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Director of the Climate Hazards Center, University of California, Santa Barbara

Research Director, UCSB Geography Climate Hazard Group (CHG), 2008 to present
Affiliated Research Professor, Department of Geography, UC Santa Barbara
Lead Scientist: USAID FEWS NET climate change adaptation program
Oversee research activities at UCSB CHG (chg.geog.ucsb.edu)
Coordinate with UCSB PIs to manage USGS/UCSB cooperative research
PI grants from NOAA and NASA
Oversee the development of new famine early warning science
Pioneer new innovations in climate prediction and attribution
Develop new geospatial algorithms and tool sets
Occasional lecturer for the UCSB Geography department
Assistant Director, UCSB Geography Climate Hazard Group (CHG), 2003-2009
Associate Research Professor, Department of Geography, UC Santa Barbara
Co-managed international 13 member staff. PI or Co-PI on 7 grants.
Improved hydrologic early warning systems and forecasts.
Senior Scientist (SAIC), USGS FEWS NET – EROS Data Center, 2001-2003
Science coordinator for 5 international FEWS NET scientists.
Developed new environmental monitoring tools
Carried out climate modeling and forecasting to support Famine Early Warning.
Duties: Science coordinator for 5 international FEWS NET scientists. Developed new
environmental monitoring tools, e.g., the Forecast Interpretation Tool, facilitating the use of
seasonal climate forecasts by FEWS NET food security analysts. Carried out climate modeling
and forecasting to support Famine Early Warning.
Accomplishments: Established USGS FEWS NET Special reporting. Produced 9 reports and 3
publications. Climate modeling identified anthropogenic drought and impacts in vulnerable
areas of eastern Africa. Forecast 2002/03 drought in Southern Africa, leading directly to timely
decision-making for sustained emergency food aid programs by USAID and the World Food
Program. Improved early warning monitoring and forecasting.

Experience

  • –present
    Affiliated Research Professor, Department of Geography and Research Director, Climate Hazards Group , University of California, Santa Barbara