Clark University

As extreme weather accelerates across the U.S., reactive disaster planning is leaving communities vulnerable.

In a recent Impakter op-ed, Hamed Alemohammad, director of Clark’s Center for Geospatial Analytics, writes that the data required for proactive climate modeling remains fragmented across federal agencies.

By building open geospatial AI models, he says, communities can move from reacting to disasters to anticipating them.

"Access to real-time geospatial data is critical for forward-thinking planning — it enables communities and governments to predict environmental changes, model climate impacts, and allocate resources proactively rather than reactively," Alemohammad writes.

Read his full piece ➡️ https://bit.ly/3Uja387 📰

impakter.com

With summer break coming to a close and the academic year nearly upon us, get the scoop on what’s happening on campus this fall!

From campus office moves to new events, including tailgating at the Cougar Pit Party, here's what's worth knowing as the semester begins ⬇️

10 things to know for the fall 2026 semester at Clark University With summer break coming to a close and the academic year nearly upon us, here’s the scoop on what’s happening on campus this fall.

Our Peer Mentors are back on campus and gearing up for the arrival of our newest Clarkies! 🎉

We’re excited to welcome the Class of 2030 on Thursday, followed by our transfer students and returning Clarkies — and a big shout-out to those already here for pre-Orientation programs.

Thank you to our incredible student leaders for all you do! 👏

Kinda chic to be a Clarkie 💅☺️

We were pleased to welcome state leaders, researchers, and community partners to campus today as the Commonwealth of Massachusetts announced its first-ever Heat Resilience Officer. 👏

The Healey–Driscoll Administration has appointed Katie Schlick to the new role, launching a government-wide, community-centered effort to address the growing impacts of extreme heat.

“I want to thank Governor Maura Healey and Climate Chief Melissa Hoffer for their foresight in establishing this position and for choosing to make the announcement in Worcester, where some neighborhoods have become quiet battlegrounds against the kind of extreme heat that impacts families and businesses and endangers our most vulnerable citizens,” Clark President David Fithian said.

The announcement was made in collaboration with Clark’s School of Climate, Environment, and Society, whose research, data, and community partnerships help guide decision-making on environmental justice, urban greening, public health, and climate resilience.

Read more from the event ➡️ https://bit.ly/4cmCurX

Clark is celebrated for its many “firsts” in the sciences and social sciences — but there’s another fascinating part of our history that deserves the spotlight: the iconic artists who performed at Atwood Hall early on in their careers.

A new exhibit, “Music Legends of Clark,” captures this history for present and future generations. The Boston Globe previewed the exhibit and spoke to Clark Trustee Nancy Mack (P ’27) and her husband, Chad Smith (P ’27), drummer of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, about their decision to support it.

“I think it’s really inspiring for kids to know that they have something on their campus — a building that is historic and . . . had some of the best rock and roll, R&B, all different kinds of acts,” Smith told the Globe.

Read the full story ➡️ https://bit.ly/4wXPfSg 📰

Clark University just unveiled an exhibit about the music legends who performed there. A rock star funded it. - The Boston Globe The new exhibit “Music Legends at Clark” was funded by architect Nancy Mack and Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith. The couple's son is a junior at the Worcester university.

This summer, students in Clark's Human-Environment Regional Observatory (HERO) program collected and analyzed data in three of Massachusetts' Gateway Cities — Chicopee, Holyoke, and Lawrence.

Findings from the undergraduate researchers are being used by the state to combat the urban “heat island” effect, when a city experiences much warmer temperatures than nearby rural areas.

“Our data helps tell us what works and what doesn’t in urban forestry programs," HERO fellow Tatum Choi ’28 said.

Read more about this year's cohort ➡️ https://bit.ly/45A9U2s