Experts Matter. Find Yours.
Connect for media, speaking, professional opportunities & more.
J.S. Held Experts Examine Crypto’s Pitfalls and Potential
The global cryptocurrency market has surged to a staggering USD 3.4 trillion. However, alongside this rapid expansion, significant challenges and risks continue to emerge. The J.S. Held 2025 Global Risk Report examines the evolving landscape of crypto and digital assets, highlighting both the potential and the pitfalls of this dynamic sector. The explosion of cryptocurrency adoption across industries—from gaming to decentralized finance (DeFi)—has led to increased regulatory scrutiny and security concerns. With the expected growth in the number of users to exceed 107.3 million in the market by 2025, every sector is looking at what crypto and this blockchain technology can do to transform their business. Even the gaming industry has entered the crypto space with bridging services offering “Play-to-Earn” (P2E) games. While anonymity remains a key feature in both the risk and success of cryptocurrency, the concept of “Know Your Customer” on centralized platforms is still required but continues to evolve because not all anonymity is evil. Despite regulatory, environmental, geopolitical, and other business risks, the J.S. Held 2025 Global Risk Report reveals how the crypto industry continues to evolve, offering new opportunities for businesses and investors around: Enhanced Transparency & Security Regulatory Clarity Education & Compliance Digital Identity Solutions “With regulatory frameworks tightening globally—from the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) law to China’s outright ban—the future of crypto remains at a critical inflection point,” observes J.P. Brennan, Global Head of Fintech, Payments, Crypto Compliance and Investigations at J.S. Held. “As the industry matures, the balance between risk mitigation and innovation will shape the next phase of digital asset adoption,” J.P. Brennan adds. J.P. Brennan examines the crypto risks and opportunities outlined in the 2025 J.S. Held Global Risk Report in this video: Cryptocurrency and digital asset risk is just one of the five key areas analyzed in the J.S. Held 2025 Global Risk Report. Other topics include sustainability, supply chain, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and data regulations, and managing cyber risk. If you have any questions or would like to further discuss the risks and opportunities outlined in the report, please email GlobalRiskReport@jsheld.com. To connect with J.P. Brennan, simply click on his icon now. For any other media inquiries - contact : Kristi L. Stathis, J.S. Held +1 786 833 4864 Kristi.Stathis@JSHeld.com
Experts in the Media: Before Kickoff Media Went to the Experts at TCU for Some Super Bowl Insight
The lead up to last Sunday's Super Bowl was tremendous. All eyes and an enormous global audience were all fixated on the big game in New Orleans. With the Kansas City Chiefs looking to make history, the Philadelphia Eagles looking for revenge and with President Trump and Taylor Swift in attendance - the attention from media was overwhelming. When Newsweek needed some expert insight and perspective - they connected immediately with TCU's Dustin Hahn. Last year's Super Bowl LVIII ranked as the most-watched Super Bowl of all time, according to findings from Nielsen's National panel measurement. Dr. Dustin Hahn, associate professor of film, television and digital media in the Bob Schieffer College of Communication at Texas Christian University, told Newsweek the Super Bowl could see a decline in viewership because fans are tired of seeing the Chiefs in the Super Bowl. Plus, excitement about Taylor Swift's relationship with Chief's tight end Travis Kelce is less novel. However, Hahn said it's possible more people will be watching the Super Bowl to see if the Chiefs make history by winning the championship three times in a row, plus the possibility that Kelce could make a retirement announcement. February 09 - Newsweek Covering sports, media and major events? then let us help with your ongoing or future coverage. Dustin Hahn is associate professor of film, television and digital media in the Bob Schieffer College of Communication at Texas Christian University. Dustin is available to speak with media - simply click on his icon now to arrange an interview today.
Has the SuperBowl Priced Itself out of Fans?
It's arguably one of the 'must-see' sporting events in the world. But this year fans seem to be a little reluctant to spend those hard earned dollars to watch the Kansas City Chiefs attempt a three-peat and a chance at history. It's a topic that's getting a lot of coverage leading up to the big game this Sunday. The Kansas City Chiefs might make history this weekend, but ticket prices aren’t reflecting that. The cheapest ticket for Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans has fallen below $4,000 on the secondary market, according to reseller TickPick, marking a 30% decline over the past week — and more than 50% cheaper compared to last year’s record-breaking Super Bowl. The Chiefs, who face the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, are hoping to be the first team to win three successive Super Bowl rings. Despite that historic feat on the line, fans apparently aren’t excited to splash out big bucks. There are a few potential reasons related to this year’s host city — and perhaps a slight dose of Chiefs fatigue. Last year’s matchup between the Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers was the most expensive Super Bowl on record, partly because it took place in the party mecca of Las Vegas for the first time. However, New Orleans “doesn’t have the same appeal” as Las Vegas, TickPick CEO Brett Goldberg said. New Orleans’ larger seating capacity is pushing prices lower as well, Goldberg said. The Caesars Superdome holds about 74,000 seats, whereas the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas holds around 65,000 seats. The host city is also still reeling from a terrorist attack last month when a man drove a pickup truck into a crowd and opened fire, killing 14 people and injuring at least 35. Then there’s the matchup itself. Football fans are bored by a third straight Chiefs Super Bowl bid, resulting in TickPick “seeing less interest from fans looking to attend,” Goldberg told CNN. “Had the Detroit Lions, Washington Commanders or Buffalo Bills made it this far, it’d be a much different story as it relates to current prices.” February 03 - CNN It's an interesting topic and there are questions to be asked Does ticket demand and attendance really matter to the NFL and its sponsors? Why is viewership more important than attendance and ticket prices for the Super Bowl? Location, location, location. It’s always the same issue but what’s different this year? The NFL is big business and if you're a journalist covering the Super Bowl this Sunday - then let us help with your stories. Kirk Wakefield, Ph.D., is The Edwin W. Streetman Professor of Retail Marketing at Baylor University, where he is the Executive Director of the Curb Center for Sales Strategy in Sports and Entertainment (S3E) program in the Hankamer School of Business. Kirk is available to speak with media - simply click on his icon ow to arrange an interview today.
Annual Healthy Georgia Report looks at public health in the Peach State
The fourth edition of the “Healthy Georgia: Our State of Public Health” report has been released by the Institute of Public and Preventive Health in Augusta University’s School of Public Health. Within the 64 pages of the report is a snapshot of how healthy Georgians are compared to citizens across the 12 states that make up the Southeastern Region (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia) and the entire United States. The 2025 edition addresses 31 health topics and has been expanded this year to include multimorbidity; long COVID-19; HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis infection rates; opioid and methamphetamine drug use; suicides; and vaping. Biplab Datta, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Health Management, Economics, and Policy in SPH, heads up the team of IPPH faculty and staff who create the report each year. Datta credits Jen Jaremski, research associate, and Kit Wooten, public health analyst, with handling much of the work of bringing the report to life. Together, Jaremski and Wooten collected and organized all of the needed assets and organized the 64-page document, preparing it for print and the web. “Every year we strive to present data in a way that policymakers may find helpful in making policy choices,” Datta said. “There are several new topics that were added to this year’s report and some of those are concerning for the state of Georgia, particularly the communicable diseases like HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis. High prevalence rates of these conditions in Georgia, compared to the rest of the U.S. and the Southeastern Region, warrant attention of the public health community.” Georgia has the second-highest rate of HIV infections in the U.S., fourth-highest rates of gonorrhea, sixth-highest for chlamydia and 13th for syphilis. Something that is also new in this year’s report is a comparison of numbers from 2019, or before the COVID-19 pandemic began, compared to after the pandemic for certain conditions. Also coming out of the pandemic, the report looks at how long COVID has affected Georgians, with the state ranking 24th in the nation for rates of long COVID. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, long COVID is defined as a chronic condition that occurs after COVID-19 infection and is present for at least three months. On top of looking at comparisons between Georgia and the Southeast and the nation, Datta noted a clearer picture is starting to emerge concerning the difference in urban and rural areas within the state. “For several chronic conditions, like hypertension, diabetes and multimorbidity, we clearly see a striking difference between rural and urban residents of Georgia,” Datta said. Hypertension affects 44.1% of adults in rural Georgia compared to 35% in urban areas, while diabetes affects 17.5% of adults in rural Georgia compared to 12.3% of those in urban areas. Hypertension and diabetes are major risk factors for cardiovascular disease, which affects 12.2% of adults in rural areas compared to 8.3% of adults in urban areas of Georgia. “Hypertension and diabetes are the major risk factors for heart disease, which is the leading cause of death in the U.S. and worldwide, so these are some concerning numbers to see,” Datta said. Multimorbidity, which is when a person has multiple chronic conditions, including obesity, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, depression, kidney disease, diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, cardiovascular disease, cancer, skin cancer and arthritis, affects 57.4% of adults in rural Georgia compared to 49% of adults in urban areas of the state. These rates are significantly lower than the rest of the Southeast but on par with the rest of the country. When comparing Georgia to the U.S. national average, adults in Georgia have lower rates of cancer and methamphetamine use but higher rates of childhood asthma and adult obesity. At the same time, rates of adult asthma and adult obesity among Georgians were comparable to the averages seen in the Southeast. Interestingly, while adult health insurance coverage was significantly lower than the U.S. national and Southeast Regional averages, the child health insurance coverage in Georgia was comparable to both national and regional averages. The Healthy Georgia Report is the only report of its kind in the state Looking to know more or connect with Biplab Datta, PhD? Then let us help. Dr. Datta is available to speak with media regarding this important topic. Simply click on his icon now to arrange an interview today.
Supply chain disruptions cost organizations an estimated $184 billion annually, according to Swiss Re. A recent survey of 2,000 European shipping customers by logistics giant Maersk revealed that 76% experienced supply chain disruptions that delayed their business operations in the past year, with 22% reporting more than 20 disruptive incidents in the same period. These figures underscore the growing businesses’ growing vulnerabilities, as detailed in the 2025 J.S. Held Global Risk Report, which outlines how companies worldwide must adapt to an increasingly complex and volatile supply chain landscape. As highlighted in the 2025 Global Risk Report, modern supply chain disruptions stem from a range of factors, including climate change, natural disasters, cyberattacks, fraud, and geopolitical instability. Conflicts such as the Russia-Ukraine war and tensions in the Middle East continue to exacerbate these challenges. Gone are the days when companies could shift blame to suppliers without accountability. The globalization of supply chains has made them increasingly susceptible to cyber incidents, material shortages, and regulatory scrutiny. Consumers and governments alike are demanding greater transparency, pushing companies to disclose where products come from, how they are sourced, and whether their manufacturing processes harm people or the environment. The 2025 Global Risk Report notes that in response, governments worldwide have introduced stricter regulations, particularly in the European Union, where new and existing legislation is enforcing greater oversight and compliance. “As consumers, governments, and corporations acknowledge the effects of supply chain risks, transparency and due diligence will become more critical to the internal compliance structure of global businesses,” said Vice President of Sustainability Andrea Korney. “The enactment and greater enforcement of laws focused on sustainability issues have increased the obligations on companies to examine the sources and actions of their suppliers and how it all impacts the entire value chain.” In the 2025 J.S. Held Global Risk Report, multidimensional experts who combine scientific, technical, financial, and risk management expertise identify and explore key business risks shaping the future of supply chain resilience, including: Geopolitical instability Natural disasters and climate science Maritime route disruptions Regulatory fragmentation Cybersecurity threats Trade and tariff threats Critical minerals dependency Financial risks and fraud J.S. Held environmental risk and compliance expert John Peiserich, Esq., observes, “These risks are no longer hypothetical—they are actively reshaping the business landscape. Organizations that fail to anticipate and mitigate these challenges risk operational disruptions, financial losses, and reputational damage.” For businesses seeking to build resilient supply chains, the 2025 J.S. Held Global Risk Report serves as an important guide, providing expert insights and data-driven analysis to help companies navigate the evolving risk landscape. J.S. Held experts serve as trusted advisors to global clients on these and other risks, crafting business strategies, leveraging technology seeking to mitigate risk, and optimizing business opportunities to build resilience in an era of uncertainty. Supply chain risk is just one of the five key areas analyzed in the J.S. Held 2025 Global Risk Report. Other topics include sustainability, the rise of crypto and digital assets, AI and data regulations, and managing cyber risk. If you have any questions or would like to further discuss the risks and opportunities outlined in the report, please email GlobalRiskReport@jsheld.com. To connect with Andrea Korney or John Peiserich simply click on either expert's icon now. For any other media inquiries - simply contact : Kristi L. Stathis, J.S. Held +1 786 833 4864 Kristi.Stathis@JSHeld.com
A Beginner’s Guide to Expertise Marketing
Audiences today are consuming more digital content than ever, but they’ve also become far more discerning. Algorithms, AI search summaries, and social platforms have changed how information is discovered and trusted. The result is that organizations often get caught up in pushing out content quickly—only to be overlooked when it lacks depth or credibility. From misinformation to shallow click-driven posts, audiences are quick to disengage. What they’re seeking now are authoritative voices backed by proven expertise. That’s where Expertise Marketing comes in: a strategy focused on showcasing real knowledge, research, and experience in ways that build trust, attract attention, and strengthen reputation. According to Edelman’s Trust Barometer Study, experts play a vital role in establishing credibility amongst audiences and developing more meaningful interactions with businesses and organizations. As far back as their 2019 report results showed that 56% of people trust businesses as a source of news and information while only 47% trusted the government. On top of that, they also reported that 73% of participants were worried about false information or fake news being used as a weapon. This distrust has only gotten worse since COVID and the polarizing politics of recent years. With this in mind, there’s a real opportunity for knowledge-based organizations to step up and show their smarts through expertise marketing. What is Expertise Marketing? Expertise marketing is the practice of making the knowledge and skills of your human resources more visible to your partners and audiences. It draws attention to the value that your people can bring as brand ambassadors and strategically leverages the work your experts are doing to tell a more personal story. In many cases, expertise marketing can also be used to showcase your strengths in research and innovation. Creating a stronger digital presence, expertise marketing more effectively uses your channels to connect with audiences such as media, customers, partners and donors. It builds a sense of trust with your audiences and above all else, it helps establish your reputation as an industry leader. Expertise Marketing Defined: The practice of collectively promoting an organization's experts as brand ambassadors to demonstrate their skills or knowledge. Best practices to publish and connect organizational expertise in ways that foster internal discovery, collaboration, shared knowledge and diversity. Activities that leverage expertise to nurture conversations and connections with audiences such as media, customers, partners, government and funding agencies. How to Make Your Expertise More Visible Properly executed, expertise marketing is about harnessing your in-house expertise and making it more visible. By delivering comprehensive, relevant information in a visually engaging format, you can create a window into your organization that helps audiences better understand your offering and encourages more meaningful conversations. Here are three areas where expertise excels: On Your Website There’s a good chance that you already created touchpoints for expertise marketing but they’re just not optimized for audiences. For example, many organizations are unaware that the “About Page” is the second most visited page on a website and may overlook its potential for attracting audiences. Other webpages that strongly benefit from expert content include: Speaker’s Bureaus Media Rooms Employee Directories Faculty Directories Blogs Employee Intranets Awards Recognition Research & Technology Transfer Through Search Engines Content marketing and search engine optimization (SEO) go hand-in-hand – and it’s key to making your expertise more visible. In Google’s search algorithm, factors like trust and authority are significantly impacted by items such as content and expertise. While SEO is no small task, tools like the ExpertFile Platform are designed to make aggregating and optimizing expert content as seamless as possible. In addition, organizations can also improve their rankings by: Identifying and showcasing a range of expertise Using rich media to display expert content Regularly updating your website with expert content Producing content related to current trends and emerging news Through Distribution Networks Showcasing your experts isn’t just about hosting profiles on your own website—it’s about ensuring they are discoverable where key audiences are already looking. By publishing expert content on dedicated search engines such as expertfile.com and the ExpertFile Mobile App, organizations dramatically expand their reach beyond their immediate networks. These channels are designed for the very audiences that matter most—media, event organizers, research partners, donors, and prospective clients—who are actively searching for credible voices to inform stories, shape agendas, and build partnerships. Leveraging these distribution networks amplifies visibility, positioning your experts as go-to authorities well beyond the boundaries of your institutional website. In The Media For many organizations, media opportunities are an afterthought but it’s the perfect way to highlight your expertise and attract a broad range of audiences. Media outlets are constantly on the hunt for topic-specific experts to speak at conferences, weigh-in on their editorials and enhance the overall quality of their reporting. By making your experts more visible to this audience, you’re not only building your brand reputation as an industry authority but you’re also creating opportunities for new revenue. Starting an Expertise Marketing Program Bringing an expertise marketing program to life starts by taking a deeper look at your human resources and pinpointing the people in your organization who can support your expertise marketing initiatives. This post on Identifying Expertise is a great starting point for understanding what makes someone an expert and how you can position them for various tasks in your expertise marketing program. From there, it’s about getting buy-in from key stakeholders, collaborating across departments to surface expert content and strategizing with your team about where your expertise is best served. Download The Complete Guide to Expertise Marketing For a comprehensive look at how expertise marketing benefits the entire organization and drives measurable return on investment, follow the link below to download a copy of ExpertFile’s Complete Guide to Expertise Marketing for Corporate & Professional Services, Higher Education Institutions, Healthcare Institutions or Association & Not-for-Profits.
Covering the Tragic Crash in Washington - Our Experts Can Help
The shocking news of an in-air collision in Washington has garnered massive attention from media, airline authorities and industry experts. Reporters covering the story - rely on experts. And that's where's Florida Tech's Shem Malmquist was called to lend his expert perspective, insight and opinion on a story that's making international news. "It just shows that traffic is in our location, there's a potential collision hazard," said Shem Malmquist, a pilot and visiting instructor of general aviation and transport aircraft at the Florida Institute of Technology. And in certain situations, it will provide guidance for the pilots on how to avoid a collision, he said. For example, if TCAS believes the pilot needs to pay attention to other air traffic in the area, it may say "traffic traffic," Malmquist said. January 30 - CBC News Shem Malmquist, who is a pilot and instructor at the Florida Institute of Technology, said midair collisions are extremely rare. Malmquist said if they happen they normally happen at smaller airports without air traffic control towers like the Lantana Airport. "The only method of separating traffic is visually, as well as airplanes communicating their positions to other airplanes, and that's going to create more risk," Malmquist said. January 30 - WPTV/NBC News American Airlines Flight 5342 and a military helicopter collided mid-air late Wednesday night near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Officials believe all 64 people aboard the airplane -- 60 passengers, 4 crew members -- and the three people aboard the helicopter are dead. Officials conducted a frantic rescue effort overnight, which transitioned to a recovery effort early Thursday. Many aboard the plane were in Wichita, Kansas for a figure skating competition. Captain Shem Malmquist, an aviation expert at Florida Institute of Technology, joins FOX 35 to talk more about what happened. January 30- Fox News Orlando Looking to connect with Shem Malmquist regarding this ongoing story? He's available, simply click on his icon now to arrange an interview today.
J.S. Held Experts Examine Sustainability Investments and Headwinds in Annual Global Risk Report
In the 2025 J.S. Held Global Risk Report, scientific, technical, financial, and risk management experts explore the implementation of new and existing Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) regulations across different regions along with significant compliance challenges for organizations operating on a global scale. As sustainability continues to be a critical issue worldwide, businesses are facing an increasingly complex regulatory landscape. While some jurisdictions are advancing sustainability frameworks, others, most notably the United States, are likely to see new environmental and energy policies which disfavor sustainability advancements as reflected by recent executive orders following the change in administrations. The European Union’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CS3D), adopted in 2024, is a landmark regulation requiring both EU and non-EU companies to conduct due diligence to identify and prevent adverse environmental and human rights impacts throughout their operations and supply chains. J.S. Held environmental risk and compliance expert John Peiserich, Esq., observes, “Compliance with CS3D poses significant challenges for multinational corporations, especially those selling into the EU market, as they navigate conflicting regulatory requirements across jurisdictions.” In the United States, ESG-related policies have become a polarizing issue. Some states have mandated ESG criteria—such as climate risk assessments—for state-related investment decisions, while others have actively opposed such measures. Kim Logue Ortega, Associate Vice President at J.S. Held, adds, “Despite these contrasting approaches, businesses must continue addressing sustainability concerns, as environmental considerations are increasingly tied to permitting and regulatory approvals.” Following the June, 2024 United States Supreme Court ruling in Loper Bright, a team of environmental risk experts at the Verdantix Green Quadrant recognized consultancy J.S. Held, examined in Crosscurrents: Companies Face Regulatory Uncertainties in Wake of SCOTUS Decisions, how the Supreme Court further complicated the regulatory environment by undermining agency authority to define compliance standards. This ruling is expected to lead to increased legal challenges to environmental and sustainability-related regulations, adding further uncertainty for businesses seeking to comply with evolving standards. With the second Trump administration expected to roll back key environmental justice directives and sustainability-related incentives introduced under the previous Administration, businesses must remain vigilant in monitoring regulatory developments. Strategic planning and proactive risk management will be crucial for navigating the evolving ESG landscape and maintaining compliance across multiple jurisdictions. J.S. Held experts present insights into how organizations can align with evolving frameworks while driving innovation and managing risk, as they explore: 1. EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, where non-compliance could lead to fines and civil liability, necessitating companies to rigorously assess environmental and human right impacts. 2. Regulatory Fragmentation and Greenwashing / Greenhushing, summoning businesses to avoid exaggerated or underreported sustainability claims to mitigate the rising threat of litigation and regulatory scrutiny. 3. Shareholder Activism and Litigation, as investors demand greater transparency on sustainability goals, which may present legal consequences for failing to meet expectations. One week into the new Administration in the United States, the anticipated rollback of environmental justice directives and sustainability-related incentives introduced under the previous Administration have begun to take shape in the form of various Executive Actions and other directives. J.S. Held experts are actively monitoring regulatory developments, providing strategic guidance to multinational clients as they navigate the evolving ESG landscape and compliance requirements across multiple jurisdictions. Sustainability is just one of the five key areas analyzed in the J.S. Held 2025 Global Risk Report. Other topics include global supply chain challenges, the rise of crypto and digital assets, AI and data regulations, and managing cyber risk. If you have any questions or would like to further discuss the risks and opportunities outlined in the report, please email GlobalRiskReport@jsheld.com. For any other media inquiries - simply contact : Kristi L. Stathis, J.S. Held +1 786 833 4864 Kristi.Stathis@JSHeld.com
Richard Turner Conducts Workshop on Florida’s Shallow-Water Echinoderms
Richard Turner, professor emeritus of biological sciences, ran the Florida Association of Aquatic Biologists’ Fall 2024 Marine Taxonomy Workshop in November alongside Janessa Fletcher from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Over four days, they taught attendees how to identify Florida’s many shallow-water echinoderms. Florida’s coastal areas host more than 210 species of shallow-water echinoderms, which are seafloor animals such as starfish, sea urchins and sand dollars. They are often a dominant presence in marine ecosystems, Turner said. The workshop included six presentations that broke down the characteristics of each individual species followed by a chance to examine and practice identifying both Turner’s and Fletcher’s collections of specimens. Attendees came from a variety of workplaces, including environmental consulting firms, museums and state agencies responsible for identifying seafloor animals collected in surveys and for conducting dietary studies of marine fish. The workshop, which happened at University of Tampa Marine Science Center, was organized by Florida Tech alum David Karlen ‘93. While Turner wasn’t his advisor, he said he hired Karlen to help study echinoderms that were collected off the east coast of Florida during Project SEAMAP in the 1980s. If you're interested in learning more about shallow-water echinoderms like starfish, sea urchins and sand dollars or a reporter looking to speak with Richard Turner - simply contact Adam Lowenstein, Director of Media Communications at Florida Institute of Technology at adam@fit.edu to arrange an interview today.
Florida Tech’s Pallav Ray Seeks to Improve Accuracy of Rainfall Predictions During Monsoon Season
Growing up in Kolkata, India, Pallav Ray recalls hot spring days leading up to summer’s monsoon season. Temperatures sat above 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit), rarely falling below that. When it rained, however, that’s when he could find relief – often by walking barefoot on the cool ground. Now an associate professor of ocean engineering and marine sciences at Florida Tech, Ray studies tropical climate dynamics and their variability using observations, models and theory. His paper, “Rain‐Induced Surface Sensible Heat Flux Reduces Monsoonal Rainfall Over India,” was published in Geophysical Research Letters and highlights research he said was inspired by his childhood in India’s hot climate. His research, funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), found that including a variable that is often neglected by climate models could improve the accuracy of rainfall predictions. In turn, that could help agriculture industries better prepare for regional irrigation and flooding during monsoon season. Ray’s climate modeling research spans across the globe, from India, to Chicago, Ill., and most recently the Indo-Pacific Maritime Continent archipelago, which includes countries such as Indonesia and New Guinea. The variable, notated as “Qp,” represents precipitation-induced sensible heat flux, which is a component of surface energy that influences precipitation. It essentially accounts for how precipitation cools land surface temperatures. Qp is calculated using a formula accounting for the specific heat of rainwater, density of rainwater, the rate of rain, surface temperature and the temperature of raindrops when they hit the surface. This variable is important, Ray explained, because the temperature of raindrops is typically cooler than the temperature of the surface, so when it rains, the surface cools down. During monsoon season, land is warm and the ocean is cooler, which pushes moist air from the ocean to the land. The higher the temperature difference between the land and the ocean, the stronger the monsoon because it brings more moisture, Ray explained. In testing Qp, Ray and his team of researchers ran simulations investigating the variable’s role on precipitation. They found that when incorporating it, not only is anticipated precipitation reduced by up to 5% – which he says is a significant reduction – but the models also reflect changes in the spatial distribution of precipitation. “The moment we include that term, it cools down the surface, land surface. The temperature difference is smaller between the land and the ocean,” Ray said. “That reduces the overall precipitation overland because now less moisture is coming from the ocean.” In India, Ray explained, most models, overestimate precipitation. His results generated predictions that were much closer to observed rainfall. He says that inclusion of this variable in common climate models could influence India’s regional agriculture and irrigation strategies. According to Ray, rainfall is closely tied to the India’s industries, especially agriculture. He said the variable may have the greatest impact on seasonal rainfall predictions, which happen months in advance and determine how the country approaches its agricultural practices. Policymakers rely on seasonal rainfall predictions to anticipate and plan for summer monsoons, and the money allocated to deal with excess rainfall is “tremendous,” he said. “If you can do a seasonal prediction a few months in advance and your precipitation actually changed by 5%, it’ll change whether you’ll have an excess year versus you’ll have a deficit year,” Ray said. “I think that’s where the main, major impact is.” In his future research, Ray would like to explore how Qp would impact climate models over urban areas here in Florida. If you're interested in learning more about predicting monsoons and the other fascinating research Pallav Ray is doing at Florida Tech - simply contact Adam Lowenstein, Director of Media Communications at Florida Institute of Technology at adam@fit.edu to arrange an interview today.