The lecture, titled "The Surface Water and Ocean Topography Mission: NASA’s New Eye in the Sky for Earth’s Water," will be delivered by Dr. Tamlin Pavelsky, a renowned professor of global hydrology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. A small reception will follow.

In this talk, Dr. Pavelsky will share insights into NASA's Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) Mission, which was launched in December 2022 after nearly two decades of development. This mission aims to deliver unprecedented measurements of Earth's surface water, including rivers, lakes, and oceans. Using advanced radar technology, SWOT tracks detailed variations in water levels, providing valuable data on water storage, river flow, and ocean currents. Attendees will get an exclusive look at some of the initial findings from this groundbreaking mission.

Dr. Pavelsky earned his PhD in geography from UCLA in 2008. His research has focused on understanding the global distribution of water in rivers, lakes, and mountain snowpack using satellite imagery, field measurements, and regional climate models. Since 2013, he has served as the hydrology science lead for the SWOT satellite mission. For his work leading the surface water community towards solutions for measuring river flow from space, Dr. Pavelsky was awarded a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. government to early-career researchers. Growing up in central Alaska in cabins without electricity or running water, Dr. Pavelsky's unique background has deeply influenced his research trajectory.