Rebecca Irelan

Rebecca Irelan's Articles

  • Students working with compost in the bed of a truck

    10 Ways UNH is Helping to Save the Earth

    Sustainability and a planet-friendly ethos have long been core UNH values. The university is home to the country’s first endowed Sustainability Institute, which celebrated its 25th anniversary in...
  • Two female students dressed in warm winter gear try to set up a telescope outside near a snow-covered sidewalk.

    Student-led Project Examines Sun’s Corona During Total Eclipse

    Six Ph.D. physics students from UNH were selected to participate in Citizen CATE 2024 project to collect data during the total solar eclipse. 
  • Aerial image of a marsh along the seacoast of New Hampshire.

    Monitoring Marsh Transformations with Drones

    New aerial imagery helps researchers monitor changes in the health and longevity of New Hampshire's coastal marshes.
  • Two men wearing hardhats stand on a raised platform near the forest canopy.

    Tracing Carbon Dioxide from the Atmosphere to the Trees

    A three-year research grant will allow UNH scientists to study a curious trend in New Hampshire's tree growth. 
  • UNH Experts Share How to Safely View Upcoming Solar Eclipse

    UNH Experts Share How to Safely View Upcoming Solar Eclipse

    On April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse will travel across the U.S. The northern part of New Hampshire will be among the portions of the country in the path of totality, when the moon completely...
  • Rocky shoreline along the ocean with a boat and a sailboat in the background.

    How Efficient is the Ocean at Taking Up Carbon?

    Researchers from UNH and around the globe have arrived at the most accurate estimate to date of how much carbon dioxide is pulled from the atmosphere and locked deep in the ocean.
  • Sunset over an island with a house on it.

    Shoals Marine Lab Names New Executive Director

    Sara Morris, a well-respected leader dedicated to student academic experiences and a passionate ornithologist, has been selected as the new Executive Director for the Shoals Marine Laboratory.
  • Orange flares of light erupt from the surface of the sun.

    Earth’s atmosphere plays major role in creating space storms

    New research indicates that the Earth’s atmosphere plays a larger role in the creation of space storms than previously thought.
  • Lynn Kistler smiles in front of a medieval town.

    Physics Professor Honored for Magnetospheric Research

    Lynn Kistler has been selected as the American Geophysical Union's 2023 James Van Allen Lecture recipient.
  • Grad student helps lead charge for a more inclusive STEM environment

    Grad student helps lead charge for a more inclusive STEM environment

    Tamara Marcus '24G co-authored a paper focusing on a science communication and policy workshop that centers marginalized communities. 
  • Two people in white Tyvek suits examine a thin flat disk under a blue ultraviolet light that detects dust.

    Light Work

    UNH scientists are building components for NASA's IMAP mission that will map the boundaries of our heliosphere.
  • An image of the sun with orange flares on its surface.

    UNH Researchers Tap Into AI To Help Forecast Space Weather

    Researchers are tapping into the power of AI to accurately forecast space weather near Earth's middle latitudes. 
  • An artist's concept of the MMS mission, with the Earth surrounded by blue magnetic lines and four satellites in space nearby.

    UNH Space Scientist Secures Four Research Grants Totaling $1.2M

    UNH will receive $1.2 million for its role in four research grants to study space energy transfer and to create 3D space visualizations.
  • A scenic shot of Great Bay marshes with autumn foliage in the background.

    Retracing Colonists’ Spread into Great Bay

    Researchers are using an innovative tactic to reveal the decision-making behind the early English colonists' movements into Great Bay.
  • People bundled up in winter gear hold a long white tube to measure soil frost amidst a snowy forest.

    Frosty Field Work

    Wearing their warmest winter garb, graduate students from UNH and the University of Maine, along with three UNH faculty members, braved the extreme cold and perpetual darkness in the heart of...
  • An aerial view of a ship on the calm ocean water.

    Shipping Sounds

    UNH researchers found no significant change in the U.S. continental shelf's underwater soundscape during the COVID-19 lockdown.
  • Sun peeks through clouds and a group of students stands on a seaweed-covered rocky coastline by the ocean.

    We All Belong on the Island

    Shoals Marine Laboratory has been awarded a 2022 Honorable Mention for Innovation for its Strategic Plan for Advancing Belonging.
  • Colin Ware sits on a chair in front of a three-paneled computer screen with various colored lines on it.

    A Career's Work Recognized

    Colin Ware has been selected for the 2022 Visualization Lifetime Achievement Award for his work in scientific data visualization. 
  • Group of 17 students gather in a well-lit room and smile at the camera.

    For the Greater Good

    A fellowship abroad helped Michael Coughlan hone his machine learning skills while improving the UK's home energy resilience. 
  • Four people sit in a row boat on a lake surrounded by green vegetation.

    Warming Waters

    A UNH postdoctoral researcher is studying impacts of climate change on methane-producing bacteria in Arctic lakes. 
  • Three elderly men stand on a beach holding measuring sticks to determine height of the sand.

    Shifting Sands

    Data from the volunteer-based Beach Profiling Program indicates which N.H. beaches are most resilient to coastal storms.
  • Nathan Schwadron sits in a room full of computer equipment and smiles at the camera.

    Physics Fellow

    UNH physics professor Nathan Schwadron has been elected to the prestigious 2022 Class of Fellows of the American Geophysical Union. 
  • An illustration of space technology and its location on the International Space Station.

    Another Leap Forward

    UNH researchers have received a $750,000 NASA grant to study gamma ray bursts.
  • Stern of the Exploration Vessel Nautilus with a crane deploying the DriX autonomous surface vessel into the ocean.

    Monumental Mapping

    Twelve scientists and students associated with UNH are mapping the seafloor of the largest marine protected area under U.S. jurisdiction. 
  • Open ocean with sunshine and white fluffy clouds overhead.

    Nourishing Ocean Deserts

    Research on the chemistry of ocean deserts shows how phytoplankton survive in such tough conditions.
  • Map of Great Bay and the coastline of New Hampshire

    Maps Made Easier

    The New Hampshire Geodata Portal website provides easier access to online GIS maps for the state.
  • Great Bay marsh in autumn, with brown grasses and orange leaves on the surrounding trees.

    Coastal Buffers

    The autumn may be a time when Great Bay Estuary is particularly vulnerable to the effects of coastal and ocean acidification, according to new UNH research.
  • Solar flare bursts away from the surface of the sun.

    Searching for Answers

    UNH will receive $906,055 from NSF ANSWERS to build on its existing strengths in space weather research and education.
  • Wide angle shot of engineers measuring beach

    Building Momentum for the Blue Economy

    When it comes to the economy, the ocean is a major player — from tourism to energy, seafood to shipping, the world’s marine-related assets tally up to trillions of dollars. But our oceans and...
  • Eric Scheuer sits on an airplane in front of a laptop and data instruments.

    Passings: Eric Scheuer

    Eric Scheuer, a long-time UNH research project engineer, has passed away at the age of 51. 
  • Two Pacific white-sided dolphins leap out of the ocean water.

    Differentiating Dolphin Dialects

    New acoustic technology designed by UNH researchers tracks dolphins' habitat shift to colder waters due to climate change.
  • Kalle Matso smiles in the sunlight.

    Prepping for New Leadership

    Kalle Matso has been selected as the next director for the Piscataqua Region Estuaries Partnership. 
  • Whale tale emerges from ocean surface.

    Winds of Change

    A new collaboration between UNH and Vineyard Wind will focus on the underwater soundscapes near the offshore wind turbines near Martha's Vineyard.
  • Two people stand on a tall metal tower above a forest canopy.

    Plant Nutrient Declines

    A new study indicates that nitrogen levels in terrestrial ecosystems are declining in some regions of the world. 
  • Image of solar flare from the Sun and the Earth surrounded by purple magnetic lines.

    Space Storms

    UNH researchers will receive $1.1 million to study space weather as part of the Center for Geospace Storms.
  • Aerial image of Jackson Estuarine Lab and Great Bay.

    Federal Funding

    UNH is set to receive nearly $5.5 million in federal funding to support research, education, and energy resilience in the region.
  • Photo credit: Justin Hartney

    Rocket Science

    UNH-built instruments aboard a rocket aimed at studying mysterious type of Northern Lights.
  • Rocket launches with smoke and flames behind it.

    Back to Orbit

    A new satellite equipped with a UNH-built instrument will improve weather predictions on Earth and in space. 
  • David Fredriksson stands by the UNH pier in New Castle.

    Sustaining the Seas

    David Fredriksson has been selected to lead the new UNH Sustainable Seafood Center. 
  • Jessica Scheick headshot with icebergs floating on the ocean in background.

    Rising Star

    Jessica Scheick was selected for Geospatial World's 2022 Rising Stars Award for her work in cryospheric science and remote sensing data. 
  • Adrika Dasgupta works on space detectors in a lab.

    Research Snapshot: Space Rays

    Researchers are testing different detector designs to learn how elements form during supernova explosions in space. 
  • Black and white image of three lightning strikes next to one another.

    A Striking Discovery

    A new study from UNH reveals how lightning actually begins within a storm cloud. 
  • Crescent moon hovers over blue and red sky above the Earth.

    Passings: Professor Robert Harriss

    Professor Robert Harriss, an influential figure in the early growth of the UNH Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans, and Space (EOS), passed away on Dec. 24, 2021. 
  • John Hughes Clarke headshot

    Ocean Mapping Honor

    CCOM/JHC's John Hughes Clarke has been inducted into the Class of 2021 Hydrographer Hall of Fame.
  • Meghan Howey works with student archaeology students on a dig near Great Bay.

    Unearthing Great Bay's Past

    Researchers have summarized their findings about Great Bay's social and ecological history in an online StoryMap. 
  • Multiple smoke plumes from wildfires are seen from airplane above mountains and lakes.

    Arctic Air

    UNH researchers have received an NSF grant to study the mechanisms of wintertime air pollution in Arctic regions. 
  • A snow-covered mountain near a body of water and autumn foliage in the foreground.

    Converging on Climate Science

    A new graduate traineeship program will help students expand their climate research skills while working closely with Arctic Indigenous people. 
  • In a Class of Their Own

    In a Class of Their Own

    Steve Frolking and Roy Torbert have been elected to the 2021 Class of Fellows of the American Geophysical Union. 
  • Natalie Cook stands on a ship in front of the Thomas Jefferson hydrographic vessel.

    Fantastic Voyage

    Natalie Cook '23 spent 45 days aboard a survey vessel this summer to map the seafloor of the Chesapeake Bay. 
  • Two exhibits featuring posters and computer kiosks at a museum.

    An Out Of This World Experience

    High school students collaborated with UNH scientists to create a museum exhibit about humans in space. 
Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans, and Space
rebecca.irelan@unh.edu
603-862-0990