RESEARCH
ARCTIC CLOUD - SEA ICE FEEDBACKS
The Arctic is the fastest-warming region on Earth in response to increasing anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. Sea ice loss is one of the most visible manifestations of this amplified warming. Due to their radiative impacts on the surface, clouds have the potential to accelerate or reduce the rate of observed sea ice loss. I am interested in feedbacks between clouds and sea ice in the context of present-day variability and future Arctic climate change.
CLIMATE INTERVENTION IMPACTS IN THE ARCTIC
Stratospheric aerosol injection (SAI) is a proposed climate intervention strategy for stabilizing or cooling Earth's surface temperature in an attempt to mitigate climate change impacts. I use global climate models to study projected impacts of hypothetical SAI scenarios on parts of the Arctic climate system. I currently focus on whether SAI could delay or prevent permafrost tipping points, and how sea ice changes after SAI deployment may affect the navigability of Arctic Ocean shipping routes.
GEOGRAPHIC SHIFTS IN OPTIMUM CONDITIONS FOR AGRICULTURE
Many regions that grow opportunity crops such as grapes, coffee, and cocoa are becoming too hot to consistently produce high yield and high quality harvests. I use global climate models, climate indices, and agricultural economic data to assess where the optimum environmental conditions for growing opportunity crops may shift under different climate change scenarios, and what the potential economic cost of such shifts may be.
ADDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE QUESTIONS WITH MACHINE LEARNING
Machine learning is a powerful tool in the geosciences. I am interested in developing and using neural networks and other machine learning tools to investigate complex Earth system relationships and patterns, such as when the influence of certain climate intervention strategies may be detectable on permafrost and Arctic Ocean temperature.
