The number of scientists engaged in studying climate change is growing exponentially. This page is designed to help you identify climate scientists conducting research in your region and in specific subject areas. All information about climate scientists is derived from publically available sources. Tribes and non-tribal entities engaging in climate science partnerships may also seek information on protection traditional knowledges in those research initiatives. Resources that may be of assistance include Guidelines for Considering Traditional Knowledges in Climate Change Initiatives and the role of tribal Institutional Review Boards. An example is this Institutional Review Board Manual for the Northwest Indian College.
If you have suggested additions for this list, please fill out this form.
| Title |
Organization |
Description | Category | Geography | Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wendy Palen | Simon Fraser University, Earth2Ocean |
The research program of my group is broadly defined by the ecology of aquatic communities, currently ranging from amphibian populations of California, the Pacific Northwest, and the far north, to the river and lake food webs that support salmon populations from California to Alaska. We rely heavily on field-based experimental manipulations to tease apart the mechanistic underpinnings of ecological patterns, from species physiology to food web interactions. |
Population Dynamics, Freshwater Ecosystems Impacts, Environmental Monitoring | National, Northwest, British Columbia, Washington | Link |
| Randall Peterman | Simon Fraser University, Fisheries Science and Management Research Group |
His research focuses on: (1) fish population dynamics, (2) uncertainties affecting conservation risks and management decisions, and (3) reducing uncertainties. He uses large data sets, simulations models, Bayesian statistics, and formal decision analysis |
Population Dynamics, Economic Impacts, Impacts to Human Systems, Fisheries, Salmon | National, Pacific Ocean, Northwest, British Columbia | Link |
| Evelyn Pinkerton | Simon Fraser University, Resource and Environmental Management |
Dr. Pinkerton is a maritime anthropologist who has integrated common property theory and cultural/political ecology in considering the role communities play in the management of adjacent renewable natural resources. She has played a key role in developing the theory and practice of power-sharing and stewardship through co-management agreements. |
Cultural Resources | British Columbia, International, Northwest | Link |
| Andrew Cooper | Simon Fraser University, Resource and Environmental Management |
Andrew is an Adjunct Professor in the Resource and Environmental Management program. Research interests: Applied statistics and simulation models in natural resources management |
Statistics, Natural Resources, Management | National, International, Pacific Ocean, Northwest, British Columbia | Link |
| Alan Hamlet | Skagit Climate Science Consortium |
His research over the last 10 years has focused on the impacts of climate variability and change on rivers and water resources systems in the western U.S., with a particular emphasis on the Columbia River basin in the Pacific Northwest. |
Climate change, hydrology, Columbia River | Northwest, Washington | Link |
| Alan Bloomberg | Stevens Institute of Technology; Consortium for Climate Risk in the Urban Northeast (CCRUN) |
His research is directed towards understanding and predicting the flow processes operating in rivers, lakes, estuaries and the oceans. It has contributed to the creation of ocean observing and forecasting systems which are used for environmental studies, surface vessel operations and as a basis for maritime security. His latest work is to understand and predict the impacts of extreme climate-driven events on urban coasts and to create innovative adaptations to protect people and property - a new discipline called adaptative engineering. |
Adaptive Engineering; Climate Modeling; Infrastructure | Northeast, Atlantic | Link |
| Jamie Donatuto | Swinomish Indian Tribal Community, First Stewards |
Dr. Donatuto is the Environmental Health Analyst for the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community. She and her colleague Larry Campbell focus their work on developing culturally-meaningful and appropriate community-based indicators of indigenous health with Coast Salish Tribes and Canadian First Nations. She also works on toxics trends monitoring, Superfund cleanup challenges, and climate change impacts and adaptation measures. |
Toxics Monitoring, Superfund Cleanup, Climate Change Impacts, Adaptation | Northwest, Washington | Link |
| Josh Foster | The American Society of Adaptation Professionals (ASAP) |
He has over 25 years experience working on climate change science and policy issues in the federal, non-profit, and state sectors, including over 20 years working on climate adaptation. He is vice chair of the executive committee for ASAP. |
Adaptation | Oregon, Northwest | Link |
| Andrea S. Thorpe | The Washington Natural Heritage Program |
My research interests include rare species biology, conservation, and restoration; invasive species biology and control; and the interactions between plants and soil ecosystems. The central theme uniting most of my projects is using ecological theory to inform and improve conservation and restoration of native species and habitats. |
Environmental Monitoring, Terrestrial Ecosystem Impacts, Planning/Adaptation/Mitigation | Northwest, Washington | Link |
| Ken Vance-Borland | U.S. Forest Service, Aquatic Ecology and Management Team Directory |
I've been concerned with nature conservation for a long time. Sustaining healthy ecosystems and human communities in the face of global change is a complex problem. I empower communities to meet this challenge with network mapping tools to discover who has (and has not) been working together, and with network weaving processes for building unexpected new collaborations. When people exchange ideas with new partners, innovative solutions emerge. I'm also a spatial analyst, using GIS and satellite imagery to help researchers map streams and fish habitat; predict locations that might provide good habitat for salmon; and study how things like forestry, fires, and climate change may influence that habitat quality and the salmon populations that depend on it. (Currently: Executive Director, Conservation Planning Institute) |
Spatial Analyst, GIS, Salmon Ecosystems, Climate Change Impacts | Northwest, Alaska, Oregon | Link |
| Gunnar Knapp | University of Alaska Anchorage; NOAA RISA, Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy (ACCAP) |
Dr. Knapp has conducted a wide variety of research on the Alaska economy and Alaska resources, including in particular markets for Alaska seafood and management of Alaska fisheries resources. He is well known for his expertise on world salmon markets among both academic and industry groups, and has traveled worldwide in connection with his research on salmon markets. |
Economic Impacts; Salmon; Fisheries | Alaska, Pacific Ocean, International | Link |
| David Atkinson | University of Alaska Fairbanks |
My primary focus concerns the "environmental forcing" of coastal zones in arctic regions. This means how do storm winds and waves affect coastal zones, with special attention given to the unique complicating conditions introduced by the presence of sea-ice and frozen ground. |
Hydrologic Modeling, Marine, Coastal Ecosystem Impacts | Arctic, Alaska | Link |
| Cathy Cahill | University of Alaska Fairbanks |
Professor Cahill's research focuses on atmospheric aerosols and their impacts on visibility, global climate, and human health. Her research includes laboratory experiments, modeling, and field studies of atmospheric aerosols and their properties. |
Impacts to Human Systems, Climate Modeling, Air Quality | Alaska, National, International | Link |
| Richard D. Boone | University of Alaska Fairbanks |
Biogeochemistry of terrestrial ecosystems, soil organic matter dynamics, global change, land-use legacies on soils. |
Terrestrial Ecosystem Monitoring, Climate Modeling | Alaska, Arctic, National, International | Link |
| Nicole Molders | University of Alaska Fairbanks |
I want to contribute to improving numerical models in order to simulate the water, energy and trace gas cycles appropriately. Doing so will allow policy makers to use model outcomes to assess future water resources, water and air quality and to make reasonable decisions to meet the challenges of the future. |
Hydrologic Modeling, Air Quality, policy, Impacts to Human Systems | Alaska, National, International | Link |
| David Valentine | University of Alaska Fairbanks |
Dr. Valentine's broad research interest is in ecosystem ecology, biogeochemistry, and element cycling in northern ecosystems. Past research focused on the role of soils in forests, grasslands, and wetlands in generating or consuming trace gasses, especially methane, that control Earth's climate. His recent research has focused on the effects of wildfire on soil respiration and carbon balance. |
Vegetation Modeling, Terrestrial Ecosystem Impacts, Wildfire | National, International, Alaska | Link |
| Gerhard Kramm | University of Alaska Fairbanks |
My research activities are mainly focused on the theoretical aspects of atmospheric sciences, in particular physics of the planetary boundary layer, atmospheric turbulence and its impact upon atmospheric chemistry, atmospheric dynamics, atmospheric radiation, cloud physics, micro- and mesoscale numerical modeling, and climate change. |
Climate Modeling, Environmental Monitoring | Alaska, National, International | Link |
| Glenn Juday | University of Alaska Fairbanks |
Tree-ring studies, Biodiversity under forest management systems, climate change assessment, climate change and forest growth, structure of old-growth forest ecosystems, wilderness and natural area management, long-term environmental monitoring. |
Vegetation Modeling, Environmental Monitoring, Climate Modeling | Alaska | Link |
| Gilberto Fochesatto | University of Alaska Fairbanks |
Optical Characterization and Chemical Speciation of Aerosols by Laser Remote Sensing and Laser Spectroscopy, Optical Remote Sensing, and Aerols Feedback Processes in the Lower Troposphere |
Climate, Environmental Monitoring, Air Quality | Alaska, National, International | Link |
| Tom Weingartner | University of Alaska Fairbanks |
Physical oceanography of Alaskan continental shelves and slopes, interdisciplinary marine research, and wind and buoyancy-forced shelf circulation systems. |
Hydrologic Modeling, Marine, Coastal Ecosystem Impacts | Alaska, Pacific Ocean | Link |
| John Yarie | University of Alaska Fairbanks |
Structure and function of boreal forests, successional processes following catastrophic disturbances, effects of changing environment conditions (including global warming) on forest ecosystem processes, modeling of forest ecosystem dynamics at the ecosystem and landscape perspectives. |
Climate Modeling, Environmental Monitoring, Vegetation Modeling | Alaska | Link |
| Vladimir Romanovsky | University of Alaska Fairbanks |
I am interested in the scientific and practical aspects of environmental and engineering problems involving ice and permafrost. These include problems in the areas of soil physics, thermodynamics, heat and mass flow, and growth and decay processes that are associated with permafrost, subsea permafrost, seasonally frozen ground, and seasonal snow cover. I am also interested in the improvement of mathematical methods (analytical and numerical modeling) in geology and geophysics. |
Ice; Permafrost; Snow; Climate Modeling; Geology | Alaska, Russia, International | Link |
| Uma Bhatt | University of Alaska Fairbanks |
My research specialty is "Climate Variability". This research aims to understand how one component of the climate system impacts another (e.g. ocean and atmosphere) and attempts to explain why something happens. |
Climate, Ecosystem Modeling | Alaska, National, International | Link |
| Jessie Cherry | University of Alaska Fairbanks |
Jessie's research involves arctic hydrology and climate, including land-atmosphere interactions and large-scale snow physics. |
Ice; Snow; Permafrost; Hydrology; Water Resources Impacts | Alaska | Link |
| Xiangdong Zhang | University of Alaska Fairbanks |
Weather extremes in the present and projected future climate, Arctic freshwater and sea ice and their roles in global climate, development of climate model and improvement of physical treatments. |
Climate Modeling, Hydrologic Modeling | Arctic, Pacific Ocean, Arctic Ocean, Alaska | Link |
| Hajo Eicken | University of Alaska Fairbanks |
My main research interests are in the field of sea-ice geophysics. In particular, I am interested in how small-scale properties and (micro)structure of sea ice impact processes on a larger scale as well as the role of sea ice in the climate system. |
Ice; Snow; Sea Ice; Geophysics; Marine Hydrology | Alaska | Link |
| Katrin Iken | University of Alaska Fairbanks |
My research is mainly centered around trophic interactions between organisms. This involves dietary composition, feeding habits and consumption rates of invertebrates, macroalgal-herbivore interactions, stable isotope analysis of food web structures etc. It also involves chemical defenses of macroalgae and invertebrates against grazers and predators. I am generally interested in shallow water community diversity, dynamics and ecology, especially in both polar regions, and in deep-sea communities. Most of my shallow water work uses scientific diving as a research tool. |
Marine, Coastal Ecosystem Impacts, Climate Modeling | Pacific Ocean, Arctic Ocean, Alaska, Arctic | Link |
| Valerie Barber | University of Alaska Fairbanks |
Climate change, boreal forest, forest products, dendrochronology, dedroisotopes, paleoclimatology. |
Vegetation Modeling, Economic Impacts, Climate Modeling | Alaska | Link |
| Kris Hundertmark | University of Alaska Fairbanks |
Genetics applications in wildlife research and management, population ecology of large mammals, conservation genetics of Arabian megafauna, phylogeography of Beringian megafauna, landscape genetics of wildlife. |
Terrestrial Ecosystem Impacts, Vegetation Modeling, Population Dynamics | International, Alaska | Link |
| Vladimir A. Alexeev | University of Alaska Fairbanks |
My area of expertise is climate dynamics with emphasis on feedbacks affecting polar amplification (PA) of global warming. These feedbacks are unrelated to the so-called "local" polar amplification mechanisms associated with surface albedo and clouds. They are linked to remote signal propagating to the Arctic atmosphere from the lower latitudes as the climate warms. |
Climate Modeling, Atmospheric Dynamics | Alaska, Arctic, Russia, International | Link |
