Our research group recently published a new paper on the association between Chinese tea yields, monsoon dynamics, and other weather factors in the journal Climate.

The study found that a delayed monsoon retreat and increased daily precipitation during the monsoon period was negatively associated with tea yields.

You can read the full paper here: http://www.mdpi.com/2225-1154/4/2/20/html.

You can also read the Tufts press release here.

This work was supported by the National Science Foundation Couple Natural Human Systems program (NSF grant #BCS-1313775), Tufts Collaborates, Tufts University, and the Friedman Family Foundation.

Our research group is hosting a one-day workshop on climate change, water, and agriculture. The workshop will take place at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University’s downtown Boston campus at 145 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA 02111 in the Sackler Building in Room 218.

The goal of the workshop is to share findings and exchange ideas between our research team and others working in the areas of climate science and food quality. In addition to brief presentations by our research team, the workshop will feature a seminar by Dr. Ellie Biggs who leads a tea and climate project in India.

If interested in attending this workshop please contact Rebecca Nemec Boehm at rebecca.nemec@tufts.edu.

Below is a tentative schedule for the workshop.

10:00am – 11:00am: Opening Remarks and Seminar: Dr. Ellie Biggs, Department of Geography and Environment at the University of South Hampton

11:00am – 11:15am: Presentation 1: Dr. Corene Matyas, Department of Geography at University of Florida

11:15am – 11:30am: Tea Tasting: Dr. Selena Ahmed, Sustainable Food and Bioenergy Systems Program, Montana State University and Nicole Kfoury, Department of Chemistry, Tufts University, Rebecca Nemec Boehm, Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University

11:30am – 11:45am: Consumer interest and willingness to pay for tea product attributes: Dr. Sean Cash,Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University

11:45am – 12:00pm: Presentation 3: Dr. John Duncan, Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University

12:00pm to 1:00pm: Lunch with workshop attendees

1:00pm – 2:30pm: Transferability and exchange of methodologies (climate science methods, hydrology, economic modeling, Geographic Information Systems, social surveys, and secondary metabolite chemistry)

2:30pm – 3:30pm: Exploring future collaborations: Funding and integrating findings for applied solutions

Tea Workshop Flyer 02 16

Co-PI Selena Ahmed met up with Dr. Ellie Biggs of the UK / India tea and climate project for a joint talk, Towards Climate Smart Tea Systems, at the Ethical Tea Partnership Meeting TEAM UP 2015 in London. While in the UK, Selena was invited by Ellie to give a presentation on Tea and the Taste of Climate Change as part of the Geography and Environment Seminar Program at the University of Southampton.

Slides for the interactive presentation at TEAM UP 2015 can be viewed at the following link:

http://www.ethicalteapartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/Interactive-Session-Towards-Climate-Smart-Tea-Systems.pdf

Andrew Budsock recently interviewed Co-PI Selena Ahmed in an article titled, “HOW CLIMATE CHANGE THREATENS OUR MORNING TEA: THE INTERVIEW”

Impakter is a magazine focused on Culture, Society, Style, Philanthropy. Read the full interview on Impakter.com:

http://impakter.com/climate-change-threatens-morning-tea-interview/