NW CASC is Hiring 3 UW Grad Students for Winter Quarter: Applications Due December 23

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The NW CASC has three, part-time research assistant positions available to UW graduate students for the winter quarter (January-March 2025). These positions will support projects related to invasive species, evaluating science program impacts, and communications. Applications are due by December 23, 2024.

Click on each job title below to learn more about the role and how to apply.

Meet NW CASC’s New Research Fellows and Faculty Fellows!

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Please join us in welcoming the new NW CASC Research Fellows and Faculty Fellows! These Fellows will conduct one-year projects in collaboration with regional natural resource managers, while receiving training in the practice of actionable science.

The WA State Climate Office is Hiring an Outreach Specialist

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The Washington State Climate Office is seeking to hire a full-time environmental outreach specialist to help support core functions of the Office and support its mission to equitably support access to and use of climate information; application review will begin on October 2, 2024.

NW CASC Welcomes New Research Scientist, Dr. Eva Colberg!

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The Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center is excited to welcome Dr. Eva Colberg to our team!

In her new role as a NW CASC research scientist, Eva will be coordinating the Northwest Regional Invasive Species and Climate Change (NW RISCC) Network and playing a leading role in the planning and implementation of the NW CASC’s annual Actionable Science Deep Dive. Eva’s scientific training encompasses community ecology, restoration ecology and the social sciences, with specific interests in the ecology and management of climate change, invasive species and wildfire.

Prior to joining the NW CASC, Eva was a Northeast CASC-funded postdoctoral researcher at Cornell University and the interim director of the New York Invasive Species Research Institute, where she worked with members of the Northeast RISCC Network to develop guidelines for climate-smart invasive species management. She earned her doctorate in ecology, evolution, & systematics from the Harris World Ecology Center at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, and she received a bachelor’s in biology with a minor in environmental science & policy from the College of William & Mary in Virginia. She grew up in Alaska and is eager to be back in the Pacific Northwest. Eva enjoys bringing her sketchbook with her everywhere she goes, and after work might be found finding new patterns of movement, appreciating nature, or practicing another language.

We are thrilled to have Eva join the NW CASC team. She brings experience and expertise uniquely suited to our collaborative model for supporting Northwest resource managers with actionable science as they respond to a changing climate.

Please help us welcome Eva! Eva can be reached at: evamc@uw.edu

NW CASC Webinar Shares New Models Related to Climate-Ready Invasive Species Management in PNW Rivers

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Throughout the Pacific Northwest, invasive plants threaten rivers and the ecosystem services they provide, a risk that climate change may exacerbate. In a new webinar held earlier this week, researchers from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and the University of Washington shared findings from two related studies from their collaborative, NW CASC-supported project, Integrating Economics and Ecology to Inform Climate-Ready Invasive Species Management in Pacific Northwest Rivers. 

In the first study, the research team developed a modeling framework for projecting habitat suitability for invasive plants under future climate scenarios. This framework was applied to water-primrose species’ (Ludwigia spp.) distributions in the Willamette River Basin, Oregon, and to knotweed species’ (Reynoutria spp.) distributions in the Washington Coastal Basins, demonstrating the flexibility of this framework for applications across taxa and geography. 

In the second study, the team developed a bioeconomic model of invasive species management, which captures the potential number of new individuals being introduced downstream and differences in predicted, future habitat suitability across river sections. The model highlights how changes in habitat conditions in one location can have cascading effects on management throughout a river system. The model is parameterized using data from water-primrose management in the Willamette River Basin. 

The results from these studies can help managers evaluate which aquatic invasive species are most likely to expand under climate change and which communities are most likely to face rising management costs, allowing them to better distribute limited resources across Pacific Northwest river basins.

View the Recording

Faces of Adaptation: Meet Paris Edwards

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Paris Edwards, a member of the NW CASC Advisory Committee, is the Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience Program Lead at the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT).

Paris has worked with the ODOT Climate Office for three years, focusing on improving transportation system resilience and adaptation options. Prior to working at the agency, Paris held a science communication postdoc appointment with the USDA Northwest Climate Hub, which focused on climate change adaptation and the translation of science to practice. She also worked on climate change adaptation planning in Oregon through the non-profit sector and supported gender equity improvements to international adaptation research and training at Oregon State University.

Paris has interdisciplinary degrees in natural resource management, public health, public policy and law from Duke University, Oregon State University and the University of Idaho. A common thread through her academic and career pursuits is a dedication to bridging science, policy and practice for the public good. Outside of work, Paris still spends a lot of time outside running, biking and raising two (feral) little kids.

What led you to work in the field of climate adaptation?

What led me to this field is hard to pin down but there are a few key dots that connect my gravitation toward climate change adaptation. First, I was a very feral kid who chose to spend every possible hour outside. This established a strong connection to my environment and community, and it instilled a sense of stewardship and responsibility to others. I traveled a lot and saw the stark differences in how people live, while also recognizing the universal necessities we all depend on. I also gained awareness of the inequities in the world, which both agitated me and inspired ideas for change. I explored these ideas and studied under fantastic mentors, with a focus on linking inequitable access to life-supporting natural resources (specifically water) and preparing for changing climate conditions. In short, my path almost feels like it was predestined, and I’m very excited to be where I am.

What does your day-to-day work look like?

I now lead the Adaptation and Resilience Program at ODOT and because I became an interdisciplinarian, I get to interact, brainstorm and carry out work with a wide variety of people each day. For instance, I might start my day meeting with the climate change mitigation team within the ODOT Climate Office to brainstorm ideas and draft up policy concepts that support driving alternatives. We share the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation system and work together to help the agency meet state emission reduction targets. I might also meet with ODOT’s Research Section and researchers at Oregon State University to discuss expanding pilot research on post-fire landslide monitoring in high-risk locations. I might draft ideas to share with our GIS section on improvements to our public-facing climate hazard risk maps, and then cap the day off with learning about the newest cross-agency data-sharing tools to expand the potential for interdisciplinary approaches to adaptation. In sum, my days are largely spent digging into how to harness capacity within the agency and pull together the brilliant minds and rich data across the state to better serve the current and future public.

How does your organization support climate resilience in the Northwest?

The Oregon Department of Transportation, with leadership from the Climate Office since 2020, is supporting resilience in a couple of key ways. Foundationally, we work to reduce emissions from the transportation sector. These efforts are broad and range from expanding multi-modal transportation access (walk, bike and roll options) and establishing a state-wide network of electric vehicle charging infrastructure, to using low-carbon building materials in construction. Direct support for resilience comes from our Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience Program. Our team developed a Climate Adaptation and Resilience Roadmap for the agency with specific strategies and actions for improvement. We also successfully placed climate into the top three agency priority areas for long-range planning, which provides broad policy support for resilience work. We developed state-wide priority resilience corridors and additional climate hazard map layers to support targeted decision making in high-risk locations and improve communication about risk. Our team is currently working on a “climate resilience lens” that will flag resilience-building opportunities within all proposed transportation improvement projects.

What is your favorite thing about your work?

I really like working on complex challenges and I see a lot of opportunities to support positive change through my position. I also really enjoy working with other problem-solving minds. They add hope and energy in a space where uncertainty and urgency can feel daunting.

NW CASC is Hiring an ORISE Communications Fellow

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The Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center (NW CASC) is hiring an ORISE communications fellow to expand the reach of its communications program!

The fellow will help develop communications products and conduct outreach for NW CASC’s science users; evaluate opportunities for strengthening communication of NW CASC-funded research to various audiences; and support internal communications. This appointment will provide the fellow with opportunities to learn best practices around communicating and connecting decision-relevant science with its intended users as well as coordinating and sharing information across entities.

We are seeking candidates with experience communicating science and working with resource practitioners from diverse entities. Candidates should also have familiarity with Northwest species and ecosystems as well as climate impacts in the region. The fellow will not only be engaging with the NW CASC team, but also with many scientists, resource practitioners, traditional knowledge holders and community members. Thus, the ideal candidate will have excellent people skills, including the ability to listen intently, lead conversations, and practice flexibility and patience.

This is a hybrid position and the location is negotiable within Idaho, Oregon and Washington. It can be negotiated as a full-time or part-time position. Candidates must have, or soon complete, a master’s degree.

Application review will begin on October 15, 2024. To learn more and apply, please visit see the posting on the ORISE website. 

New Report From Northwest Climate Resilience Collaborative and Partners Describes the Barriers Pacific Northwest Coastal Tribes Face in Adapting to Climate Change

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A new report shares findings from an assessment to better understand the state of climate adaptation among Northwest coastal Tribes and to elevate Tribes’ experience of key barriers and needs which, if addressed, could help advance Tribal resilience. This report was produced as part of the Northwest Climate Resilience Collaborative’s Tribal Coastal Resilience Portfolio, which is co-led by the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians and the University of Washington Climate Impacts Group, with partners Washington Sea Grant and Western Washington University.

 

intended to build awareness of these challenges among funders, policy makers, climate service providers and others to mobilize necessary action in support of the climate adaptation efforts of Northwest coastal Tribes.Northwest coastal Tribes face significant barriers and unmet needs in realizing their adaptation goals, despite being leaders in climate adaptation. Key barriers and needs focus around five key areas: funding; Tribal staff and workforce capacity; collaboration and partnerships; technical assistance and climate services; and communication, education and outreach.