SUNY Oswego professor and researcher Gwen Kay is among the members of a new cross-institutional collaboration called FIRE-NET: Adirondack Fire Futures, a National Science Foundation–supported project uniting experts across northern New York to address wildfire risk, climate adaptation and community resilience.
SUNY Oswego has joined FIRE-NET: Adirondack Fire Futures, a National Science Foundation–supported collaboration that unites experts across northern New York to address wildfire risk, climate adaptation and community resilience. The effort is funded under NSF Award #2536051.
Recognized for its commitment to climate neutrality and its environmentally friendly Gold STARS (Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System) rating, SUNY Oswego contributes longstanding leadership in sustainability policy, carbon accounting and climate communication. The university’s Office of Sustainability has been a regional leader in implementing innovative strategies to reduce emissions and strengthen climate preparedness.
Professor Gwen Kay -- a historian of science and medicine and director of the SUNY Oswego Honors Program, who also brings experience from service on the SUNY Board of Trustees -- will extend her expertise towards building its strengths in governance, communication and climate action while learning from partners across engineering, forestry and ecological research.
Oswego students will produce educational research examining community resilience in the Adirondacks. Integrating these communication efforts with FIRE-NET’s technical, ecological and cultural perspectives strengthens the network’s ability to reach across the park’s enormous geography.
With its location on Lake Ontario and its deep experience in statewide policy discussions, SUNY Oswego helps ensure that wildfire resilience is understood not only as a scientific concern but as a matter of governance, planning,and institutional responsibility.
FIRE-NET will convene partners at a future 2026 symposium to advance coordinated regional responses, including public outreach, research collaborations and cross-campus educational initiatives.
“SUNY Oswego is proud to stand alongside regional institutions of higher education working for a resilient Adirondack across New York state,” Kay said. “Our role in FIRE-NET reflects our commitment to preparing students for the environmental challenges of the 21st century.”