In Warren County, New York, I am working with community members to document, analyze, and synthesize local ecological knowledge into a regional ecological calendar. This work is being conducted in partnership with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Warren County and Cornell University, under the guidance of Professor Karim-Aly Kassam. Through interviews and seasonal mapping, we gather knowledge of environmental cues that have long guided activities such as planting, harvesting, hunting, and community organization. By bringing this knowledge together with scientific data, we hope to generate calendars that are both scientifically rigorous and culturally meaningful, providing tools to help communities adapt to the local effects of global climate change.

From a mathematical perspective, I am interested in how ecological calendars can be thought of as models of interconnected indicators. Each indicator, whether it is a frost, a bloom, or a migration event, exists within a system of relationships. Tracking these indicators over time may reveal hidden structures, possibly existing along “paths” in higher dimensions shaped by population dynamics, plant growth rates, spawning cycles, and other variables.

Ultimately, I view ecological calendars not only as cultural knowledge systems but also as dynamic, living models—ones that may require constant updating in response to shifting climates and changing ecosystems. By studying their structure, I hope to better understand both the mathematics of interdependence and the ways in which communities can remain resilient in the face of environmental uncertainty.

To learn more about my research group, you can visit my professor's website here: https://blogs.cornell.edu/karim-aly--kassam/students/