At the October 29 session, Sieminski, a whitewater raft guide turned marine researcher, described how his curiosity about Earth’s changing systems led him to study climate modeling and ocean dynamics. His current project, led in collaboration with IBES affiliate faculty member Mara Freilich, explores how temperature and salinity “fronts” in the Atlantic Ocean interact with sunlight and atmospheric conditions.

“We’re trying to understand whether existing climate models are missing key mechanisms in how the ocean mixes and stores heat,” Sieminski explained. “It’s a process that could have big implications for future climate projections.”

A couple weeks prior to Sieminski’s presentation, Hamilton House hosted Emma Blankstein ’26, a member of Professor Meredith Hastings’s Breathe Providence project. She presented on local urban air quality and impacts of fossil fuel infrastructure on surrounding communities in a talk titled, “It Smells Like Environmental Racism: Mapping Residents’ Experiences of Environmental (In)justice in Providence, RI.” 

Caitlyn Carpenter ’26, a member of Professor J Timmons Roberts’s Climate and Development Lab, also presented her work earlier this fall, examining recent Los Angeles fires as a case study during her talk, “Facing Real(i)ty: Land Related Industry Influence on California Wildfire Resilience Land Use Policy.”

Through these talks, the Voss Fellows are not only deepening public understanding of science; they’re also honing the art of public speaking and science communication, key skills for translating their research and maximizing its impact. Each presentation reflects IBES’ commitment to turning research into action that connects communities and inspires change.

Rafael Ash ’26 will bring the series to a close later in November, presenting on how two coastal communities on opposite sides of the world are adapting to their rapidly changing environments.