Climate Dynamics Student “Unsung Hero”
NASA Headquarters highlighted Climate Dynamics student Zack Chester’s contributions for work done with AOES faculty member Daniel Tong and “for your broader efforts in using Earth science data to support public health.” Chester and Tong’s research seeks to better understand and predict the onset of a dust-born pathogen threatening the US Southwest.
NASA Applied Sciences Associate Director Lawrence Friedl wrote, “as your colleagues have told us, it’s more than just what you’re doing for the project – it’s how you do it. You’re an inspiration for us!“
NASA’s “Unsung Heroes” announcement included the following text:
“Zack has been an integral member for this project. He has helped design and implement low-cost dust collectors to study coccidioidomycosis (Valley Fever) in Arizona. His work has made it possible for us to deploy a pilot dust sampling network in the Sonoran Desert, one week before the COVID-19 lockdown.
“GMU/Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic, and Earth Sciences Health & Air Quality Project: Satellite-aided Regional Dust Forecasting for Valley Fever Surveillance, Highway Safety, and Air Quality Management”
