The California Nevada Adaption Program

To support community level adaptation, our logic model contains three pathways. The first pathway focuses on efforts to convene and connect our researchers, partners, and collaborators across the CNAP program. The second pathway is our research, with six core projects that largely focus on frontline and historically excluded communities. The third pathway will intentionally focus on using our convening/connecting and research pathways to act as catalysts to create new adaptation solutions to respond to current and future climate risks and hazards. 

John Abatzoglou is a climatologist and faculty at the University of California, Merced. John’s research is focused on climate science and impacts in the American West. As part of CNAP John will focus on agricultural and water climate adaptation efforts for communities in the San Joaquin Valley as well as on improving climate fluency of community college students in central California.

Tarik Benmarhnia is an Associate Professor of Environmental Epidemiology at UCSD, Scripps Institution of Oceanography. With his team, they use epidemiologic and causal inference methods to investigate how the environment and extreme weather events impact population health and environmental justice. As part of CNAP, Tarik Benmarhnia will focus on quantifying the health impacts associated with extreme heat and wildfire smoke and contribute to Southern Nevada Heat Resilience Lab (SNHRL).

Emma Frances Bloomfield is an environmental communication researcher at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas who studies technical and public discourse about climate change. Her first book, Communication Strategies for Engaging Climate Skeptics: Religion and the Environment (Routledge, 2019), examined the intersection of Christianity and climate change in the United States. As part of CNAP, Bloomfield will assist in designing the Heat Lab’s messaging and work on the Adaptive Mind project.

Laura Engeman is a coastal resilience researcher at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego. Her research focuses on applying coastal trends and projections to guide local and state sea-level rise policies, adaptation planning and coastal resilience investments.  As part of CNAP, Laura will focus on identifying physical and economic information that can support adaptation pathway planning, integrating tribal stewardship into nature-based solutions, and evaluating the adaptive limitations of nature-based approaches. 

Lori Fulton is a visual science translator focused on developing visual media, such as infographics, diagrams, story boards and other messaging media, as well as reports for the California Nevada Adaptation Program (CNAP). Lori has 35+ years working in the graphic design industry and 13+ years designing scientific materials. As part of CNAP, she will focus on developing visual media materials, communicating science and research results to non-scientific communities.

Alexander (Sasha) Gershunov is a meteorologist and climatologist at Scripps. Sasha’s research focuses on interrelated aspects of weather, climate and society. His professional interests include understanding the links between regional weather extremes and large-scale climate variability and change. Sasha will contribute work on coastal flooding events, as well as expertise across other projects as needed.  

Dennis Lettenmaier is a hydrologist at UCLA with interests in hydrologic modeling and prediction and the assessment of hydrologic implications of climate change.  As part of CNAP project, he will continue an ongoing investigation of the role of climate change on crop water consumption in the Central Valley, along with coincident effects of changing crop types.

Steph McAfee is an Associate Professor in the Geography Department at the University of Nevada, Reno and serves as the Nevada state climatologist. She has expertise in climate change and variability with a particular focus on water resource management. As part of CNAP, she will work on extreme heat monitoring and response in southern Nevada. 

Josué Medellín-Azuara is an Associate Professor of Environmental Engineering at the University of California, Merced. He is also an Associate Director of the UC Agricultural Issues Center, and an Adjunct Research Fellow at the Public Policy Institute of California. His areas of expertise include the development of large-scale hydro-economic models for water supply, the economics of agricultural, environmental and urban water uses, adaptation to climate change, integrated water management, and consumptive water use. As part of CNAP Josué will focus on agricultural, climate, and groundwater relations in the San Joaquin Valley.

Dr. Pairis, based at the Desert Research Institute, will lead the creation of the CNAP small grants program. She will work directly with the Climate Science Alliance to develop and deliver the program to partners through the CA-NV region. Specifically, Dr. Pairis will work with the Climate Science Alliance team to design and deliver training and mentoring for both western researchers and Indigenous partners to help facilitate a space to advance co-production built on mutual trust, respect, and reciprocity. 

Jim Selgrath is a scientist previously involved in large animal reproductive manipulation and genetic engineering.  He has since become the owner/manager of his family’s cattle ranch and teaches agriculture business and animal science at Bakersfield College.  His role in the CNAP community will be to develop course materials for entering college students that interprets and explains data collected for dissemination.

Tina Anderson Smith evaluates, designs, and facilitates efforts to change complex systems at community, organizational, state and national levels.  She is an independent consultant who specializes in “realist” and developmental evaluation approaches, as well as systems thinking and adaptive learning. As part of CNAP, Tina will focus on continuous learning through evaluation and will support others in using emerging insights to make strategic decisions and maximize impact.

Jalisca is a qualitative researcher interested in the post-secondary educational experience at Bakersfield College. Jalisca is well known for her work in teacher resilience and the efficacy of adult educational programming. In regards to natural resources and agriculture, Jalisca founded and manages the Regenerative Agriculture Learning Farm, which bridges the gap between traditional industry and economically sustainable regenerative practices in agricultural production. As part of CNAP, Jalisca will focus on dissemination of data and results to institutions and industry partners in a relevant and applicable format.

Kristin VanderMolen is an environmental anthropologist at the Desert Research Institute. Her research is focused on climate impacts and adaptation, hazard risk communication, and information and health equity. As part of CNAP, Kristin will collaborate on an interdisciplinary project that aims to help mitigate negative health outcomes in Northern Nevada and California households exposed to the compound events of heat and wildfire smoke.

Jorge Valero-Fandino is a PhD student at the University of California, Merced. His areas of expertise include hydraulics, surface and groundwater hydrology, simulation of aqueducts and sewer systems, watershed management, GIS, and geostatistics. As part of CNAP Jorge will focus on agricultural, climate, and groundwater relations in the Kern region.