Photo: Paul Hartman

AnnuAl RepoRt 2008–2009

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

The past year has been transformative on

many fronts for Beacon Institute.

As you will see throughout this annual report,

the Institute’s core research, education

and policy initiatives—including REON,

SENSE IT and a new policy center with Pace

University—have developed and expanded

thanks to the hard work and dedication

of top flight staff, powerful and fruitful

academic and industry collaborations, and the generous support of our institutional funders,

government agencies and individual donors.

Beacon Institute is employing technology, imagination and ingenuity to create a 21st century

model for dealing with the pressures of humanity’s impact on the natural world that harmonizes

the dynamic tension between these two forces, rather than demonizing them. Studies around

“smart” electrical grids have shown that real-time information can inspire humans to make

smarter decisions and motivate changes

in habits and behavior. This information

and inspiration is exactly what is needed

right now to address the complex issues

surrounding abundant and high quality

water for our communities and fragile

ecosystems that provide us this resource.

The visualization of data now streaming

live from multiple REON sensors in the

Hudson River is just one example of

our success this year in moving closer

toward the vision of a “source-to-sea”

sensor network for the Hudson that could be replicated for rivers worldwide. SENSE IT, the

acclaimed curriculum and teacher development program adopted this year by 31 schools in the

state of New York, thanks to major funding from the National Science Foundation and others, is

inspiring educators and generating enthusiasm in students about careers in science, technology,

engineering and mathematics.

At Beacon Institute, we are inspired and motivated towards greater understanding of riverine

and estuarine ecosystems. The current economic climate has only intensified our efforts to

work “smarter” by continuing to laser-focus attention on careful and prudent use of funds for

maximum results. One small example is the decision to save “green”—both dollars and trees—by

distributing this annual report primarily in a digital format, increasing e-news communications

and limiting direct mail to selected fundraising efforts. You can help in this regard by providing

us with your email address.

If you find yourself in Beacon or Troy, NY, I encourage you to stop in to meet our fine staff, take

in an exhibit or attend an event. The cultural and community events we host bring more than

4,000 people through our doors each year and are designed to educate and resonate with those

who share our passion for water.

On behalf of the Institute’s entire Board of Trustees, please accept my sincere thanks for your

interest and support in building a smarter way to take on the challenges of rivers around the

world, and for your tremendous support in making this year of progress possible. Sincerely,

Brian Ruder

Chair, Board of Trustees

MissionTo create and maintain a global

center for scientific and technological

innovation that advances research,

education and public policy regarding

rivers and estuaries.

Board of TrusteesBrian Ruder Skylight Partners, Inc. Chair

John C. CavalierVice Chair

William J. Florence, Jr.Florence & SmithTreasurer and Secretary

Heather BriccettiThe Business Council of New York State, Inc.

Anthony G. Collins, Ph.D.Clarkson University, President

John CroninBeacon Institute for Rivers and EstuariesPace University

Charles E. Dorkey IIIMcKenna Long & Aldridge LLP

Thomas EndresJacob K. Javits Convention Center

Michael C. Finnegan

Stephen J. FriedmanPace University, President

Alan P. Goldberg

Ann MeagherGreater Southern Dutchess Chamber of Commerce

William F. Plunkett, Jr.Plunkett & Jaffe Group of McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP

Lynette M. StarkNortheastern New York State Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure

Paul WebsterNew York State United Teachers (NYSUT)

© 2009 Beacon Institute for Rivers and Estuaries. All rights reserved.

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The world’s rivers and estuaries are where

the majority of people live. These ecosystems

and population centers are affected most

and first by the challenges of the human

relationship to nature—whether those are

the environmental, economic and social

impacts of human-induced climate change,

or diminishing global water resources, or

declining commercial fish stocks. The planet

runs on water. The world’s population is

growing but its water resources are not.

Within the next five years, the term “water

footprint” will be as common as “carbon

footprint.” Competition for water resources

will become central to domestic and global

politics. In some cases, the availability of

water will outweigh cheap labor as a criterion

for economic development and the location of

job-producing companies.

On the health front, between one and two

billion people on the planet are without

sanitary water, and conservative estimates

tell us that two million people a year die from

diseases associated with water pollution,

mostly children in the developing world.

Our knowledge of water, its monitoring,

management and protection is woefully

inadequate. It must become a priority in

education, engineering, the sciences, public

policy and the marketplace.

The mission of Beacon Institute for Rivers

and Estuaries is to create and maintain a

global center for scientific and technological

innovation that advances research, education

“Imagine the extraordinary

advances to the environment,

education, and the economy if we

could know, in real time, the

chemical, physical and biological

conditions of any water body.”

—John Cronin

Visualizing the Smart Riverand public policy regarding rivers and

estuaries. Our programs encompass:

technological innovation, STEM skill

education (science, technology, engineering

and math), policy research and economic

development. Working with key partners

at IBM, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute,

Clarkson University, and Pace University’s

Academy for Applied Environmental Studies

and the Pace School of Law, we are designing

and implementing:

• The River and Estuary Observatory

Network (REON), a “source-to-sea” real-

time monitoring network for New York’s

Hudson and St. Lawrence Rivers, with

technology replicable for rivers worldwide;

• SENSE IT, a teacher-training program to

identify and develop the next generation of

science and technology experts;

• A new collaborative environmental

policy center to explore how 21st century

innovation should affect decades-old policies

to form policy recommendations backed

by the latest information and research

available; and

• Innovative sensor technology and

“green” research facilities.

If the 20th century was the era of

environmental brawn, the 21st century has

to be the era of environmental brains. The

last half of the last century was spent fighting

the impacts of decades of environmental

abuse. In this century we must become smart

enough to measure our impacts and our

needs decades in advance.

Imagine the extraordinary advances to

the environment, education, and the

economy if we could know, in real time,

the chemical, physical and biological

conditions of any water body. This new way

of observing, understanding and predicting

how large river and estuary ecosystems work

will allow us to translate that knowledge into

better policy, management and education

for the Hudson River, and for rivers and

estuaries worldwide.

John Cronin is an environmental leader whose 35-year career of public service and accomplishments have earned him the designation of “Hero for the Planet” from Time magazine. Cronin heads Beacon Institute as its Director and Chief Executive Officer and is a senior fellow in environmental affairs at Pace university’s Academy for Applied Environmental Studies.

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Beacon Institute’s flagship scientific

research initiative is the River and Estuary

Observatory Network (REON), the first

technology-based monitoring and forecasting

network for rivers and estuaries. A joint effort

between Beacon Institute, IBM and Clarkson

University first announced in 2007, REON

will allow for minute-to-minute monitoring

of physical, chemical and biological data

from New York’s Hudson and St. Lawrence

Rivers via an integrated network of sensors,

robotics and computational technology

distributed throughout both rivers. REON is

a featured case study in IBM’s Global Outlook

Innovation report on water (2009) and its

Smarter Planet initiative.

The REON plan calls for a networked array

of sensors to provide the data necessary to

capture variations in multiple environmental

parameters. Applications of REON data could

include the ability to visualize the movement

of chemical constituents, protect fish species

as they migrate and provide a better scientific

understanding of river and estuary ecosystems.

On August 20, 2008, Beacon Institute

deployed B1—the first advanced monitoring

station in the REON system—in the Hudson

River off Denning’s Point in Beacon, NY.

Over the winter, James S. Bonner, Ph.D.,

P.E., REON Director of Research, and

his research team at Clarkson University

redesigned B1 for redeployment in April

2009, yielding valuable real-time data. Fixed

acoustic Doppler current profilers (ADCPs) at

sites at West Point, Poughkeepsie and Albany

are providing additional data.

Other research highlights include:

• Development of Novel Sensors.

Beacon Institute and Clarkson University,

with funding from a National Science

Foundation Major Research Instrumentation

grant (NSF-MRI), are co-developing new

submersible sensors to enhance the type and

quality of data collected.

• Real-time GIS mapping system of

the Hudson River. Beacon Institute and

the Center for International Earth Science

Information Network (CIESIN) at Columbia

University are producing a sophisticated

tool that will play a key role in presenting

data collected by REON and additional

information sources throughout the

watershed.

Plans for 2010–2011 call for deployment of

at least ten more networked sensor arrays

and monitoring stations throughout the

Hudson, St. Lawrence and Mohawk Rivers,

in partnership with Clarkson University and

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

Science & Technology

REON 2.0

Top Right: On the B1 advanced monitoring station, solar panels power a computer- controlled autonomous robotic profiler with an array of sensors that travels vertically in the water for measurements. Along with the profiler, meteorological sensors and an acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) measure atmospheric and hydrodynamic conditions.

Above: Research team members Chris Fuller and Russ nelson of Clarkson university with the underwater undulating tow device.

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Current Profile (centimeters/second)on B1, the acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCp) points downward toward the river bed to measure water current direction and speed. Dark red shows the variation in the depth of the river bed, which changes with time due to forces of the tide. positive velocity magnitude (yellow to red) indicates that water is moving up the river to the north—high tide. negative velocity magnitude (turquoise to blue) shows water moving to the south, back toward the Atlantic ocean—low tide.

REON Deployments•August 2008: Beacon

B1 advanced monitoring station deployed in Hudson River off Denning’s Point

• April 2009: Beacon Re-engineered and redesigned B1 deployed in same location off Denning’s Point

• May 2009: Beacon Installation and preview testing of land-based radar to generate surface current map

• June 2009: West Point Fixed acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) installed horizontally on pier near the USGS gauging station at South Dock at the U.S. Military Academy

• July 2009: Albany Fixed ADCP installed vertically and anchored to river bottom near site of Dutch Apple Cruises

• August 2009: Lower Hudson Test cruise of mobile monitoring system using proprietary underwater undulating tow device with instrumentation similar to B1

• September 2009: Grasse River B2 advanced monitoring station deployed in northern NY, near St. Lawrence River

• September 2009: Lower Hudson Research cruise with mobile monitoring system (New Hamburg to Tarrytown)

• October 2009: Lower Hudson Research cruise with mobile monitoring system (Beacon to Tarrytown)

• October 2009 Fixed ADCP installed horizontally on pier at USGS station at IBM site in Poughkeepsie, NY

Mohammad Shahidul Islam, Ph.D.,

REON Project Manager, a recent graduate

of Texas A&M University, created

these dynamic, web-accessible graphic

interpretations of REON data streaming.

IBM will be creating future iterations of

data visualization.

Chlorophyll concentration (parts per billion)the three-channel fluorimeter (Fl3) provides data on the presence of biological, physical and chemical particles in the water. Chlorophyll concentration measured by Fl3 provides an indirect measure of the phytoplankton biomass (algae). At certain levels, algae can be a food source, but an overabundance can be detrimental to the ecosystem. Red shows a higher concentration of phytoplankton biomass, blue shows lower.

Particle volume (microliter/liter)this figure shows the variation of particle concentration in the water at the platform over time. A strong current in either direction can move water and particles from the bottom, and bring up particles from the ocean, as concentration can change with tidal forces. normally particle concentration is expected to be higher near the river bed, and less in the upper portions of the water column.

Dissolved oxygen (milligrams/liter)the optical oxygen sensor uses optical fluorescence technology to detect the amount of oxygen in the water. Dissolved oxygen is an important indicator of ecological health. Red means low concentration of oxygen, blue shows a higher concentration.

Salinity (practical salinity unit)Salinity is an indicator of the amount of salt present in the water. Red shows high tide, with high salt water concentration from the ocean. Blue shows low tide, with more fresh water concentration. there is a slight amount of lag time with this parameter due to tidal variations.

Water temperature (degrees Celsius)In this figure, red indicates warmer water, while blue indicates colder water. Water temperature can vary with the tide and time of day.

mohammad Shahidul Islam, Ph.d., REOn Project manager

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REOn data captures: mohammad Shahidul Islam, Ph.d.

Too many of today’s students are choosing

not to pursue careers in science, technology,

engineering or mathematics, but Beacon

Institute’s new hands-on approach using

sensor technology aims to change that.

Developed by Beacon Institute and Clarkson

University, SENSE IT (Student Enabled

Network of Sensors for the Environment

using Innovative Technology) offers high

school teachers new ways to engage students

in hands-on exploration and application of

the critical science, technology, engineering

and math (STEM) skills that can further

excite students about science and technology

career paths.

SENSE IT brings sensor technology into the

classroom. Participating teachers learn to

implement the hands-on curriculum modules

and receive the equipment necessary to

Education

SENSE ITteach their students to construct their own

prototype water quality sensors.

“Our goal is to use the Hudson River and

the REON project as learning platforms to

demonstrate how science and technology

help us view, interpret and interact with the

environment,” said Liesl Hotaling, Chief

Education Officer for Beacon Institute and

creator of SENSE IT. Hotaling is a nationally

recognized expert in developing internet-

based science curricula for K-12 teachers.

SENSE IT was piloted at Tech Valley High

School (TVHS) in the Capital District in 2007-

2008, and the high school implemented Year

Two of the curriculum in 2008-2009.

Thanks in part to the success of the

TVHS pilot, in 2008 the National Science

Foundation, through its Innovative

Technology Experiences for Students and

Teachers (NSF-ITEST) program, awarded

Beacon Institute and Clarkson University

$1.4 million to expand SENSE IT across

three regions in New York State. Additional

funding for SENSE IT has been provided by

Motorola Foundation, Turner Construction

Above: Teachers and students participated in SEnSE IT this summer at Beacon Institute’s Center for Environmental Innovation and Education.

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Company, Louis Greenspan Charitable Trust,

the Bender Scientific Fund of the Community

Foundation of the Greater Capital Region,

Verizon and Senator Stephen Saland and

Senator Vincent Leibell.

During July and August of 2009, 41 teachers

and 80 students from 31 school districts

across the Capital District, Potsdam area and

Hudson Valley participated in one of three

intensive two-week professional development

workshops designed to prepare them to

implement the SENSE IT curriculum in their

classrooms this fall.

The SENSE IT curriculum modules, designed

to integrate into any high school STEM

curriculum, include sensor development,

deployment and data gathering; water

quality investigation; and sharing data across

observatories. Students learn the engineering

design process by designing, constructing,

programming and testing water monitoring

sensors, with the ultimate goal of interesting

students in STEM-based career paths.

Acceptance into the program requires long-

term commitments from teachers and schools

to employ these methods.

“For New York State and the nation to

remain competitive in the global economy

it is essential we develop math, science

and engineering skills in young students,”

said John Cronin, Director and CEO

of Beacon Institute. “By combining an

environmentally-driven purpose—the

monitoring and protection of critical

waterways—with advanced technological

skills, we are preparing a new generation of

innovators and leaders who can address one

of our most pressing regional, national and

global environmental challenges—threatened

water resources.”

Beacon Institute is a member of the Centers for

Ocean Science Education Excellence Networked

Ocean Worlds (COSEE-NOW), which facilitates

collaborations between scientists and educators.

COSEE-NOW members create educational materials

that use observing systems data in new media

formats for formal and informal educational settings.

What Educators Are Saying about SENSE ITChad CianfraniOakwood Friends SchoolPhysics, Robotics, Engineering

“This leads in very nicely to the robotics

class where I also use the Lego NXT

processors that we used this week with

SENSE IT. With my ninth graders, I will

be able to incorporate a lot of the sensors

we are using into the curriculum right

away… It has been fantastic!”

Amber KardasPoughkeepsie City School DistrictMathematics

“It really puts engineering, science,

computers, math and technology all in one.”

Anne GreenHadley-Luzerne School DistrictEnvironmental Science

“It was the best thing I did all summer…

Our [local] economy is based on tourism.

Water quality is a big part of it.”

Potsdam Region

Seaway Area Tech BOCES

Brasher Falls

Canton

Clifton Fine

Hermon DeKalb

Heuvelton

LaFargeville

Madrid-Waddington

Massena

Norwood

Ogdensburg Free Academy

Potsdam

Participating School DistrictsCapital Region

AuSable Valley

Cairo-Durham

Hadley-Luzerne

Hoosick Falls

Schenectady City

Schuylerville

Shenendehowa

Troy City

Waterford-Halfmoon

Hudson Valley Region

Beacon City

Blind Brook

Croton-Harmon

The Masters School

Oakwood Friends School

Onteora

Orange-Ulster BOCES

Poughkeepsie City

Sleepy Hollow/Tarrytown

Valley Central

Richard C. IanuzziPresident New York State United Teachers

“This program allows classroom teachers

to participate in real-life scientific research

that will have a lasting environmental

impact, and that they will be able to pass on

to their students.”

Jonathan MoreyOrange/Ulster BOCES Career andTechnology Education CenterEngineering; Guidance Counselor

“Students don’t know what engineering

is—it’s such a vast academic leap from

mechanical to electrical to chemical

engineering. What I’m trying to do is give

them actual hands on experience so that

they can say ‘I would like to be this type of

engineer.’ [SENSE IT] is a perfect hands-

on application to help students choose a

career based on experience, rather than

just stumbling into it.”

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Policy

Above (L to R): Panelists at the NYS Water Resources conference: John Cronin, Beacon Institute; marcia Bystryn, ny League of Conservation Voters; Alexandra dapolito dunn, Pace Law School; Carter H. Strickland, Jr., NYC Mayor’s Office; Sharon Nunes, Ph.d., IBm; Anthony Collins, Ph.d., Clarkson university

Left: NYS Water Resources conferenceProfessor nicholas Robinson, Pace Law School

Our Water Future

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outdated technologies can provide the sweeping

change necessary to address the enormity of the

water crisis our world now faces.

Beacon Institute is bringing together

some of the best minds in the not-for-

profit, corporate, research, academic and

government sectors to create a new era

of policy that encourages innovation,

protects our waterways and protects our

communities. The Institute is launching a

science, technology and environmental policy

center in collaboration with Pace University’s

Academy for Applied Environmental Studies

and its Center for Environmental Legal

Studies. The concept for this policy center

began in the former Pace Academy for the

Environment, founded in 2002, which

has counted amongst its achievements the

Environmental Consortium of Hudson Valley

Colleges & Universities.

In its new incarnation as Pace University’s

first center of excellence, the Pace Academy

for Applied Environmental Studies gathers

experts in science, law, politics, ethics, health

care, technology and business from the

university community and beyond for their

combined expertise to generate and contribute

innovative and integrated solutions to

environmental problems.

Key experts from Pace University— including

John Cronin, Pace President Stephen J.

Friedman, Pace Academy Director Michelle

Land, Assistant Dean of Environmental Law

Alexandra Dapolito Dunn and University

Professor Nicholas Robinson, among several

others—have been involved deeply with

Beacon Institute.

“Current state and federal water policies

are wholly inadequate,” asserts John

Cronin, Beacon Institute Director and

CEO, and senior environmental fellow at

Pace University’s new Academy for Applied

Environmental Studies, “if clean water,

functioning ecosystems, and sustainable

economic development are society’s goals.”

According to Cronin, new 21st century

policies that embrace, encourage and reward

innovation must be at the center of water

resource management. And, unlike laws

written in the 1970s, a new comprehensive

water policy should integrate its goals for

ecological, human and economic health.

The Pacific Institute estimates that between

36 million and 70 million people, mostly

children in the developing world, will die from

water pollution-related diseases by 2020. The

New York Times reports that as many as 19.5

million Americans are made ill each year by

biological contaminants in drinking water.

In New York’s Hudson River, home to Beacon

Institute, thousands of tons of municipal

and industrial wastes are dumped annually.

Sewage overflows are commonplace and

people routinely swim near industrial and

municipal outfalls. At least seven major fish

species are in decline and health advisories

about toxins in fish have been in place for 34

years. At least one city has a drinking water

intake within two miles of its sewage plant

discharge, and another has an intake 35 miles

downriver of a PCB Superfund site.

No single discipline can cure the world’s

environmental ills. And no policies based on

The Environmental Consortium of Hudson Valley Colleges & Universities

Months of planning for this new policy center

culminated in a September 2009 conference

on “New York State Water Resources:

Assessing the Need for a Comprehensive

Policy,” sponsored by Pace Academy for

Applied Environmental Studies, Beacon

Institute and the Center for Environmental

Legal Studies at Pace Law School. At the day-

long conference, experts in government, law,

science, education and advocacy discussed

the crisis that threatens state, national

and international aquatic resources. The

conference helped set the agenda for Pace

Academy’s and Beacon Institute’s continuing

research and applied studies of water policy.

At the conference, it was said often that

comprehensive protection and management of

water would finally come when a crisis forced

the issue. Water is fast equaling climate change

as a universal, environmental priority.

Beacon Institute is addressing the water crisis

and the need for information with vision,

integrity and imagination. It has gathered

together the best and brightest minds from

academia and industry to create the River

and Estuary Observatory Network (REON)

that, when complete, will provide real-time

monitoring of the chemical, physical and

biological changes in the Hudson and St.

Lawrence Rivers, and make this “smart river”

technology replicable for rivers worldwide.

The SENSE IT education program puts sensor

technology in the hands of today’s students,

and delivers the inspiration and knowledge

they will need to prepare for their role in

solving the water crisis for their children and

grandchildren.

The new policy center with Pace University

will fuse the hard scientific data streaming

in from REON with the energy, enthusiasm

and intellect of the environmental lawyers,

academics, policymakers and scientists who

have the skill, means and motivation to change

the way we think about this increasingly

precious resource.

“The illusion that water is forever flowing,

bountiful and continually improving, is a

myth,” states Cronin. “Our national and

regional unpreparedness for a sustainable

water future indicates that a crisis is already

upon us. We need to get smart about water

now. We have the talent. We need only to

understand the road ahead and put our best

talent and genius to work.”

The Environmental Consortium of

Hudson Valley Colleges & Universities was

established in 2004 by Beacon Institute and

Pace University with the mission to harness

higher education’s intellectual and physical

resources to advance regional, ecosystem-

based environmental research, teaching,

and learning through interdisciplinary,

collaborative programs and information

sharing. As a founding partner of the

Environmental Consortium, Beacon

Institute provides seed funding and staff

support for its programming.

“The partnership between Beacon Institute

and the Environmental Consortium

continues to enhance and reinforce our joint

vision for the region and its environment,”

says Michelle Land, J.D., Director of the

Environmental Consortium. “We are

continually advancing our ability to engage

member institutions in collaborative

programs that engage students and faculty

in river-related research and activities

toward a better understanding of the

Hudson’s health and functioning.”

River Summer Faculty

Development 2008

A total of 53 individuals from 31 institutions

and organizations participated as both

“teachers” and “learners” in River Summer’s

fourth year. Two modules transited the

full length of the Hudson River estuary,

from New York Harbor to the Troy Dam.

On board the R/V Seawolf of Stony

Brook University’s School of Marine and

Atmospheric Sciences, and through a series

of off-shore lessons, faculty were immersed

and transformed as they witness firsthand

the changing landscape, waterscape,

human and natural impacts. Faculty

from Pace University School of Law used

environmental law as a connecting theme

through the two modules. Curriculum

developed by faculty for the River Summer

program is being produced and made

available online.

Student Summit on Building Your

Green Future: Choosing a Career and

Degree with Sustainability in Mind

On April 3, 2009, the Consortium’s 4th

Annual Student Summit was held at

Mercy College in Dobbs Ferry, NY, and

attracted 125 students from over two dozen

institutions around the region. Kevin Doyle,

President of Green Economy and one of the

nation’s leading experts on employment

trends in the rapidly expanding world of

“green jobs,” delivered the keynote. The

event featured breakout sessions led by

environmental professionals and concluded

with an environmentally themed career/

graduate school fair. Mercy College School

of Health and Natural Sciences, Pace

University and Beacon Institute

co-sponsored the summit.

Supporting Faculty

Grant Opportunities

The Environmental Consortium offered

a series of seminars to encourage junior

faculty to submit National Science

Foundation CAREER grant proposals. Liesl

Hotaling, Chief Education Officer at Beacon

Institute, and Michelle Land, Director of

the Consortium, demystified the grant

application process and demonstrated

how Consortium membership can be

leveraged in grant proposals. The seminars

were offered at Rensselaer Polytechnic

Institute (upper Hudson), Vassar College

(mid-Hudson) and Marymount Manhattan

College (lower Hudson).

www.environmentalconsortium.org

Educators participating in River Summer aboard the R/V Seawolf of Stony Brook university’s School of marine and Atmospheric Sciences.

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Smart Rivers

John E. Kelly III, Senior Vice President and

Director of IBM Research, spoke eloquently

at the IBM Smarter Planet conference held

in Poughkeepsie, NY, in June 2009, about

the “interconnected, instrumented and

intelligent” systems that IBM is developing

for management of information and

resources like electricity, health care records

and water. Here, Beacon Institute Director

and CEO John Cronin, who served as a guest

speaker for the Smarter Planet conference,

interviews Dr. Kelly.

JOHN CRONIN: Why do we need to get

smart about water?

JOHN KELLY: Many people think that water

is the most abundant resource on the planet,

but when you start to look at the available

fresh water it’s a very different story.

Although three quarters of the earth’s surface

is covered in water, less than one percent of

that is suitable for use by humans. Most of

our water—97 percent of it—is saltwater; 2

percent is held in snow and icebergs and only

1 percent is usable fresh water.

While the global water supply is largely

fixed, the world population and its

water consumption are growing. In just

the last 100 years, global water usage has

increased at twice the rate of population

growth. Today, 20 percent of the world’s

population lacks ready access to safe

drinking water. That percentage is

increasing annually.

The flow of clean, plentiful water is as

essential to our economy and society as it

is to our planet. The time has come to stop

taking water for granted, and start managing

it as the precious resource it is.

JOHN CRONIN: How do we get smart about

water?

JOHN KELLY: We get smart about water by

building intelligence into water systems—by

using smart technology to monitor, measure

and analyze entire water ecosystems, from

rivers and reservoirs to the pumps and pipes

in our homes.

As water resource management expert Doug

Miell has said, you can’t manage what you

can’t measure. IBM is using sophisticated

sensor networks to collect and analyze the

tremendous amounts of data generated in

complex water systems.

“Society and business are

facing increasingly complex

challenges when it comes

to understanding and

managing water resources

on this planet. Getting smart

about water is important

to all of us for one simple

reason: water is too precious

a resource to be wasted.”

John E. Kelly IIISenior Vice President and DirectorIBM Research

Smart Rivers for a Smarter PlanetPHO

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Above: John Cronin with Sharon L. nunes, Ph.d., Vice President, Strategic growth Initiatives, Big green Innovations, IBm Systems and Technology group

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For example, in our work with Beacon

Institute and Clarkson University on the

River and Estuary Observatory Network

(REON), we’re applying advanced analytics

to the information gathered via the minute-

to-minute monitoring systems installed

on New York’s Hudson River. REON’s

integrated network of sensors, robotics

and computational technology distributed

throughout the river will help provide

a better understanding of the effects of

global weather changes, the movements of

migrating fish or the transport of pollutants.

JOHN CRONIN: Why is this important to

IBM, and more importantly, the average

citizen?

JOHN KELLY: Society and business are

facing increasingly complex challenges when

it comes to understanding and managing

water resources on this planet. Getting smart

about water is important to all of us for

one simple reason: water is too precious a

resource to be wasted.

In IBM’s recent Global Innovation Outlook

report on water, a lack of viable and

actionable data was identified as a key

inhibitor to effective water management.

We saw this as a call to action because

we have the ability to apply the kinds of

advanced technologies—sophisticated sensor

networks, smart meters, deep computing

and analytics—that are necessary for smarter

water management.

Over the past three years, Beacon

Institute has raised more than $3.5

million in public and private funds for

research and development efforts to

create and develop the River and Estuary

Observatory Network (REON).

What It Takes to Build Smart RiversSeeing REON to fruition will require a

significant investment of private dollars.

In 2010, Beacon Institute will invest more

than $1.5 million to deploy and maintain

advanced sensor equipment for REON. Your

support is both needed and appreciated.

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Chris Fuller of Clarkson university releases the underwater undulating tow device for a research cruise.

Sharon L. nunes, Ph.d., IBm, and James S. Bonner, Ph.d., P.E., REOn Research director, with members of the research team.

mohammad Shahidul Islam, Ph.d., REOn Project manager, on B1.

New York City

New York City

TroyTroy

Mount MarcyMount Marcy

BeaconBeacon

H u d s o n R i v e r

H u d s o n R i v e r

PublicOutreach

Center for Environmental Innovation and Education A beautiful cold, crisp, sunny day and the

celebration of the Beacon Institute’s new

“green” facility brought more than 350 excited

guests to the opening of Beacon Institute’s

new Center for Environmental Innovation

and Education (CEIE) at Denning’s Point in

Beacon, NY, on December 13, 2008.

“Beacon Institute is a Hudson Valley

treasure—the research and innovation taking

place here in our own backyard will translate

into tangible benefits that will resound

throughout the international community,”

said Congressman John Hall. “Water is

perhaps our most important natural resource.

Beacon Institute is showing us new ways to

monitor and protect this precious element.

The new CEIE facility on Denning’s Point in

Beacon will provide an important touchstone

and opportunity for people to engage with the

Institute’s programs and reconnect with the

Hudson River.”

“We had a vision for a world class center

for advanced river and estuary research to

make its home in Dutchess County. We are

thrilled to see that vision become a reality

with the opening of the Beacon Institute,”

said Dutchess County Executive William R.

Steinhaus. “Our investment in the Beacon

Institute provides an opportunity for our

children to learn more about our environment

and how to protect it for generations to come.”

Equipped with surround-sound

videoconferencing, broadcasting and

simulcasting capabilities, the CEIE was

designed by architectural firm Gensler

to receive high LEED certification, with

flexible spaces that are easily reconfigurable

for seminars, workshops, exhibits, public

forums and cultural and social events.

Educational programming in the CEIE

included SENSE IT teacher development

programs in August 2009.

Event programming at the facility in 2009 has

been broad and well-received by hundreds of

participants, and has included lectures, films,

nature tours of Denning’s Point and teacher

training, as well as several events for regional

professional and community groups.

“The opening of the CEIE is a great milestone

for the Beacon Institute, and the Dyson

Foundation is pleased to have been an early

supporter of the organization and this effort,”

said Diana M. Gurieva, Executive Vice

President of the Dyson Foundation. “The

educational opportunities that will be available

to residents of the Mid-Hudson Valley at the

CEIE will be a wonderful asset to the region.”

The CEIE also functions as a Visitor Center

for Denning’s Point, part of New York’s

Hudson Highlands State Park. From April 1

to November 30, the Park is open to visitors,

who can visit the new CEIE as they walk the

hiking trails from the Metro-North Beacon

station and around Denning’s Point.

Top Right: gensler design director Oliver Schaper presents the “green” features of the CEIE.

Above Left: Exterior of CEIE

Above: Rendering of CAER

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Gallery at 199 Main StreetBeacon Institute’s Gallery at 199 Main Street

in Beacon, New York, demonstrates its

commitment to the cultural heritage of rivers

and their people. From July 2008 to June

2009, more than 4,000 people visited the

Institute’s gallery, bookstore and gift shop.

Local theater groups, not-for-profits and

other civic organizations enjoyed regular use

of the gallery for special events on a space-

available basis.

Gallery exhibitions are selected on the basis of

resonance with and relevance to the Institute’s

mission, with special emphasis on regional

artists inspired by the complexity and beauty

of the Hudson and other bodies of water.

Center for Advanced Environmental ResearchEarly design has been completed for

the Center for Advanced Environmental

Research (CAER), Beacon Institute’s

second facility on Denning’s Point. Croxton

Collaborative Architects, pioneers in green

building design, are leading the planning and

design of CAER with the goal of creating a

unique research facility where collaboration

amongst scientists, engineers, policy analysts

and scholars is seamless and intuitive. The

design—including site orientation, public

areas, research facilities, preliminary

landscape concepts, viewsheds and interior

layout—incorporates the latest in integrated,

sustainable design and practices.

Beacon HarborBeacon Institute continues to collaborate

with the City of Beacon and other partners

to revitalize Beacon Harbor. Key to this effort

is the planned construction of a dock to

serve both the Institute’s research vessels

and enhance public use and access to the

water. The dock is expected to accommodate

the Clearwater, the Woody Guthrie and

other large vessels. The City’s harbor

management plan, currently under state

review, anticipates a shoreside public

facility that will support deep water

research vessels and researchers, as well

as educational programming for the

Institute, the community and other harbor

organizations.

Upper Hudson Research Center at TroyIn 2008, Beacon Institute, Rensselaer

Polytechnic Institute (RPI), the City of

Troy and New York State announced

plans to design and build a sustainable

environmental research facility on the

former Rensselaer Iron Works site as part of

the City of Troy’s waterfront revitalization

plans. The Upper Hudson Research Center

(UHRC) will launch new educational

and research initiatives to preserve river

ecosystems. Facility construction will begin

following completion of an environmental

cleanup of the brownfield property as

part of New York State’s Environmental

Remediation Program. Planning for the new

streetscape and improved fishing pier was

accomplished, now providing the community

with renewed access to the river.

Up River: Man-Made Sites of Interest on the Hudson from the Battery to Troy

Courtesy of The Center for Land Use Interpretation

May 9 – November 8, 2009

This portrait of the Hudson’s shores focused on man-made sites rarely seen by those who

travel along the river’s banks. Aerial photography highlighted the shore area’s landmarks both

plain and remarkable: factories, prisons, power plants, quarries, parks, current industries and

planned redevelopments—in many cases, overlooked places that can only be seen from above.

Top to Bottom -- The Hudson River Photographs by Ted Kawalerski

October 4, 2008-April 26, 2009

Sleepy Hollow photographer Ted Kawalerski shared with viewers his deep personal connection

to the Hudson River and the multicultural diversity of people who live along its banks.

PHILIPSE MANOR BEACH CLUB © 2008 TED KAWALERSKI

THE CENTER FOR LAND USE INTERPRETATION ARCHIVE

PostdoctoralResearch

Postdoctoral scholar Adam Reitzel, Ph.D.

earned his Ph.D. from Boston University

and an M.S. in Zoology from the University

of Florida. With support from Beacon

Institute and Woods Hole Oceanographic

Institution (WHOI), Reitzel has been

studying the starlet sea anemone, a tiny

creature (< 1 cm) that lives in the salt

marshes of the Atlantic coast, including the

Hudson River estuary.

ADAM: Estuaries, home to a variety of

organisms including fish and crustaceans,

continue to be impacted by environmental

stressors, including coastal development,

climate change and anthropogenic

contaminants. My research at Woods Hole

focused on testing hypotheses to better

understand the responses of the starlet sea

anemone Nematostella vectensis to toxic

metals and temperature, common natural

and anthropogenic stressors, due to industrial

activity and climate change.

I took three approaches to characterize

the molecular machinery deployed by

Nematostella to environmental stressors:

candidate gene identification and expression,

transcriptional profiling to identify novel

genes, and gene suppression. Each approach

provides complementary insights into the

genetic mechanisms underlying stress

responses. I expected that some of the

candidate genes would be expressed in a

way that would lessen organismal stress.

However, the degree of stress necessary

to elicit the molecular response varies

considerably among species.

One surprising result is that Nematostella

could tolerate fairly large changes in

temperature and metal exposure before

deploying a molecular response when

compared to other related organisms (e.g.

corals). A second surprising result was the

potential involvement of a nuclear hormone

receptor in response to metal exposure.

This observation provides a novel direction

for my future work.

This postdoctoral opportunity provided

resources to pursue a diverse set of

questions in both the field and laboratory,

to collaborate with other researchers

and to present my research at academic

conferences and focused working groups.

This combination of experiences has resulted

in several completed projects to better

understand Nematostella’s relationship

with its environment and how estuarine

organisms use molecular mechanisms to

respond to stressful environments.

Top: Adam Reitzel, Ph.d. collecting Nematostella at Sapelo Island, gA.

Top Left: Adult Nematostella and egg masses.

Above: Adam Reitzel collecting Nematostella at great Sippewissett marsh in Falmouth, mA.

Starlet Sea Anemones and Environmental Stress

Ad

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undergraduateResearch

Undergraduate students Lori Jaeger of

Sullivan County Community College and

Matthew Francis of Marist College received

research funding from Beacon Institute and

the Environmental Consortium of Hudson

Valley Colleges & Universities to study the

presence of the non-native red-eared

slider turtle (Trachemys scripta elegans), in

the Hudson River estuarine environment,

under the supervision of Erik Kiviat and

Tanessa Hartwig of Hudsonia, Ltd.

Since the 1960s, many unwanted pet slider

turtles have been released into ponds

and lakes. This highly adaptable turtle

population, which can thrive in poor

habitats with small amounts of water, little

vegetation, no basking sites and limited

food resources, has expanded beyond its

native range. Sliders were first recorded

in Denning’s Point Bay in 2003, a habitat

hosting another invasive species, the water

chestnut (Trapa natans L.).

During the study period from June 1 to

July 31, 2009, the students captured and

documented the slider turtle population in

Denning’s Point Bay using radio transmitters.

After recording identifying data, the students

released all turtles at the original point of

capture in Denning’s Point Bay.

MATT: In the initial days of the internship,

we observed 12 to 15 slider turtles basking on

a large log in the center of Denning’s Point

Bay. Although we were not able to identify

these sliders specifically as red-eared sliders,

we were confident we would find and trap a

decent-sized sample of a population of red-

eared sliders that we could track and monitor.

In actuality, we only trapped three red-eared

sliders over the course of the summer. We

tracked and monitored the activity of these

three turtles throughout the bay and recorded

the water depths and temperatures at their

locations.

LORI: We expected to find the sliders

using a larger portion of the bay than they

actually did. Their movements remained

concentrated along the shores of the bay in

dense water chestnut mats. We were not able

to locate any nests, but we did observe two

juvenile sliders (between 1–2 years old) in

the bay, indicating that the turtles here are

indeed reproducing.

MATT: Through this internship I gained

valuable field research experience and

became familiar with the process of writing a

formal academic research paper. These skills

will prove beneficial as I pursue a career in

biology.

LORI: This internship experience of

participating in an undergraduate research

project was an honor and a privilege. I feel

much more confident about tackling things

that might seem out of my reach. After

spending a summer on the beautiful Hudson

River, working outdoors has become a

requirement in my future plans.

Red-eared Slider Turtles at Denning’s Point

Top: Lori Jaeger and matthew Francis setting traps in denning’s Point Bay.

Top Right: A turtle receives a radio transmitter

Above: map of turtle locations in denning’s Point Bay.

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Support

Beacon Institute continued to reach new constituencies and new supporters.

In fact, participation in the annual fund doubled from last year. During this year

of uncertainty and unprecedented economic hardship, we are grateful for each and

every gift and for every new supporter. Careful use of our resources has allowed

us to sustain our programs during these challenging times and we are optimistic

for 2009–2010.

Expenditures 2008–2009 Amount Percent

Research $1,461,259 35%

Capital Projects 866,111 20%

Education 788,197 19%

Public Policy 314,333 7%

Development & 415,180 10% Communcations

Administration 367,546 9%

Total $4,212,626 100%

*Unaudited

2008–2009 Expenses by Function*

0

1m

2m

3m

4m

5m

6m

2007–2008 Revenue Funding by Source*

6M

5M

4M

3M

2M

1M

0Revenues Expenditures

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Top Right and Left: Students and teachers participating in SEnSE IT at denning’s Point in Beacon, ny.

Above: Installation of acoustic doppler current profiler (ADCP) at West Point, NY.

Yearly Budget Comparison

Revenues

Expenditures

2007–2008

$5,268,994

5,268,994

2008–2009

$4,212,626

4,212,626

2008–2009 Expenses by Function*

0

1m

2m

3m

4m

5m

6m

2007–2008 Revenue Funding by Source*

35%

20%

19%

7%

10%

9%

How Does Beacon Institute Use Your Gifts?

ContributorsBeacon Institute for Rivers and Estuaries remains grateful for our 2008–2009 donors who offered both operating and capital support.

$100,000+NYS Department of Environmental

Conservation

NYS Department of State Office of Coastal, Local Government & Community Sustainability

NYS Empire State Development Corporation

Dutchess County

The Dyson Foundation

$10,000 – $99,999Anonymous

Bender Scientific Fund of the Community Foundation for the Greater Capital Region

Hawksglen Foundation

Louis Greenspan Charitable Trust

George & Miriam Martin Foundation

Motorola Foundation

NYS Education Department

Turner Construction

Verizon Foundation

Lucy R. Waletzky

$1,000 — $9,999Douglas C. Berlin

John Cronin & Connie Hough

Charles E. Dorkey, III

William Florence

Stephen J. & Fredrica S. Friedman Fund

Harold Gainer

Alan Goldberg

Shirley & Paul Hartman

Dr. Carl W. Kohls

M&T Bank

Marc Moran & Mala Hoffman

William Plunkett

Susan Fox Rogers

Brian & Ginny Ruder

The partners of Sedore & Company

Under $1,000Bob & Marianne Abrams

Faith A. Adams

Robert E. Adamski

Daniel & Susan Albinder

Anonymous

John J. Atherton

Terry Badura

Howard & Marie Baker

Beacon Rotary Club

Beacon Terminal Associates

Mrs. Eric Bergmann

Susan Berliner

Tia Biasi

John & Betsy Brockway

Babette Brown

Wayne Bunker

Randi Chalfin-Piney

The Chazen Companies

Christina E. Clayton

Committee to Elect Adrian Butch Anderson

Mauri J. Coover-Reid

Dr. Edwin H. Cromey

Joe Curto

Jill Dayan

Kevin A. Denton

Eileen Doherty

John C. Dubberstein

Diane M. Duffus

Alexandra Dunn

Hank Dutch

Ellis & Associates

Steven Ferlauto

Sarah A. Fitts

Joan W. Fitzpatrick

Michael J. Flaherty

Arthur Fontijn

Erica Forman

Marcia Frahman

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Under $1,000 con’t.

Jane Geisler

D. E. Gilman

Bruce Gitlin

David M. Goldberg

Elaine Goldman

Rebecca Gott

John T. Graham

Drayton Grant

Josie & Bennett Gray

Joseph P. Gribbin

Erica Hauser

Lloyd J. Herman

Mark Hershey

Walter A. Hunt, Jr.

Harold Hyatt

The JLS Group

Oliver Johnson

Evelyn Kamenetzky

Linda Kamenetzky

Anne Kane

Pamela Kasa

Richard A. Kimball, Jr.

Chris Kingsley

Michael J. Kovach

Thomas LaBarr

Roy Lamberton

Lanc & Tully Engineering & Surveying

Land Family Foundation

Randy K. Lashua

Marta J. Lawrence

June T. Leaman

Michelle LeBlanc

Josette M. Lee

Arthur Levin

Mr. & Mrs. L. Lewis

Lifetime Learning Institute at Bard College

Anne Lindberg

Mr. & Mrs. Bernard Liquorman

Richard Manley

Randall Martin

Jillian Mauer

Dean McBeth

Darren B. McCormack

Charles H. McDuffie

Margaret McDuffie

Ann Meagher

Anthony Merante

Mr. & Mrs. Frank Mitchell

Dorothy Modlin

Vincent L. Montalbano

John Morgan

William B. Morrison

Ed Murr

Louis Nesslar

Florence Northcutt

Harold Oakhill

P & D Electric of Hudson Valley

Donald G. Palmer

Perreca Electric Co. Inc.

Cynthia Owen Philip

Piccone Group of Companies

Sandra Piccone

Quartararo & Quartararo

Harvey D. Rappaport

Robert Rathjen

Azzy Reckess

Carol S. Rietsma

Frank Ritter

River Pool at Beacon Inc.

Julia Robbins

Lorraine M. Roberts

Adrienne S. Rodriguez

Ken & Dorcas Rose

Barry & Edith Rosen

Toby Rossman

Charles R. Rowe

Janice & Richard Ryan

Mrs. John E. Sanders

Gerard M. Sapunarich

Sarah Schilling

Mr. & Mrs. J. David Schmidt

Terry Schwadron

Ian Shaw

William K. Simpson

Fred Snitzer

Joseph Squillante & Carol Capobianco

Donald K. Stammer, D.D.S.

Wendy & Alex Stanton

Lynette M. Stark

Jack Stearns

Polly Steinway

Mr. & Mrs. William Y. Stevens

Virginia K. Stowe

Anne Strain

Joan & Joe Taphorn

Dr. & Mrs. Ronald Tatelbaum

Vehig S. Tavitian

Dr. Jerome Thaler

Rosemary Thomas

Elizabeth Thorndike

Claudette P. Thornton

Arthur R. Tully

Iris J. Turkenkopf

Heather M. Upshaw

John J. Valentino

Joan K. VanVoorhis

Tony Cenicola

Viscount Wines & Liquor

William W. Weisner

Leigh L. Wen

Margery Whiteman

Nan Whittingham

Zywia Wojnar

Jean Wort

Nancy M. Yambem

Heather Yukon

Alexander & Marine Zagoreos

Am Zgonena

Joyce Zucker

Carmelina Zullo

Beacon Institute for Rivers and Estuaries makes every attempt to ensure the accuracy of our in-formation. If you would prefer that your name be listed differently, or if you have found an error or omission, please contact our Development office at 518.273.3215 and we will gladly update our records. The Beacon Institute, Inc., is a charitable, nonprofit corporation classified by the Internal Revenue Service as a publicly supported tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. A copy of the latest financial report may be obtained by writing to Beacon Institute, or to the New York State Attorney General’s Office, Charities Bureau, 120 Broadway, New York, NY 10271.

Contributors

• Check out www.bire.org for info, news,

events, blogs, videos and more.

• Subscribe to our email list. Instead of

printing newsletters, we save “green”

(dollars and trees) by sending informative

weekly emails to keep you in the loop.

• Volunteer. Join the Denning’s Point

conservation corps.

www.bire.org

Make your gift today!

Donate online or mail your gift to: Beacon

Institute, 199 Main St., Beacon, NY 12508.

Your tax-deductible gift helps us:

• Deploy more sensors for real-time

monitoring of the Hudson and beyond;

• Reach more teachers and students with

exciting, hands-on learning that brings

environmental science to life;

• Provide more scientific data to inform

policy and decision-making about water

management; and

• Protect our rivers for the next generation

and beyond.

Thank you again for your generous support

of Beacon Institute.

donate

Beacon Gallery, Bookstore and

Administrative Offices

199 Main St., Beacon, NY

Exhibits showcasing river and environmen-

tally themed artists. Talks by regional Hudson

Valley authors.

Center for Environmental

Innovation & Education (CEIE)

199 Dennings Ave., Beacon, NY

Award-winning “green” education facility

and Visitor Center, on the Hudson at

Denning’s Point, near Dia museum and

Metro North Beacon train station. Events,

environmental walks and exhibits.

Upper Hudson

Administrative Offices

225 River St., Troy, NY

Administrative offices for Upper Hudson

Research Center, part of Troy’s

waterfront revitalization.

Join the Smart River Revolution!

Enjoy an Event at Our Facilities

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Top Right: guest enjoy the CEIE “Picnic in the Park.”

Above: Preparing for a mobile monitoring research cruise.

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www.bire.org

199 Main Street Beacon, NY 12508 845.838.1600 fax: 845.838.6613

225 River Street Troy, NY 12180 518.273.3215 fax: 518.273.3218

StaffJohn CroninDirector and Chief Executive Officer James S. Bonner, Ph.D., P.E.REON Director of Research Regan Coover-ChichesterSenior Project Manager

Linda DeCrescenzoProject Assistant Kari Di LoretoReceptionist/Docent Brigid Driscoll, Ph.D.Program Manager Josie GraySenior Development Officer

Shirley Hamilton HartmanChief Development Officer Michael HeintzmanPublic Outreach Coordinator Courtland HerbertFacilities Manager Jim HeronProject Historian

Kathleen M. HickeyChief Communications Officer

Liesl HotalingChief Education Officer Mohammad Shahidul Islam, Ph.D.REON Project Manager Carol JarvisDocent Randy LashuaAdministrative Assistant/Docent

William P. Leitch IIIProject Director

Upper Hudson Research Center

Jo MerchantOffice Manager

Marc MoranChief Operating Officer

Terry PlatzDocent Claudette ThorntonDeputy Director of Development Danielle WardDocent