CSER Spring 2026 Seminar Series:
Join Us for the CSER SPRING 2026 Webinar Series
Thursdays: 4:00 PM EST
The George Mason University Center for
Satellite and Earth Science Research
(CSER) hosts its Spring 2026 Webinar
Series featuring talks from leading
researchers in the Earth sciences.
News Reports:
George Mason University Research Releases:
- George Mason University (November 1, 2024): George Mason REACHes for regional health policy solutions: https://www.gmu.edu/news/2024-11/george-mason-reaches-regional-health-policy-solutions
- George Mason University College of Science (March 25, 2024): Mason scientists sound “wake-up call” on Virginia’s wildfires: https://science.gmu.edu/news/mason-scientists-sound-wake-call-virginias-wildfires
- George Mason University College of Science (October 26, 2023): AOES Professor to head AGU’s GeoHealth Section: https://science.gmu.edu/news/aoes-prof-head-agus-geohealth-section
- George Mason University College of Science (June 8, 2023): Canadian wildfire smoke and particulate matter blanket northeastern U.S : https://science.gmu.edu/news/canadian-wildfire-smoke-and-particulate-matter-blanket-northeastern-us
- George Mason University News: (June 26, 2020): Saharan dust storm headed to the U.S.: https://content.gmu.edu/news/586746
- George Mason University College of Science News (Dec 12, 2020): “Climate Dynamics Student ‘Unsung Hero’”: https://science.gmu.edu/news/climate-dynamics-student-unsung-hero
- George Mason University News (September 25, 2020): Mason professor warns of health risks from Western wildfire smoke: https://content.gmu.edu/news/588726
- GMU News Release (May 23, 2017): Mason leads national research on Valley Fever and dust storms: https://www2.gmu.edu/news/425746
Media Reports:
Eos (June 13, 2025):
Fallowed Fields Are Fueling California’s Dust Problem
NASA (April 30, 2025):
Dusty Days Are Here Again for El Paso
https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/154230/dusty-days-are-here-again-for-el-paso
The Lancet (April 8, 2025):
Climate change fuels deadly dust storms worldwide
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanres/article/PIIS2213-2600(25)00123-7/abstract
Fortune (March 20, 2025): Also in Insurance Journal.
Kansas highway pileup that killed 8 was caused by an impenetrable dust storm like one out of the 1930s ‘Dust Bowl’
https://fortune.com/2025/03/18/kansas-highway-pileup-dust-storm
Associated Press (March 18, 2025):
A highway pileup in western Kansas shows how dust storms can turn deadly
https://apnews.com/article/kansas-dust-storm-2050868fa23c03f5e573df3d42154e4d
(Also in NBC, ABC, Dallas News, WNKY, etc)
Eos (March 12, 2025):
Will Its $154 Billion Price Tag Keep Dust from Being Swept Under the Rug?
Environmental Health Perspective (January 22, 2025):
Valley Fever: Fine Mineral Dust Modeling Points to High-Risk Regions and Seasons in California
https://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/doi/10.1289/EHP16213.
Fox News (September 5, 2024):
Valley fever outbreak reported after California music festival as health officials cite ‘hotspot’
(also in WFIN and others)
West Magazine (Stanford University) (August 23, 2024):
Rising from dead and dying lakes, western dust storms menace species, drivers, and public health
Newswise (August 14, 2024):
Wildfires in the U.S. and Canada Remind Us That Health Impacts Defy Borders.
NASA News (November 15, 2023):
Satellite Data Can Help Limit the Dangers of Windblown Dust.
https://science.nasa.gov/earth/satellite-data-can-help-limit-the-dangers-of-windblown-dust/
FOX 5 (KSWB-TV, San Diego, CA, November 8, 2023):
San Diego-area health impacts from air pollution among worst in US: report
American Thoracic Society (November 1, 2023):
Wildfires Impact Health Across Every Region in U.S. According to “Health of the Air” Report
https://www.thoracic.org/about/newsroom/press-releases/journal/2023/health-of-air-report-2023.php
NASA News (October 6, 2023):
Air Quality Forecasts Get an Upgrade.
https://appliedsciences.nasa.gov/our-impact/story/air-quality-forecasts-get-upgrade
Yale Climate Connection (July 13, 2023):
Flu-like valley fever is on the rise. There’s a climate connection.
National Geographic (May 30, 2023):
Are dust storms getting worse? Here’s why they’re so destructive.
NPR St Louis (May 15, 2023):
Lessons from the sudden, fatal dust storm that caused a 72-vehicle pileup on 1-55
Latin Times (May 5, 2023):
Many Parts Of US Have Seen Increase In Dust Storm-Related Fatalities
https://www.latintimes.com/many-parts-ushave-seen-increase-dust-storm-related-fatalities-543901
NBC News (May 4, 2023):
Dust storms have killed hundreds and are a growing problem in parts of the U.S.
The Weather Channel (May 3, 2023):
Dust Storm Traffic Deaths Are Undercounted, NOAA Study Shows
https://weather.com/safety/news/2023-05-02-dust-storm-pileup-deaths-undercounted-illinois-crashes
The Week (May 2, 2023):
6 dead after rare Illinois dust storm causes highway pileup
https://theweek.com/storms/1023170/6-dead-after-rare-illinois-dust-storm-causes-highway-pileup
Houston Chronicle (11 April 2023):
Spring is peak season for haboobs, dust storms in West Texas. Here’s why they happen and what to know.
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-weather/article/dust-storms-texas-haboobs-17883605.php
AASHTO Journal (7 April 2023):
NOAA: Dust Storms Contribute To Higher Traffic Fatalities
https://aashtojournal.org/2023/04/07/noaa-dust-storms-contribute-to-higher-traffic-fatalities
Fox Weather (8 April 2023):
Dust storms are more dangerous than previously thought.
https://www.foxweather.com/weather-news/study-travel-weather-deadly
NOAA Research (5 March 2023):
How deadly are dust storms?
https://research.noaa.gov/article/ArtMID/587/ArticleID/2984/How-deadly-are-dust-storms
New York Post (3 February 2023):
Valley fever fungal infection could spread from Southwest, doctors warn: ‘New cases emerging’
https://nypost.com/2023/02/03/valley-fever-could-spread-from-southwest-researchers-warn
Physics Today (9 December 2022):
Global observations and improved models track atmospheric dust
https://physicstoday.scitation.org/do/10.1063/PT.6.1.20221209a/full
Nature (August 1, 2022):
Dust-up over dust storm link to ‘Valley Fever’ disease
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-02089-w
NASA (April 15, 2022):
Monitoring Ozone and Tracking Red Tides
https://appliedsciences.nasa.gov/our-impact/story/monitoring-ozone-and-tracking-red-tides
NOAA Research News (December 21, 2021):
New Dust Forecast Model Excels in Predicting Recent Dust Storms
https://www.arl.noaa.gov/news-pubs/arl-news-stories/fengsha
NASA Climate Change (August 19, 2021):
A New Way to Track Dust Storms and Valley Fever: With Cake Pans
https://climate.nasa.gov/news/3110/a-new-way-to-track-dust-storms-and-valley-fever-with-cake-pans
The Buzz in the Community (26 June 2021):
Drought and Dust.
https://www.thebee.news/drought-dust
NASA News (April 10, 2021):
Building Connections for National Public Health Week.
https://appliedsciences.nasa.gov/our-impact/story/building-connections-national-public-health-week
Eos (2020):
Saving Lives by Predicting Dust Storms (December 14, 2020):
https://eos.org/articles/saving-lives-by-predicting-dust-storms
CBS WUSA9 (June 30, 2020):
What is the Saharan dust storm and how could it affect our area?
NASA News (April 7, 2020):
NASA Contributes to National Public Health Week:
https://appliedsciences.nasa.gov/our-impact/news/nasa-contributes-national-public-health-week
Documentary “Dust Rising” (by Lauren Schwartzman), featuring our research on dust and Valley fever, 2018;
https://www.dustrisingfilm.com
Sierra Magazine:
Summer of Sand: Massive dust storms known as haboobs transport toxic particles. (November 2, 2018). https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/summer-of-sand-haboob
PBS NewsHour:
Why more dust storms and Valley fever are blanketing the Southwest: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/dust-storms-valley-fever-blanketing-southwest/
Geographical (Royal Society of Geography): Dust up: storms and illness in North America
http://geographical.co.uk/nature/climate/item/2289-dust-up
NBC 4 News – KVOA: Warming Oceans are Creating More Dust Storms and Increasing Valley Fever in the Southwest, NOAA Study Says
http://www.kvoa.com/story/35423063/warming-oceans-are-creating-more-dust-storms-and-increasing-valley-fever-in-the-southwest-noaa-study-says
NOAA News: Spike in Southwest dust storms driven by ocean changes
http://www.noaa.gov/media-release/spike-in-southwest-dust-storms-driven-by-ocean-changes
Forbes: Dust Storms In The Southwestern U.S. Are Increasing. Is There A Connection To Valley Fever?
NBC 12 News: Are there more dust storms in Arizona now?
http://www.12news.com/news/local/arizona/are-there-more-dust-storms-in-arizona-now/439375311
AccuWeather: Are more dust storms in the southwestern US causing a spike in valley fever cases?
Voice of America (VOA) Farsi Division (January 23, 2018): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBFM7XanvWQ