NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management has released higher resolution land cover maps for Alabama, Mississippi, Northeast Ohio, Rhode Island, and the Puget Sound in Washington.  

These 1 meter data—previously only available in 30 meter—provide more detail communities need to map and understand their landscapes and features, including tree canopy, wetlands, impervious surface and several other categories. This additional detail will help inform decisions regarding stormwater management, flood mitigation, wetland restoration, and more. 

�鶹��ý employee owners—subcontracted through Lynker Technologies—contributed to the release of this data set by participating in production activities and providing quality assurance/quality control checks. 

Through this effort �鶹��ý employee owners help improve community resilience. 

Find these new  data through .

NOAA’s Margaret A. Davidson Fellowship is a two-year fellowship for graduate students that provides an opportunity for them to work side by side with researchers at one of the 30 National Estuarine Research Reserves. The fellowship provides each cohort of fellows with hands-on and cross-disciplinary research experiences, networking opportunities, and professional development and mentoring, helping to prepare them for a career in coastal management.   

�鶹��ý employee owners (as part of Team Lynker on contract with NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management) support this fellowship program by assisting with organizing meetings and events for the fellows and recently helped organize a two-day professional networking and career readiness event in Charleston, South Carolina. Throughout the two-day experience, fellows engaged with coastal management professionals from federal, state, private, and nonprofit sectors, visited NOAA facilities, and gained hands-on experience with environmental educators. A �鶹��ý senior program manager and Lynker Technologies vice president participated in the career panel providing insight into their career paths and offered advice to the fellows as they embark on their career journeys.   

Additionally, �鶹��ý and Lynker each sponsored a breakfast to kick off the day and provide additional opportunities for strengthening relationships within the cohort and building connections and networking with attendees.   

As this cohort is nearing the end of their two-year fellowship, this event helped strengthen the fellows’ career development skills, increase confidence in job searching and interviewing, and expand their professional networks, better preparing them to transition into coastal management careers.  

Learn more about the  and the .  

A �鶹��ý employee owner supporting NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management (sub-contracted through Lynker Technologies) has been working closely with colleagues to develop, improve, and deliver trainings related to risk communication.   

The �鶹��ý trainer delivered their first training of  in Rhode Island to an audience of over 30 coastal managers, planners, practitioners, and a U.S. Representative. The training was well received and will help participants develop new skills to better connect with a variety of audiences by improving their risk communication skills for coastal hazards planning and preparedness.  

Through these trainings, �鶹��ý employee owners support the mission of NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management by building capacity of communities and practitioners to increase the nation’s resilience to coastal hazards while protecting natural habitat.

Congratulations to �鶹��ý Employee Owner Hannah Mazurek on receiving a Core Values Award for her support to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Research and Services. The NIH recognizes Hannah “for her advocacy for use of the Lab Archives chemical inventory system, thus strengthening chemical safety and compliance.” 

The Core Values Award at the NIH Office of Research Services awards ceremony is an employee recognition award that honors individuals or teams who exemplify the organization’s stated core values in their work and service to the NIH community. 

The  core values include: 

• Safety and Security 
• Excellence 
• Innovation
• Collaboration

The award is typically given to employees who demonstrate exceptional professionalism, customer service, leadership, teamwork, mission support, innovation, or dedication to NIH operations and research support. 

Great job to Hannah! �鶹��ý is honored to have such dedicated employee owners supporting our clients and their missions. 

Congratulations to NOAA for launching their new Typical Meteorological Year product, developed by the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) as part of the industry initiative. This effort helps make environmental data actionable for architects and engineers designing the next generation of resilient infrastructure. �鶹��ý is proud to support this effort and our employee owners who contributed to this product. 

The  product provides location-specific meteorological data that represents a “typical” year for a given site. By combining historical observations with future climate projections through 2100, TMY enables professionals to design with both past conditions and future risks in mind. 

Available across all 50 U.S. states, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, TMY includes key variables such as: 

• Temperature – to optimize insulation, heating, and cooling
• Solar radiation – to guide energy-efficient building design
• Wind speed – to support structural durability and ventilation
• Precipitation – to inform drainage and water management

By incorporating historical data and future climate projections into modeling, TMY helps  design safer, more resilient structures—including hospitals, schools, bridges, and stormwater systems.

TMY is delivered through an interactive web interface with flexible download options, making it easy to access and apply in real-world projects. Environmental data tools like TMY enable data-driven decisions that improve performance, reduce risk, and support long-term resilience. 

�鶹��ý played a critical role in the development of this tool, including managing the development (timeline, scope, and team), and developing the interface, backend, methodology, and website landing page. �鶹��ý is proud of our team’s contributions to the NCEI  and this great accomplishment. This effort is supporting data-driven decisions, strengthening national preparedness, and helping communities thrive in the face of extreme weather. 

NOAA’s National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service recognized the TMY development team with their Outstanding Science and Research Team Member Award, highlighting the innovation and impact of this first-of-its-kind industry collaboration. 

�鶹��ý employee owners provide on-site support to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Hazardous Waste Program at several campuses around the country: Atlanta, Georgia, San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Fort Collins, Colorado. With 22 years of experience, �鶹��ý staff are responsible for providing training to laboratory and facilities staff to ensure safe handling of hazardous waste to avoid harmful incidents. 

�鶹��ý staff provide regular training to CDC staff on topics, including hazardous waste management, using the online waste ticketing system, and spill training. This training covers common mistakes (e.g. improper placement of labels), safety issues (e.g. not including biological materials, improper storage and containment, leaks, and classification), and handling special waste, such as crystalized waste (which can be unstable and possibly explosive). 

Additionally, �鶹��ý staff provide universal waste training to CDC staff on an as-needed basis.

�鶹��ý Staff are also tasked with collecting universal waste and provide oversight of storage areas, which include storage for light bulbs (fluorescents, ultraviolet, and LED), aerosol cans, and batteries, which are disposed of by a recycling contractor. 

With extensive expertise in packing hazardous waste, �鶹��ý staff prepare materials for quarterly shipments for safe transport to a waste disposal facility. 

�鶹��ý’ proper handling and management of hazardous waste continues to help safeguard CDC campuses from unnecessary risk and reduce incidents.

�鶹��ý team members supporting NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)  are working with the architecture and engineering, insurance and reinsurance, and retail sectors to co-develop environmental data tools that are accessible and actionable, helping industries and communities build weather resilience. 

 showcases how NOAA data products, and this initiative, are equipping professionals to design infrastructure that can withstand normal and extreme conditions today and tomorrow.  

Turning Data into Design Insight 

In the video, Dan Walker of the American Society of Civil Engineers describes how NOAA data underpins building codes, engineering standards, and infrastructure planning. As extreme weather becomes more frequent and conditions continue to change, designing based solely on historical data is no longer enough. Access to reliable environmental data allows architects and engineers to account for future risks and build with long-term performance in mind. 

Applying Data in the Real World 

Through ongoing collaboration with industry partners, the initiative helps translate complex environmental data into tools that support day-to-day decision-making. These resources provide critical insights that help professionals evaluate risk, plan for future conditions, and design more resilient infrastructure, including: 

•  (Updated Summer 2025): A comprehensive record of historical weather events and impacts, enabling professionals to understand past hazards and incorporate that knowledge into risk assessments and infrastructure design. 

• Typical Meteorological Year (Estimated Release Spring 2026): Typical and projected weather conditions can be used to inform energy-efficient building design, system performance, and long-term planning for changing climate conditions. 

• Precipitation Time Series Explorer (Estimated Release Fall 2026): An interactive tool using  data to show historical and near real-time precipitation at specific locations, helping engineers assess rainfall trends, frequency, and extreme event risk for design planning. 

These tools help architects and engineers move beyond static data, supporting smarter decisions that improve performance, reduce risk, and strengthen resilience over time. 

Delivering Broader Impact 

The benefits of this work extend beyond individual projects. Data-informed design helps reduce uncertainty, improve efficiency, and lower long-term costs. More importantly, it supports infrastructure that keeps communities safe, maintains essential services, and strengthens economic resilience. From transportation systems to commercial buildings, these insights are helping ensure infrastructure is prepared for both current and future challenges. 

Supporting What Comes Next 

�鶹��ý is proud of its team members contributing to the NCEI industry initiative, helping transform environmental data into practical solutions that strengthen industries, support the economy, and build safer, more resilient communities. To learn more, visit the  page and watch the video now!  

Portable High-throughput Integrated Laboratory Identification System (PHILIS) is the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) suite of mobile laboratories designed to provide on-site analysis of chemical agents. �鶹��ý employee owners support the PHILIS team with on-site responses and chemical analysis. �鶹��ý PHILIS teams recently supported the technical design and integration of state-of-the-art emergency response mobile laboratory units engineered for the rapid detection and quantification of hazardous materials. �鶹��ý PHILIS teams in Castle Rock, Colorado and Edison, New Jersey collaborated with EPA and MRIGlobal — a research- and technology-focused contract company — representatives to orchestrate the configuration of Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry, Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry, and preparatory systems to ensure benchtop-level performance under mobile conditions. �鶹��ý staff validated all critical support systems, including electrical, information technology (or IT), climate control system (or HVAC), vibration isolation, fume hoods, cabinetry and chemical storage, plumbing, power, fire, lighting, vacuum, and high-purity gas delivery systems. �鶹��ý chemistry staff upgraded and organized the current facility to best support the new laboratory units by implementing a transition and decontamination plan, installing an upgraded electrical system with higher voltage and amperage power supplies, and training staff on safe practices in use and movement of the new labs and equipment. �鶹��ý staff ensured that the laboratory adhered to safety standards while optimizing workflow for the hazardous material sample receiving, preparation, processing, analysis, and review while deployed to support EPA emergency response activities. 

Visit EPA’s website to .