unit is controlled separately, so they can be set to different temperatures and turned on or off as needed. There are also a lot of options, so each unit can be customized for individual preferences.”

Rockland County Business Journal: Tappan Zee H.S. Grad, Alexander Li ’20, Elected To Join Sixth Cohort of Schwarzman Scholars

December 10, 2020

For Li, a Tappan Zee High School alumni who graduated Cornell University with a bachelor’s degree in electrical and computer engineering, the Schwarzman program is an opportunity to pursue an interest in sustainability that he developed as an undergraduate working on pollution monitoring tools with Max Zhang, a professor in the Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, in the Energy and the Environment Research Lab

Cornell Chronicle: Two alumni named Schwarzman Scholars

December 7, 2020 – David Nutt

For Li, who grew up in Rockland County, New York, and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in electrical and computer engineering, the Schwarzman program is an opportunity to pursue an interest in sustainability that he developed as an undergraduate working on pollution monitoring tools with Max Zhang, a professor in the Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, in the Energy and the Environment Research Lab.

That work’s mix of engineering, policy and economic challenges inspired Li to seek a career in sustainability.

Sustainable Finger Lakes: Cornell Professor Awarded NYSERDA Grant to help NYS go Solar

November 2, 2020 – Alexis Fallon

More specifically, he plans to focus on 10 different land sites in New York State, to measure the viability of agrovoltaics – using land for both agriculture and solar arrays. Zhang’s research will provide scientific insight to policymakers as they make blueprints for the energy transition of the century.

StateTech: Cornell Works on Public Internet of Things Network in New York

October 21, 2020 – Phil Goldstein

A group of researchers at Cornell University are aiming to bridge the digital divide in New York state with a program that will set up an Internet of Things network from New York City to counties upstate on the Canadian border.

Morning Ag Clips: Engineer aids NYS solar goals, helps energy and agriculture coexist

October 18, 2020

“We want to provide a scientific basis to guide future utility-scale solar development in New York state,” Zhang said. He hopes to engage policymakers, solar developers, farmers, local officials and community organizers to effectively disseminate the research findings.

EERL’s COVID-19 research project featured in Cornell Institute for Healthy Futures’ Newsletter

October 16, 2020

EERL is working with colleagues at Weill Cornell Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital to develop short-term and long-term mitigation strategies to SARS-CoV-2 transmission. The September/October newsletter was sent out to over 1500 recipients on October 16, 2020. It will be accessible at https://ihf.cornell.edu/newsletter/.

WHCU Radio: Cornell professor receives NYSERDA grant for solar array study

October 15, 2020

Zhang’s team will monitor 10 different solar farm sites across the state to examine their microclimates, solar radiation, and soil moisture to see whether agriculture and energy developments can coexist.

Cornell Chronicle: Zhang helps NYS to go solar, avoid land-use conflicts

October 15, 2020 – Blaine Friedlander

Zhang, also a fellow at the Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability, believes the U.S. is in a period of “rapid energy transition,” from carbon-based to renewable.

“By looking at history, we’ve seen energy transition before,” he said. “A few centuries ago, we used wood, and then coal and later we used oil. So, right now we’re moving away from carbon energy at breakneck speed into green energy. Siting utility-scale solar energy projects throughout New York will become a major challenge that inevitably policymakers must face.”

RTInsights: Cornell Researchers Create the Country’s First Statewide IoT Network

October 9, 2020 – Sue Walsh

Researchers at Cornell University are hard at work creating the nation’s first statewide IoT network designed to bring internet access to more of New York’s citizens. The project is powered by a $1.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Smart and Connected Communities (S&CC) program and the plan is to put a public IoT network across each of New York’s 62 counties.

UC Riverside: Brake and tire wear particles emerging source of air pollution

October 5, 2020

The research team is composed of leading experts within and outside UC Riverside (UCR): Associate Researcher Guoyuan Wu of the Center for Environmental Research & Technology (CE-CERT) at UCR, Professor and Associate Dean Marko Princevac of UCR for atmospheric turbulence analysis, Professor Max Zhang at Cornell University for dispersion modeling, Professor Antony Chen at the University of Nevada, Reno for source apportionment analysis, and Professor Xiaoliang Wang at Desert Research Institute for off-line filter sampling and chemical analysis. Professor Shiraiwa from UC Irvine also took part in the field test with a separate funding to understand toxicity of brake and tire wear PM.

AVANGRID: Annual AVANGRID Innovation Challenge Crowns Winning Team from Cornell University

October 5, 2020

A highlight of AVANGRID’s Innovation Forum is its annual Innovation Challenge, which pairs teams of students from Cornell, Harvard, the University of Maine, MIT and Yale with AVANGRID employees to develop solutions to some of the energy sector’s most difficult challenges. This year’s winning team, led by Cornell University students Anmol Singh, Ritika Jain and Rashika Mittal, proposed an innovative way to enable utilities to leverage ever-increasing electric vehicle adoption to benefit the grid through vehicle-to-grid technology.

DIVE: Cornell designs statewide IoT network to close New York’s digital divide

October 5, 2020 – Chris Teale

Those involved in the three-year project said they are hopeful the IoT network can help close the digital divide between the state’s urban and rural communities. Max Zhang, an engineering professor and the project’s principal investigator, said the network can also increase efficiencies in sectors like agriculture, building management and traffic monitoring, but getting more people online is the project’s major point of emphasis.

Rome Daily Sentinel: neida County to join Cornell internet of things network test project

October 3, 2020 – David Hill

Enter Cornell engineer Max Zhang, the principal investigator on a project recently awarded $1.5 million by the National Science Foundation to design the nation’s first statewide internet of things public infrastructure, and Cornell Cooperative Extension of Oneida County, which is joining a project to monitor energy usage for ways to make it more efficient and may provide a demonstration setting for the networking demonstration. Zhang, in an interview with the Daily Sentinel, recalled a prime example: He was with a family friend who uses a medical-alert device at Letchworth State Park in the Finger Lakes region. Then they realized the device was of no use because there was no cellular coverage or any other link to the internet. The device would be so much more useful if there were a low-power network in the park that could receive an alert signal and send it on.

Finger Lakes Times: Cornell faculty working on Internet of Things

September 25, 2020

“You need to create a reliable Internet of Things infrastructure to handle a digital world,” said Max Zhang, engineering professor and the project’s principal investigator.. “This is an opportunity for rural communities. You cannot have a digital revolution in digital darkness.”

WETM TV: Cornell receives funding to help erase upstate NY’s digital divide (Video)

September 15, 2020

WETM 18 News featured a story on the NSF grant led by Prof. Max Zhang in their evening news program.

Cornell Chronicle: NSF funding to help erase upstate NY’s digital divide

September 10, 2020 – Blaine Friedlander

The National Science Foundation has awarded $1.5 million to Cornell engineers and researchers to help them bridge New York’s digital divide by designing the nation’s first statewide Internet of Things public infrastructure.

“We aim to create a public Internet of Things model that works here and then becomes replicable for other states,” said Max Zhang, professor in the Sibley School of Mechanical Engineering, the project’s principal investigator (PI).

This story was picked up by Olean Times Herald, GCN.

The Charleston Chronicle: Massive Red Dust Cloud From The Sahara Reaches America’s South

July 7, 2020

When it comes to size, approximately 30% of the dust coming from the Sahara is considered to be “fine.” “Typically, the smaller particles can penetrate deeper into the lungs and the health impacts become more [serious],” says Dr. K. Max Zhang from Cornell University’s School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.

Jilly Cai and Andrew Siler awarded Bart Conta Prize in Energy and Environment

July 5, 2020

Jilly and Andrew spent two semesters working on the New York City heat pump conversion project and have made long-lasting contributions to the electrification of the heating sector.

New York Post: What are the health impacts of the Sahara dust storm?

June 26, 2020 – Gabrielle Fonrouge

Dr. K. Max Zhang from Cornell University’s Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering studies the health impacts of atmospheric particulate matters.

He told The Post there’s three things to consider when it comes to the Sahara dust cloud: the size of the particles, the concentration and the composition of the particles.

Cornell Chronicle: Merrill Scholars near and far honor their teachers, mentors

May 21, 2020 – David Nutt

Thirty-five outstanding seniors were recognized as 2020 Merrill Presidential Scholars, an honor they share with the teachers and professors who inspired them and contributed to their academic development.

Alexander Li, Blauvelt, New York; Matthew Robertson, Tappan Zee High School; K. Max Zhang, Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.

Cornell Chronicle: Online showcase celebrates students’ community engagement

May 18, 2020 – Blaine Friedlander

Anna Canny ’21, Zhenlin Chen ’21 and doctoral candidate Alfredo Rodriguez are helping to reduce New York state’s carbon footprint by installing real-time electricity metering hardware to several Cornell Cooperative Extension’s county offices.

The meters have been installed in about 20 extension offices thus far; the goal for this phase of the project is 30. They hope to track energy consumption on a website and find ways to reduce electricity use.

KVOA: Air pollution levels plummet following worldwide stay-at-home orders (Video)

April 22, 2020 – Daniel McFarland

Max Zhang is a professor of mechanical engineering at Cornell University. “I say very likely that the air pollution level will go back to where it was,” Zhang said, “but at the same time we don’t know how big the impact is or how long it will last.”

VICE News: Scientists Explain Why Coronavirus Isn’t Good for the Climate

March 19, 2020 – Becky Ferreira

“We are basically using a lot of energy at home right now, much more than before, so really I’m seeing a shift from commercial to residential” emissions, said K. Max Zhang, an air pollution and climate scientist at Cornell University, in a call.

Cornell Daily Sun: The Missing Link – Cornell Prof. finds Hidden Connections Between Energy and the Environment

December 9, 2019 – Tucker Hwang

Climate change and the environment have been at the forefront of the nation’s mind. However, for Prof. K. Max Zhang, mechanical and aerospace engineering, it was a class at Cornell s that inspired his current research on High Energy Demand Days — days during the year when energy demand is particularly high.

Cornell Chronicle: Student engineers to ply their green skills in NYC

November 22, 2019 – Blaine Friedlander

“Most residents thought that heat pumps were the right choice, as the units also provide air conditioning and produce no emissions onsite,” said doctoral student Zach Lee. “Our job is to evaluate the comfort and efficacy of the heating oil system compared to the heat pump system.”

NPR-WABE: Atlanta researcher looks to trees to help ease highway air pollution

November 5, 2019 – Molly Samuel

That is starting to change, though, said Max Zhang, a mechanical engineering professor at Cornell University. “This is a movement that has gathered some pretty large momentum recently,” he said. Zhang is studying using trees as pollution barriers in Detroit; Oakland, California, and Louisville, Kentucky. One important caveat to the idea, he said, is that design matters.

Cornell Engineering: Air quality benefits from electric vehicles could save thousands of lives

October 18, 2019 – Eric Laine

Published in Nature Sustainability, the study is titled “Air quality and health benefits from fleet electrification in China.” It points out that Chinese policymakers might have overlooked the human health impacts of EV adoption. “This is part of the goal of the paper,” Zhang says, “to raise awareness. Like, hey, there’s a gap here, you’re missing a big piece of the puzzle.”

Electrek: Electric vehicles could benefit health more than climate in China

October 11, 2019 – Michelle Lewis

A new study published in Nature Sustainability finds that China’s fleet of electric vehicles could save lives. In other words, “Fleet electrification in China could have more health benefits than net climate benefits in the next decade, which should be realized by policymakers to develop cost-effective strategies for EV development.”

Anthropocene: Electric vehicles could benefit health more than climate

October 10, 2019 – Prachi Patel

About half of the world’s electric vehicles are sold in China. It’s the largest market in the world for EVs, buoyed by government subsidies. The main goals for these incentives have been to reduce fossil fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions. Now a new study in Nature Sustainability shows that by reducing air pollution, a growing fleet of EVs in the nation could also save thousands of lives.

Cornell Research: Energy and the Environment, Inextricable

September 30, 2019 – Jackie Swift

This is a classic demonstration of the positive changes a clean energy system can make. It’s exactly the message Zhang wants to share with the broader world outside academia. He and his group are known as the Energy and Environment Research Laboratory. They are working on a range of energy research projects with potential to help mitigate air pollution, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and address climate change.

The Ithaca Voice: Tompkins Budget 2020: Here’s a first look at the $191 million budget

September 3, 2019 – Kelsey O’Connor

In 2016, Tompkins County planners presented a roadmap which aspires to achieve an 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The roadmap consisted of initiatives to create energy efficiency in buildings, transition from grid-supplied electricity to local renewable energy, shift from natural gas to heat pumps and biomass heating, move towards electric vehicles and reduce the overall miles driven in the county. During that year, the county invested in hybrid electric vehicles, more bike racks, and the reduction of food scraps and other waste. LED lighting was also added to several of the county’s facilities like the reception area of the Mental Health Building as well as the exteriors of the Health Department and Recycling and Solid Waste Center.

Cornell Chronicle: Cornell team, EPA to partner on emissions big data project

May 30, 2019 – Daniel Aloi

A team from associate professor Max Zhang’s lab will work with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) over the next year on a machine learning model designed to predict fossil fuel emissions. The project was a winning entry in the EPA-sponsored EmPOWER Air Data Challenge.

Solar Industry Magazine: Cornell Researchers Address Solar ‘Ramping’ Issues

May 30, 2019 – Betsy Lillian

New research from Cornell University suggests that adding utility-scale solar throughout New York State could reduce summer electricity demand from conventional sources by up to 9.6% in some parts of the state. On the other hand, it warns that New York’s power system could face volatile swings of “ramping” in the winter, from low energy demand around midday combined with solar electricity production.

American Public Power Association: Study examines solar ramping issues in New York

May 30, 2019 – Peter Maloney

A new study from Cornell University’s Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering examines the use of utility scale solar power to meet peak power demand in New York State.

PV Magazine: New York’s winter time solar duck curve cometh

May 28, 2019 – John Weaver

In the paper Strategic planning for utility-scale solar photovoltaic development – Historical peak events revisited, researchers at Cornell University have modeled 4.5, 6 and 9 GWac of installed solar power in the state of New York with a goal of generating a GIS-based siting approach for solar projects 2 MWac and greater. The model used parcel-level filtering based on population and resource ranking, accounted for temporal generation, and estimates the locational impact on peak load and ramping requirements during high electricity demand days. The tool hopes to assess the current valuation methods for installed solar capacity, and offers support to system designers seeking to optimize deployment.

Cornell Chronicle: Winter could pose solar farm ‘ramping’ snag for power grid

May 25, 2019 – Blaine Friedlander

But Cornell engineers caution that upstate winters tell a different tale. With low energy demand around midday in the winter, combined with solar-electricity production, New York’s power system could face volatile swings of “ramping” – which is how power system operators describe quick increases or decreases in demand.

Zach Lee awarded the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship

April 9, 2019
Zach Lee, PhD candidate at EERL, has been awarded the highly competitive National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship.

Cornell Chronicle: Documentarian- Take down paywalls, open access to scholarship

December 4, 2018 – Jose Beduya

The panel included the filmmaker, a professor of communication and media at Clarkson University; Gerald R. Beasley, the Carl A. Kroch University Librarian; and representatives from the University Faculty Library Board: Jeremy Braddock, associate professor of English; Paul Fleming, professor of comparative literature and German studies; and Max Zhang, associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering.

Cornell Daily Sun: Documentary Criticizes Closed-Access Academic Journals as Too Expensive, Restrictive

December 2, 2018 – Seth Kim

After the screening, a panel of five members entered the stage for a brief Q&A session. The members consisted of Jason Schmitt, director of Paywall, Gerald Beasley, university librarian, Prof. Jeremy Braddock, English, Prof. Paul Fleming, comparative literature and German studies, and Prof. Max Zhang, mechanical and aerospace engineering.

The Detroit News: Move to freeze Obama-era mpg rules likely to set off fight

August 2, 2018 – Keith Laing

But Max Zhang, professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y., said the Trump administration’s move to roll back mileage rules could have an unintended consequence of giving foreign-owned automakers an advantage over Detroit’s manufacturers. He noted that European, Japanese and Chinese automakers are “all aggressively pursuing research and development in zero-tailpipe emission vehicles.

“Thirty-seven miles per gallon, the new fuel-efficiency target by 2026 as the current proposal indicates, can be achieved by strategies such as improving internal combustion engines and modest weight reduction,” Zhang said. “By contrast, 54 miles per gallon, as the Obama administration proposed, will certainly require auto manufacturers to massively introduce zero-tailpipe emission vehicles such as electric and fuel-cell vehicles to the fleets.”

Cornell Engineering Magazine: Max Zhang aims for impact in Ithaca and beyond

Spring 2018 – Chris Dawson

When Max Zhang, associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, first interviewed at Cornell, he was inspired by a particular conversation he had about the environment and about community engagement.

He had spoken with Zellman Warhaft, a professor emeritus well known for a course he taught for many years called “Components and Systems: Engineering in a Social Context.”

Cornell Chronicle: Sustainable economic strategies spur engaged research interest

June 29, 2018 – Daniel Aloi

Max Zhang, associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, said he is following up with Erie County officials on possible projects such as assisting in the planning process for carbon reduction at the community level.

Mother Jones: The Best Parts About Summer Are Also the Worst for the Planet

May 25, 2018 – Chris Bentley

Where and when festivals and food trucks run their diesel generators can also be a problem, according to Zhang. The nitrogen oxides that generators emit combine with other compounds in the presence of sunlight to form ozone, a potent trigger for asthma attacks and other health problems. A sunny summer afternoon is prime time for that kind of air pollution—and that’s exactly when you’re most likely to attend a generator-powered event like a street fair or a block party.

CityLab: The Dirty, Noisy Power Behind Those Street-Fair Tacos

May 25, 2018 – Chris Bentley

Max Zhang, an engineering professor at Cornell University, has studied air pollution from diesel generators. In general, he said, diesel generators have an outsized impact on pollution compared to other sources of power: “Basically, they tend to be dirtier per unit of energy provided.”

Newsweek: Toxic Smog in China Created by Air Pollution and Sandstorms

March 28, 2018 – Dana Dovey

Max Zhang, an associate professor at Cornell University in New York who specializes in the effects of airborne particulate matters on air quality, said the conditions in Beijing were a result of the “perfect storm” of several factors. Although air pollution is a constant problem in China, Zhang said the end of the cold weather season, when the government provides coal-based heat to areas of the country from November to about March 15, had fueled more dangerous conditions.

Cornell Daily Sun: Maplewood Apartments Will Be Site of Eco-Friendly Technology

February 22, 2018 – Stacey Blansky

In this new all-electric neighborhood with 444 units and 872 beds, Max Zhang, associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, and his team of undergraduate and graduate students will deploy wireless monitors and systems in a living laboratory. Their goal is to obtain performance detail on how air-source heat pumps – which extract heat from outside air to put indoors – perform under Ithaca’s severe winter conditions.

Cornell Chronicle: New grad housing is living lab for heat pump study

February 8, 2018 – Blaine Friedlander

In this new all-electric neighborhood with 444 units and 872 beds, Max Zhang, associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, and his team of undergraduate and graduate students will deploy wireless monitors and systems in a living laboratory. Their goal is to obtain performance detail on how air-source heat pumps – which extract heat from outside air to put indoors – perform under Ithaca’s severe winter conditions.

Cornell Chronicle: Local engagement yields ‘real social impact’

December 6, 2017 – Blaine Friedlander

Engineer Max Zhang makes a concerted effort to improve the world through collaboration. “Ideas will only stay in my lab, will only stay on paper, if we don’t engage or work with the community.”

Cornell Chronicle: On the highway to health- trimming toxins with trees

November 30, 2017 – Blaine Friedlander

Cornell engineering students are creating a state-of-the-art computer model to strategically place trees on highways near residential areas to mitigate pollution particles and improve human health.

Courier Journal: Tree project eyes healthier hearts 

October 26, 2017 – James Bruggers

South Louisville to get thousands of new trees to intercept air pollution, with researchers looking into how people’s health responds.

The Ithaca Voice: Tompkins County: Would you like a wind turbine?

At the county’s Planning, Development and Environmental Quality Committee this afternoon, legislators are set to vote to authorize a Request for Proposals for a medium-scale wind turbine scale.

“When we developed the energy road map, we found there are a lot of places in the county that have the wind resources to drive a small-to-medium size turbine. It could be a great source of renewable energy for a farm operation or a business in a rural area,” said Tompkins County deputy planning commissioner Katie Borgella.

Ithaca.com: A bold step into a new energy future

“Locally, where the Tompkins County Energy Roadmap of 2015 calls for an 80 percent reduction in carbon emissions from the city and town over the coming decade, the smart meter technology is the first step in truly changing people’s energy consumption habits simply by making them more aware of how much they actually use.”

Lansing Star: State Incentive For Clean Business Development

June 16, 2017 – Dan Veaner

Borgella says that the program could be an element that helps Tompkins County reach it’s ‘energy roadmap’ goal of reducing carbon emissions in the County by 80% from 2008 levels by the year 2050. “We need every incentive we can possibly offer to people to make this transition,” she says.

“The County has also developed an energy roadmap to meet projected energy needs while achieving greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals.”

Cornell Chronicle: Engineer Max Zhang awarded Engaged Scholar Prize

Max Zhang, associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, who has devoted his career to the development of sustainable communities, is the recipient of Cornell’s second annual Engaged Scholar Prize, Vice Provost Judith Appleton announced April 6.

The Ithaca Voice: Tompkins County seeks input on renewable energy systems

“Tompkins County has established a goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050. In order to achieve this long-term goal, the recently completed Energy Roadmap identified an interim goal of developing 50% of the county’s solar potential, 20% of its wind potential, and 20% of its micro-hydro potential.”

EERL members met with former Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan

EERL members participated in a wide range of events during Mr. Kan’s visit to Cornell, including luncheon, group discussions and dinner reception. Mr. Kan gave a public talk discussing his experience leading Japan through the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant disaster before a standing-room audience at the Statler Auditorium.

WIRED: Running Delivery Trucks on Trolley Wires Isn’t as Crazy as It Sounds

“Emission rates from trucks can be 10 to 100 times higher than that from passenger vehicles,” says Max Zhang, an engineer at Cornell University. “This is a really good idea to alleviate hotspots.”

Jeff Sward awarded the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship

Jeff Award, PhD candidate at EERL, has been awarded the highly competitive National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship. He was one of the only two PhD students receiving the honor at Sibley School this year.

Ithaca Journal: Energy company proposes 220-acre solar farm in Tompkins

“Cornell is exploring leasing University property to develop a community solar farm in Dryden,” Sarah Zemanick, director of Cornell University Campus Sustainability Office. “The project is in line with the renewable energy recommendations in the Tompkins County Energy Roadmap and Cornell’s Climate Action Plan, and could provide local residents and businesses access to the electricity.”

Ithaca Times: What is the Things Network?

One local group exploring the use of this new capability is a group of researchers headed by Professor Max Zhang of the Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Cornell. Their project revolves around data gathered from sensors that monitor pollutants in wood smoke.

Lansing Star: The Electricity Future Comes To Lansing, Dryden and Ithaca

February 17, 2017 – Dan Veaner

“We like to use the word launchpad,” Mann says.  “We don’t want Tompkins County people to feel like they are test citizens.  They are active and engaged customers. We know that Tompkins County is special in many ways.  That is why a program like this is a really good fit here.  Because this county is very forward looking in its energy goals.  It has an energy road map, predictors and goals that they are trying to reach.  So they are doing a lot of thinking and it really makes sense to be here.”

Jiajun Gu won the Excellent Poster Presentation Award at 2017 AMS Annual Conference

Jiajun Gu, PhD candidate at EERL, received the Excellent Poster Presentation award at the 2017 American Meteorological Society conference. Jiajun’s poster described her research on source estimation of woodsmoke in urban downwash environments.

Dr. Shaojun Zhang joined EERL as Atkinson Postdoctoral Fellow

Dr. Shaojun Zhang won the highly competitive Atkinson Postdoctoral Fellowship, and has started his new position at EERL. Shaojun was a visiting PhD student to EERL. Prior to coming back to Cornell, he was working with the Ford Mobility Group at University of Michigan.

Maplewood Ithaca Press Release: Town of Ithaca – Public Hearing to review the Draft Environmental Impact Statement

October 18, 2016

With newly constructed, highly efficient buildings and mechanical equipment, fixtures, and practices, the new development will significantly reduce the site’s environmental impact – despite an increase in population. No natural gas will be used in the new development, consistent with the new Tompkins County Energy Road Map. Electric-supplied heating and cooling equipment reduces carbon emissions when compared to gas-supplied alternatives. Additionally, electricity can be provided by renewable sources like the sun, with the potential for net-zero carbon emissions related to heating and cooling. The developer is currently pursuing renewable electricity suppliers in an effort to minimize carbon emissions.

Ithaca Journal: HOME HEATING HELP: Pellet stove expo Saturday in Ithaca

“We really have the forest resources to do this,” Beers said. “Tompkins County Energy Roadmap did a study of how much biomass do we have, and they concluded that we have enough to sustainably heat all our homes using biomass.”

Ithaca Journal: Tompkins Accepts ‘Energy Roadmap’

Tompkins lawmakers on Tuesday unanimously accepted a plan that helps guide the way toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The Tompkins County Energy Roadmap offers scenarios for the county, City of Ithaca and Town of Ithaca to meet their goal for reducing community-wide greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent before 2050. Before the vote, Martha Robertson, D-Dryden, said the plan shows that Tompkins County is a leader on environmental issues.

Ithaca Times: Tompkins County Accepts Energy Roadmap

The Tompkins County Legislature unanimously accepted the Tompkins County Energy Roadmap at a meeting Tuesday, April 19. Before the county accepted the roadmap, several legislators expressed their approval of the plan. “I think this shows that we are leaders,” said Legislator Martha Robertson before the legislature’s unanimous vote. “It’s a very unusual document in the country and in the world, so I think we have an enormous amount to be proud of.” She said she’s looking forward to the next step, “trying to figure out how the hell to do it.”

Ithaca Journal: Tompkins greenhouse goals fall short?

Lawmakers are set to accept a plan that helps guide the way toward an 80 percent reduction in Tompkins County greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, but local experts say that goal is insufficient.

Cornell Chronicle: Max Zhang helps communities grow greener

From studying smog along Beijing’s streets to improving how U.S. interstate highways clear the exhaust to electrifying New York City parking spaces, engineer Max Zhang adds verdancy to vibrant communities.

Ithaca Voice: Tompkins explores avenues for cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 80%

The report was several years in the making, starting with some projects done by Cornell students in 2011 through 2013. In 2014, an official steering committee was appointed, led by Cornell professor Max Zhang and including local government and economic leaders, energy and sustainability experts and engineers.

Ithaca Times: Thompkins County Shows Support for Enfield Wind Farm

The Tompkins county legislature unanimously passed a resolution in support of Black Oak Wind Farm on Feb. 4, noting that the wind farm “constitutes a $40 million investment in clean, renewable energy,” is consistent with the County’s greenhouse gas emission goals, and that “the Tompkins County Energy Roadmap documents that wind energy has the potential to provide a significant portion of electricity demand within Tompkins County.”

Bloomberg News: Brazil Olympics Misses First Deadline for Clean Energy

Diesel backup generators generate emissions at rates similar to or higher than those from the highest emitting natural gas-fired generators, according to researchers at Cornell University.

Ithaca Journal: Write-in candidate Rich John claims victory

November 5, 2015 – Andrew Casler

John said he plans to focus on economic development and the Tompkins County Green Energy Road Map. “It’s over and now it’s on to doing the job, and I’m going to put my effort into that,” John said.

The Cornell Daily Sun: Local Attorney Rich John ’81 Enters Race Against Elie Kirshner ’18

October 28, 2015 – Josephine Chu

Additionally, John said he would like to address energy efficiency in Tompkins County, especially as the county planning department has spent the past several years working on an “energy roadmap” to determine whether it is possible to reduce the county’s greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent by 2050. “It’s clearly possible,” John said. “Some decisions will be relatively easy but a lot of them involve trade-offs and difficult decisions.”

Cornell Chronicle: Student research helps county envision 2050 energy roadmap

Using 15 months of energy research conducted by Cornell students, the Tompkins County Planning Department unveiled ideas Oct. 21 to substantially reduce the county’s carbon footprint by 2050.

ElectricityPolicy.com: Cornell engineers warn of unnecessary use of diesel gen. during peak periods

Cornell University engineers have determined that firing up diesel backup generators to meet peak demand in non-emergency situations triggers rising atmospheric ozone concentrations due to additional nitrogen oxide emissions.

Cornell Chronicle: Generators that relieve power grid worsen ozone pollution

Cornell engineers have found that firing up diesel backup generators in non-emergency situations triggers rising atmospheric ozone concentrations due to additional nitrogen oxide emissions.

EHP: Green Walls Could Cut Street-Canyon Air Pollution

The study is limited by the model’s reliance on data with only modest experimental support, including the rates at which plants capture pollutants and air flows in and out of street canyons, says Pugh. Moreover, experimental research in vegetated street canyons is needed to verify the results. This lack of validation makes Max Zhang, an associate professor of engineering at Cornell University who studies traffic emissions, question the size of the pollutant reductions the paper reports. “I still believe the argument is very good,” says Zhang, “I believe there are definitely reductions, but the problem is the magnitude.”

Cornell Chronicle: Trucks Trucks with heavy emissions identified as air pollution culprit in Beijing 

The 62-mile, nine-day traffic jam in Beijing’s August heat made international headlines — and an epic amount of air pollution. It’s the latest demonstration of how Cornell air quality researcher Max Zhang’s work could make a critical difference for people who breathe bad air every day.

Cornell Chronicle: In quest to harness energy, we must consider the environment more than ever, says professor

From the first controlled use of fire in the Early Stone Age to the invention of the steam engine in 1769, humans have often had little regard for their environmental footprint in their quest to harness and efficiently use energy, said mechanical engineer K. Max Zhang at a seminar April 1 to launch this month’s celebration of the second annual Cornell Sustainability Month.

China Daily: Clearing the air

A Cornell University study by Assistant Professor Max Zhang has also backed up claims that the air is clearing because of the ban. Published in July, the study was based on air quality readings before, during and after the Olympics. … The researchers found that car emissions of black carbon were down 33 percent in 2008, the year the Olympics took place, compared with 2007. Carbon dioxide also dropped 47 percent in 2008 from the previous year’s levels.

Cornell Chronicle: Improved air quality during Beijing Olympics could inform pollution-curbing policies

Led by Max Zhang, assistant professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, the study indicates that such measures as regulating traffic density and encouraging public transportation can have a significant impact on local air quality.

Cornell Daily Sun: Professor Charts Air Quality Before And After Beijing Olympic Games

The Lost Dog Café’s upstairs lounge played host to the Ithaca Science Cabaret speaker series last night as Ithaca residents and science enthusiasts alike crowded into the dimly lit lounge. They reclined on the couches and perched themselves on the chairs while sipping wine and listening to this month’s speaker. Prof. Max Zhang, mechanical and aerospace Engineering at Cornell, explored the scientific basis for concern about air quality in Beijing during this past summer’s Olympic Games.

LiveScience.com: The Stranglehold of Weather on Beijing’s Air Quality

When the Opening Ceremonies launch the XXIX Olympiad in Beijing on Friday, city officials will no doubt hope their efforts pay off to reduce the city’s usual pall of smog and bring blue skies to the games. But their policies may matter little in the face of the region’s weather — the main influence on Beijing’s pollution levels, according to one scientist.

Cornell Chronicle: CU students across disciplines help design Hawaii’s first eco-friendly community

A planned community with plug-in hybrid cars, an electricity-saving microgrid and many other green features will soon sprout up on the Big Island of Hawaii, thanks to a group of Cornell students and faculty who have spent a year designing it.

Cornell Chronicle: Max Zhang uses cities as air-quality laboratories, including Olympic city Beijing

As the world watches China prepare for the Olympic Games, Cornell researcher Max Zhang has his eye on less visible matters — the particles in Beijing’s air that millions breathe every day, and that many more will be breathing when they descend on the city this summer.