The final SNR Fall Seminar Series will feature Climate for Cities, a multi-state, collaborative, hands-on research project led by Natalie Umphlett and Martha Shulski, both climatologists in the school, from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Nov. 20 in Hardin Hall Auditorium, 3310 Holdrege St.
Their presentation, “Climate Change Planning and Cities: Lessons learned from partnerships on the Plains,” is free and open to the public.
About the presentation
Rising temperatures, greater variability, shifting precipitation patterns, and more extreme rain events due to climate change pose current and future challenges for cities. Impacts permeate many aspects of municipalities – infrastructure, health, recreation, utilities, emergency operations, and more. Proper adaptation requires a knowledge and understanding of climate projections and how future changes will influence specific municipal concerns. This work aims to enhance decision-making and increase capacity of both small and large communities to effectively plan for change. In doing so, researchers and cities partnered to understand barriers, develop local and usable tools, and ultimately reduce risk to future climate change impacts.
About the presenters
Martha Shulski serves as Nebraska State Climatologist and is an associate professor in the School of Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. She directs the Nebraska State Climate Office, which operates the Nebraska Mesonet — a statewide weather monitoring program with 70 weather stations across the state. Martha has degrees in meteorology, agricultural meteorology and soil science. She joined UNL in 2009. Her current work is in the areas of applied climatology, weather and climate monitoring, impact assessment and stakeholder engagement. She was one of the contributing authors on the Fourth U.S. National Climate Assessment.
Natalie Umphlett is the regional climatologist at the High Plains Regional Climate Center within the School of Natural Resources. In this position, she serves as the climate services manager and public liaison for the Center, working closely with stakeholders and partners on climate monitoring for enhanced decision making. She has been with the center since 2008 and her current research focuses on understanding ways in which climate data and information can be incorporated into municipal planning processes.
About the series
The SNR Fall Seminar Series brings in leading scientists to cover a diverse range of topics, including drought and climate change; fisheries health and wildlife populations; soil health and Nebraska crops; and stakeholder engagement.
For the complete list of speakers and presentation topics, or for recorded presentationsvisit our seminar webpage.