Hixon Center Climate Colloquium: “Using Microwave Satellites to Quantify How Plants Respond to Drought Stress”
September 23, 2025 2:45–4 p.m.
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Location
Shanahan Center, 2454
320 E. Foothill Blvd.
Claremont, CA 91711
Contact
Lelia Hawkins
lhawkins@g.hmc.edu
Details
Increasingly common hotter and drier conditions cause drought stress on plants. The response of plants to these conditions is a significant source of uncertainty in hydrologic and water resources predictions, climate change forecasts, and wildfire risk estimates, among others. However, characterizing plant responses to water stress is challenging because of the large diversity of relevant vegetation traits (including root, xylem, and stomatal properties) within species, within ecosystems, and across the globe.
Alexandra Konings, associate professor of Earth system science at Stanford, will describe how remote sensing (i.e., satellite measurements) of vegetation water content—which naturally integrates over these sources of variability and provides data across the globe—may be a useful tool for better understanding plant water stress response. After describing the scientific challenges in quantifying plant-water stress, Konings will introduce microwave remote sensing and what data it can provide. She will then discuss several examples of the utility of this data: including for accounting for spatial variability in ecosystem behavior and better predictions of hydrologic cycle, and for understanding wildfire risk under different conditions. She'll also briefly discuss emerging frontiers and opportunities.
This event is for: alumni, community connections, faculty, staff, students
Community Connections events provide opportunities for HMC faculty, students and staff to cultivate community, foster open conversations and share important information as together we live out our mission and shape the future of the College.
Calendars
Kickstart your career journey by joining us each week for the OCS career and professional development series! From expert panels to hands-on workshops and presentations, each session dives into a new topic designed to help you build skills and confidence for your future.
This faculty panel will explore “dangerous questions” from a variety of disciplines to understand and respond to challenges facing American universities. The discussion will address the erosion of knowledge and expertise, as well as political forces that may attempt to limit intellectual inquiry and creativity.
Ambereen Dadabhoy, asssociate professor of literature, “What Would Shakespeare Say?”
Anup Gampa, assistant professor of psychology, “Invasive Species: Blaming Dysregulated Plant Neighbors Is a ‘Settler Move’ to Innocence”
Rachel Mayeri, artist and professor of media studies, “What Can Art Do During a Fascist Takeover?”
David K. Seitz, associate professor of cultural geography, “Geography Against Immediacy”
Paul Steinberg, professor of political science and environmental policy, “Creative Politics as a Strategic Response to Authoritarianism”
David Wilson, assistant professor of music, “Sounding (Anti-)Authoritarian: A Few Vignettes”
“We don’t want to live in a society in turmoil. In the U.S., 93 percent of people want to reduce divisiveness, and 86 percent believe it’s possible to disagree in a healthy way. Yet with increasing political and social fragmentation, many of us don’t know how to move past our differences. Civil rights scholar john a. powell presents an actionable path through ‘bridging’ that helps us communicate, coexist and imagine a new story for our shared future where we all belong.” (description courtesy of Othering and Belonging Institute)
The Office of Civic and Community Engagement (OCCE) will be hosting a guilt-free book club this fall semester on john a. powell’s book The Power of Bridging: How to Build a World Where We All Belong. Our first gathering is on Friday, Oct. 3.
This learning community is for everyone, from those who are already experienced in community engagement to those who are curious about learning more about this high-impact educational practice. Faculty participants will discuss readings, meet with outside speakers, share ideas, and think collaboratively about implementing community engagement into the 5C students’ experience.
Welcome to HMC’s Community Conversations for the fall 2025.
HMC Community Conversations* use conversation guides with a structured format to help people with different viewpoints and experiences build understanding. There will be 3–5 other people in a table group. It is not a debate, and the goal is not to change one another’s opinions. There are Conversation Agreements like “Listen and Be Curious” and “Show Respect and Suspend Judgement” that create the framework for diving into the questions. The questions are designed to draw out our personal experiences rather than opinions around the topic.
The overall purpose is to learn more about the experiences others have around the topic and build a sense of community.
Community Conversations will take place on Tuesdays from 11 a.m. to noon in Shanahan 1480; and each gathering will be on a separate topic. Gatherings will be in person only.
Kickstart your career journey by joining us each week for the OCS career and professional development series! From expert panels to hands-on workshops and presentations, each session dives into a new topic designed to help you build skills and confidence for your future.
Learn about HMC’s approved study abroad programs and how to study abroad your junior year.
“We don’t want to live in a society in turmoil. In the US, 93 percent of people want to reduce divisiveness, and 86 percent believe it’s possible to disagree in a healthy way. Yet with increasing political and social fragmentation, many of us don’t know how to move past our differences. Civil rights scholar john a. powell presents an actionable path through “bridging” that helps us communicate, coexist, and imagine a new story for our shared future where we all belong.” (taken from Othering and Belonging Institute)
The Office of Civic & Community Engagement (OCCE) will be hosting a guilt-free book club this fall semester on john a. powell’s book The Power of Bridging: How to Build a World Where We All Belong. Our first gathering is on Friday, October 3rd.
This learning community is for everyone, from those who are already experienced in community engagement to those who are curious about learning more about this high-impact educational practice. Faculty participants will discuss readings, meet with outside speakers, share ideas, and think collaboratively about implementing community engagement into the 5C students’ experience.
Welcome to HMC’s Community Conversations for the fall 2025.
HMC Community Conversations* use conversation guides with a structured format to help people with different viewpoints and experiences build understanding. There will be 3–5 other people in a table group. It is not a debate, and the goal is not to change one another’s opinions. There are Conversation Agreements like “Listen and Be Curious” and “Show Respect and Suspend Judgement” that create the framework for diving into the questions. The questions are designed to draw out our personal experiences rather than opinions around the topic.
The overall purpose is to learn more about the experiences others have around the topic and build a sense of community.
Community Conversations will take place on Tuesdays from 11 a.m. to noon in Shanahan 1480; and each gathering will be on a separate topic. Gatherings will be in person only.
Kickstart your career journey by joining us each week for the OCS career and professional development series! From expert panels to hands-on workshops and presentations, each session dives into a new topic designed to help you build skills and confidence for your future.
Professor Paul Steinberg teaches the popular course Public Speaking for Science and Citizenship. In this workshop, he’ll share insights on public speaking and lead a fun and easy Audience-ology™ exercise.
Steinberg is professor of political science and environmental policy in the Department of Humanities, Social Sciences, and the Arts, where he holds the Malcolm Lewis Chair in Sustainability and Society. The author of three books and recipient of the International Studies Association’s Deborah Gerner Award for Innovation Teaching, Steinberg runs the firm PS Public Speaking.
The Cabinet is hosting informal coffee breaks in fall 2025 for students, faculty, and staff. These coffee breaks will be attended by most of the Cabinet team and will provide an opportunity for the community to share ideas, express concerns, and highlight successes.
All are welcome to stop by as schedules allow.
“We don’t want to live in a society in turmoil. In the US, 93 percent of people want to reduce divisiveness, and 86 percent believe it’s possible to disagree in a healthy way. Yet with increasing political and social fragmentation, many of us don’t know how to move past our differences. Civil rights scholar john a. powell presents an actionable path through “bridging” that helps us communicate, coexist, and imagine a new story for our shared future where we all belong.” (taken from Othering and Belonging Institute)
The Office of Civic & Community Engagement (OCCE) will be hosting a guilt-free book club this fall semester on john a. powell’s book The Power of Bridging: How to Build a World Where We All Belong. Our first gathering is on Friday, October 3rd.
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