The Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center (NW CASC) is excited to welcome Dr. Scott Kalafatis to our team as our new deputy university director! Scott is a social scientist with a research background focused on understanding collaborations between scientists and policymakers and how these engagements contribute to decisions informed by climate science.

Scott joins the NW CASC most recently from Chatham University, where he has been an assistant professor of sustainability. Prior to his time at Chatham, Scott had over ten years of experience working as a social scientist, including positions at the Great Lakes Integrated Sciences and Assessments (GLISA), as a National Science Foundation ethical STEM postdoctoral researcher with the College of Menominee Nation, and as an assistant professor of sustainability at Dickinson College. Scott received a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Virginia and a Master of Urban and Regional Planning, Master of Science in environmental policy and Doctorate in resource policy and behavior from the University of Michigan. When he’s not in the office or crammed in a box on Zoom, Scott can be found exploring the coastline or forests or searching for new, delicious foods to try.

Scott’s social science expertise is a great addition to our team and we are confident that Scott’s rigorous scholarship, his enthusiasm for teaching and mentoring, and his dedication to working collaboratively and inclusively at the interface of climate science and practice will help expand the reach and impact of the NW CASC!

Please help us welcome Scott! Scott’s email address is: scottkal@uw.edu.