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My Research
I am a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Ecosystem Science and Management at Texas A&M University. I am part of an interdisciplinary team that studies the vulnerability of beef cattle production in the U.S. Great Plains to climate variability and change. Funded by USDA-NIFA and in collaboration with researchers at the U.S. Forest Service and the University of Wyoming, we use 21st century projections of grasslands in the Great Plains to estimate how forage availability for rangeland beef cattle in the Great Plains will expand, contract, or shift geographically due to climate change. We also conduct economic analyses to assess the economic impacts of these changes on ranch operations and assess adaptive practices that can help producers maintain viable operations.
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In February of 2018, I graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a Ph.D. in Geography. In my dissertation, I took a multidisciplinary, user-driven approach to warn winter wheat producers of unseasonal conditions, like drought or heat, that can cause severe damage to their crops. I conducted an online survey to study decision timing and seasonal climate forecast needs in the south-central U.S. (Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Colorado) where winter wheat is the dominant grain crop. Through statistical analysis I quantified the accuracy of a seasonal forecast model for the most requested forecast elements across the region.
My results inform model developers and operational forecasters about seasonal forecast needs and forecast accuracy and ultimately help winter wheat farmers improve critical decision-making. As a consequence, my research can help reduce crop losses due to heat, drought, or extreme rainfall, which can stabilize food prices and increase food security. Research Poster (September 2018) |
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My Research Interests
I am interested in conducting collaborative, interdisciplinary, actionable research to improve the adaptive capacity of coupled human and natural systems to climate change. Too often, research is conducted in disciplinary silos and removed from the real world. But especially in the field of climate change adaptation, we need to acknowledge the limitations of our own disciplines and collaborate with stakeholders and peers from other disciplines to achieve practicable outcomes that fit the needs of real-world decision making. I strive to advance our ability to adapt to climate change through my own research, as well as through science advocacy and teaching.
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