Cornell Climate Change

The Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future (ACSF) Climate Change Focus Group (CCFG) began in 2008 and currently has 17 faculty members from across campus, representing disciplines such as: climate science, ecology, agriculture, engineering, economics, architecture, history, and social sciences. The CCFG has several roles , including:

1. Advise ACSF and the university at large on research priorities, and campus strengths and needs related to climate change.
2. Implement ACSF climate change initiatives, such as recent and on-going facilitation of new climate change faculty hires in climate science, terrestrial biogeochemistry, and social sciences and communication.
3. Provide a focal point for Cornell climate change activities and information, including teaching and outreach efforts.

The CCFG members helped in organization of the spring 2009 Climate Change Forum, which included both a 4-credit course for students and a public seminar series involving a prestigious list of internationally recognized outside speakers. In early 2010 the CCFG released the Cornell climate change website (www.climatechange.cornell.edu) that indicates relevant Cornell courses, a description of dozens of research and outreach programs on climate change at Cornell, upcoming events, and other information.

As indicated at the website, Cornell, as a Land Grant university, has unique breadth and depth in teaching, research, and outreach on climate change. The long-term goal of ACSF’s Climate Change Program is to build on current strengths so that Cornell provides effective leadership addressing societal climate change needs in research, policy development, teaching, and outreach.

CCSF Climate Change Focus Group Members

• David WolfeDavid Wolfe (chair of focus group): Professor, Horticulture, dww5@cornell.edu, www.hort.cornell.edu/wolfe
• Drew Harvell (Associate Director, ACSF): Professor, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, cdh5@cornell.edu
• Jon Conrad: Professor, Applied Economics and Management, jmc16@cornell.edu
• Art DeGaetano: Professor and Chair, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, atd2@cornell.edu
• Christie Goodale: Associate Professor, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, clg33@cornell.edu
• Chuck Greene: Professor, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, chg2@cornell.edu
• Ron Herring: Professor, Government, rjh5@cornell.edu
• Peter Hess: Professor, Biological and Environmental Engineering, pgh25@cornell.edu
• Johannes Lehmann: Associate Professor, Crop and Soil Sciences, cl273@cornell.edu
• Katherine McComas: Associate Professor, Communication, kam19@cornell.edu
• Philip McMichael: Professor, Development Sociology, pdm1@cornell.edu
• Karen Pinkus: Professor, Romance Studies, kep44@cornell.edu
• Kevin Pratt: Assistant Professor, Architecture, kp238@cornell.edu
• Sara Pritchard: Assistant Professor, Science and Technology Studies, sbp65@cornell.edu
• Aaron Sachs: Associate Professor, History, as475@cornell.edu
• Rich Stedman: Associate Professor, Natural Resources, rcs6@cornell.edu
• Zellman Warhaft: Professor, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, zw16@cornell.edu