Day 1, Morning
Day 1, Afternoon
Day 2, Morning
Day 2, Afternoon
The inaugural Wilkes Climate Summit was held May 16-17, at the Cleone Peterson Eccles Alumni House at the University of Utah. It brought together Utah's leading policymakers, and nationally-recognized scientists, foundations, and innovators to discuss the most promising and cutting-edge solutions for climate change.
DAY 1: Frontiers in Climate Solutions
Schedule & Agenda for May 16
8:00 - 9:15 AM
Check-in and Breakfast
9:15 AM
Welcome and Opening Remarks
OC Tanner Ballroom
Message from Taylor Randall
President, University of Utah
William Anderegg
Director, Wilkes Center for Climate Science & Policy
9:30 AM
Morning Keynote
OC Tanner Ballroom
Rob Jackson
Michelle and Kevin Douglas Provostial Professor in Earth System Science and Senior Fellow at the Woods Institute for the Environment and at the Precourt Institute for Energy, Stanford University
10:30 AM
Break
10:45 AM
Climate Prize Finalist Presentations
OC Tanner Ballroom
12:30 PM
Lunch
1:30 PM
1st Afternoon Breakout Panels
(How can different sectors accelerate climate solutions)
Businesses & Utilities Panel
Boyer/Sorenson Executive Boardroom
James Campbell
Director of Innovation and Sustainability Policy, Rocky Mountain Power
James Jonsson
Vice President of Construction, Ivory Homes
Sara Maatta
Power Resources Manager, Peninsula Clean Energy
Moderated by Eliot Wilcox, Director of Operations at University of Utah College of Science
State landscape of climate solutions panel
Dumke Reception Room
Tim Hawkes
General Counsel, Great Salt Lake Brine Shrimp Cooperative, Inc.
Brian Steed
Executive Director, Janet Quinney Lawson Institute for Land, Water, and Air, Utah State University
Sarah Wright
Executive Director, Utah Clean Energy
Becky Edwards
Editorial Board, Salt Lake Tribune. Former Utah State legislator and candidate for U.S. Senate
Moderated by Natalie Gochnour, Associate Dean and Director, Kem C.Gardner Policy Institute
NGO Panel
Henriksen Conference Room
Sara Baldwin
Senior Director, Electrification, Energy Innovation
Erica Key
Global Hub Director, USA Hub, Future Earth
Megan Nelson
Director Of Government Relations, The Nature Conservancy
Aliya Haq
Vice President, U.S. Policy and Advocacy, Breakthrough Energy
Moderated by Josh Craft, Government and Corporate Relations Manager, Utah Clean Energy
2:45 PM
Break
3:00 PM
2nd Afternoon Breakout Panels
(How can different sectors accelerate climate solutions)
Entrepreneurship Panel
Henriksen Conference Room
Gabi Tellez
Innovation Consultant, Utah System of Higher Education
Steve Davis
Head of Climate Science, Watershed
Jake Gong
Chief of Staff, Zanskar Geothermal & Minerals, Inc.
Moderated by Tom Georgis, Managing Director Energy Accelerator, Partners for Innovation, Ventures, Outreach & Technology (PIVOT) Center, University of Utah
Federal landscape of climate solutions panel
Dumke Reception Room
Ben King
Associate Director, Rhodium Group,
Maria Martinez
Director, U.S. Policy and Advocacy, Breakthrough Energy
Savvy Bowman
Program Manager, ClearPath
Moderated by William Anderegg, Director, Wilkes Center for Climate Science & Policy
Alternative Financing Panel
Boyer/Sorenson Executive Boardroom
Vanessa Fajans-Turner
Executive Director, BankFWD
Caroline de Bossart
Director, Climate Investing, The Grantham Foundation for the Protection of the Environment
Andy Hecht
Climate Fund Manager, Park City Community Foundation
Abhishek Bhaskar
Lead, Accelerating Coal Transition (ACT) Investment Program, Climate Investment Funds (CIF)
Moderated by Eliot Wilcox, Director of Operations at University of Utah College of Science
4:30 PM
Afternoon Keynote
OC Tanner Ballroom
Amy Luers
Global Director, Sustainability Science--strategy & solutions
Microsoft
Break for the Day
DAY 2: Science and Innovation Needs to Accelerate Solutions
Schedule & Agenda for May 17
8:00-9:00 AM
Breakfast
9:00 AM
Welcome and Opening Remarks
OC Tanner Ballroom
Peter Trapa
Dean, College of Science, University of Utah
William Anderegg
Director, Wilkes Center for Climate Science & Policy
Kenneth Golden
Distinguished Professor of Mathematics, University of Utah
9:15 AM
Morning Plenary Speaker
Joseph Moore
Managing PI, Utah Forge, U.S. Department of Energy
10:00 AM
Break
Student Innovation Prize Winners Preview
10:10 AM
Morning Plenary Speaker
Kerry Case
Chief Sustainability Officer, University of Utah
11:00 AM
Morning Keynote
Brad Wilson
Speaker, Utah House of Representatives
12:00 PM
Student Poster Session
12:30 PM
Lunch
1:30 PM
1st Afternoon Breakout Panels
Impacts on Vulnerable Communities Panel
Boyer Executive Boardroom
Angela Robinson
Assistant Professor, Gender Studies, University of Utah
Jayajit Chakraborty
Professor of Geography, University of Texas at El Paso
Aaron Flores
Human-Environmental Geographer, Arizona State University
Alessandro Rigolon
Assistant Professor, City & Metropolitan Planning, University of Utah
Moderated by Tim Collins, Professor of Geography, University of Utah
Science and Innovation in Ecosystems and Nature-based Climate Solutions
Dumke Reception Room
Jon Wang
Assistant Professor, School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah
Anna Trugman
Assistant Professor of Geography, UC Santa Barbara
Leander Anderegg
Assistant Professor, Landscape Ecophysiology, UC Santa Barbara
Moderated by William Anderegg, Director, Wilkes Center for Climate Science & Policy
Future of Water Panel
Henriksen Conference Room
Candice Hasenyager
Director, Utah Division of Water Resources
Matt Yost
Agroclimate Specialist, Utah State University
Laura Briefer
Director, Department of Public Utilities, Salt Lake City Corporation
Moderated by Seth Arens, Utah Research Integration Specialist, Western Water Assessment
2:45 PM
Break
3:00 PM
2nd Afternoon Breakout Panels
Polar Climate and Ecosystems Panel
Boyer Executive Boardroom
Donald Perovich
Professor of Engineering, Dartmouth
Cecilia Bitz
Professor Atmospheric Sciences, University of Washington
Byron Adams
Biology Department Chair, Professor, Brigham Young University
Jody Deming
Professor of Oceanography, University of Washington
David Holland
Professor of Mathematics and Environmental Science, New York University (NYU)
Moderated by Kenneth Golden, Distinguished Professor of Mathematics, University of Utah
Wildfire Panel
OC Tanner Ballroom
Heather Holmes
Associate Professor, Chemical Engineering, University of Utah
Derek Mallia
Research Assistant Professor, Atmospheric Sciences, University of Utah
Emily Fischer
Associate Professor, Atmospheric Sciences, Colorado State University
Ian Fox
Acting Deputy Team Leader, Wildfire Risk Reduction Infrastructure Team, U.S. Forest Service
Moderated by Gannet Hallar, Professor, Atmospheric Sciences, and John Lin, Professor, Atmospheric Sciences, University of Utah
Health Sciences Panel
Henriksen Conference Room
Jeff Robison
M.D. Associate Professor of Pediatrics, University of Utah Health
Shana Godfred-Cato
M.D. General Pediatrics, University of Utah Health
Kimberley Shoaf
Professor, Division of Public Health, Office of Humanitarian Leadership and Emergency Health, University of Utah Health
Moderated by Fred Adler, Professor of Mathematical Biology, University of Utah
4:30 PM
Afternoon Keynote
OC Tanner Ballroom
David Manderscheid
Division Director, Mathematical Sciences, National Science Foundation
Summit Wrap
Directions and Parking Information
The locations listed here - Alumni House Parking - will be available for parking for attendees during the summit. The address is 155 Central Campus Dr, Salt Lake City, UT 84112.
More information regarding parking at the Eccles alumni House is available here.
Student Posters Information
Wilkes funded graduate and undergraduate students are invited to showcase their climate related research projects and compete for cash prizes at the annual Wilkes Summit!
The link to vote on the posters is available HERE.
Graduate Student Prizes:
First Prize: $1500
Second Prize: $1000
Third Prize: $500
People’s Choice Awards (2): $500 each
Undergraduate Student Prizes:
First Prize: $1500
Second Prize: $1000
Third Prize: $500
People’s Choice Awards (2): $500 each
Both graduate and undergraduate students who have received Wilkes Center funding will be given the opportunity to showcase their climate related research using poster presentations. All attendees of the Wilkes Summit, both internal and public, will be invited to vote on their favorite posters throughout the two-day Wilkes Summit May 16-17. Student researchers are expected to be in attendance during the main exhibition period on May 17. Poster printing is available at no cost to students thanks to our generous donors, Clay and Marie Wilkes.
Prizes will be awarded for best posters in each of the graduate research and undergraduate research categories. The People’s Choice Award will be given out to the two students whose posters receive the most votes during the main exhibition period May 17, 11:30am-1:30pm. Lunch will be provided.
Student Information
- Students must be the primary producer of the work in the poster.
- The poster must showcase the research project which was directly funded by the Wilkes Center.
- Students are expected to attend the Wilkes Summit during the main exhibition period (May 17 11:30am-12:30pm) to present their posters unless they receive prior approval from the Wilkes Center. To request an exception to the in-person component of the competition, please email Kyla.Welch@utah.edu
- Students are required to drop off their poster no later than May 15th at 3:00pm to the Wilkes Center in Crocker Science Center Suite 214.
- Posters should be no more than 36"x 48" and must be printed through the Marriott Library Knowledge Commons Desk.
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- Helpful tips for poster design and printing can be found through the Marriott Library here.
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- When you arrive at the Knowledge Commons Desk to print your poster, please reference the “Wilkes Student List” and provide your name to receive a free print.
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- Note that their printer's maximum height is 42" and you will be asked to provide a jpeg or tiff file of your poster.
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Wilkes Climate Summit Code of Conduct
Wilkes Climate Summit
Code of Conduct
Expected Behavior
- All participants are treated with respect and consideration, valuing a diversity of views and opinions.
- Be considerate, respectful, and collaborative.
- Communicate openly with respect for others, critiquing ideas rather than individuals.
- Avoid personal attacks directed toward other participants.
- Be mindful of your surroundings and of your fellow participants. Alert Wilkes Climate Summit organizers if you notice a dangerous situation or someone in distress.
- Respect the rules and policies of the meeting venue and hotels.
Unacceptable Behavior
- Harassment, intimidation, or discrimination in any form will not be tolerated.
- Physical or verbal abuse of any attendee, speaker, volunteer, service provider, or other meeting guest.
- Examples of unacceptable behavior include, but are not limited to, verbal comments related to gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, religion, national origin, inappropriate use of nudity and/or sexual images in public spaces or in presentations, or threatening or stalking any attendee, speaker, volunteer, service provider, or other meeting guest.
- Disruption of talks at oral or poster sessions.
Consequences
- Anyone requested to stop unacceptable behavior is expected to comply immediately.
- Wilkes Climate Summit organizers or University of Utah security may take any action deemed necessary and appropriate, including immediate removal from the meeting without warning.
- Other consequences as set forth by professional societies such as the AGU Scientific Integrity and Professional Ethics Policy, as applicable.
Reporting Unacceptable Behavior
- If you are the subject of unacceptable behavior or have witnessed any such behavior, please immediately notify a Wilkes Climate Summit organizer.
- Notification should be done by contacting a Wilkes Climate Summit organizer on site or by emailing your concern to kyla.welch@utah.edu or ross.chambless@utah.edu.
- Anyone experiencing or witnessing behavior that constitutes an immediate or serious threat to public safety is advised to call 911.
Survey
2023 Wilkes Climate Summit Survey
Please tell us about your experience at the first-ever Wilkes Climate Summit at the University of Utah by taking this short survey. Your feedback will help us to improve future conferences and events. Follow this link for the survey.
Plenary & Keynote Speakers
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Tim Mundon
Chief Technology Officer, Oscilla Power
Tim Mundon
Chief Technology Officer, Oscilla Power
Dr. Tim Mundon is the Chief Technology Officer for Oscilla Power and is responsible for the design and development of the Triton wave energy converter. He has 20 years of experience working on the development of wave energy, receiving his Ph.D. from the University of Edinburgh in 2005, and has contributed towards the engineering design for many offshore energy projects. He also has an affiliate faculty position in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Washington and is considered to be one of the preeminent experts in the field of marine renewable energy.
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Brandon Schlautman
Lead Scientist, Perennial Legumes, The Land Institute
Brandon Schlautman
Lead Scientist, Perennial Legumes, The Land Institute
Dr. Brandon Schlautman is the Lead Scientist for Perennial Legume breeding at The Land Institute, an independent 501c3 non-profit research organization developing perennial, diverse, regenerative grain crops and agriculture. Schlautman’s research focuses on the breeding and domestication of perennial grain legumes, or pulses, for food crops with co-benefits to livestock, pollinators, and soil health. The Nebraska native attended Nebraska Wesleyan University, receiving a B.S. in Biology, and earned his Ph.D. in Plant Breeding and Plant Genetics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, researching cranberry, a woody perennial fruit crop.
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Tamal Roy
Postdoctoral Research Associate, Institute of Energy Technology, ETH Zürich, Switzerland
Tamal Roy
Postdoctoral Research Associate, Institute of Energy Technology, ETH Zürich, Switzerland
Tamal’s research includes the broad area of thermal science, with an emphasis on surface science and wettability engineering, microfluidic transport phenomena, and transformative energy technologies. As an undergraduate, he majored in Power Engineering at Jadavpur University, India. He earned his M. Tech. in Thermal Science and Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, and his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Technical University Darmstadt, Germany. After working as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Illinois, Chicago, he is now a postdoctoral research associate at ETH Zurich. His current and past research focuses on the thermal management of electric vehicle batteries, passive anti- and defogging strategies, dynamics of active biological systems, various aspects of surface science and engineering, including drops, bubbles, and liquid jet dynamics, and innovative techniques for measuring solid-liquid interfacial energy. He is the co-founder and technical advisor at the Zurich-based startup Unbound Potential GmbH which specializes in redox flow batteries. He is a music lover and hiking enthusiast.
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Mike Hands
Founder and Director, Inga Foundation
Mike Hands
Founder and Director, Inga Foundation
Mike Hands is a tropical ecologist specializing in the ecology of tropical rainforests--especially in the ecology of slash-and-burn subsistence agriculture. After many years’ experiences in development projects in the world’s tropics, in 1985 he began the studies that led to Inga Foundation’s present Land for Life program in Honduras. Following a pilot project in Costa Rica, he spent the next 14 years as Senior Research Associate in the University of Cambridge, working in Central America where he directed four research projects which upheld and expanded his initial findings, and led to the development of truly sustainable agroforestry techniques as alternatives to slash-and-burn. In 2007, he and colleagues established the Inga Foundation as a registered UK Charity to continue and expand this pioneering work that has received recognition for food security, sustainability, and carbon sequestration and avoidance. Now in year 12, the program has exceeded all expectations--far beyond proof of concept—with proof in the landscape.
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Mark Heinnickel
Principal Scientist at Lumen Biosciences
Mark Heinnickel
Principal Scientist at Lumen Biosciences
Mark Heinnickel is a Principal Scientist leading Lumen Bioscience’s Bioproduction team. Mark has over 20 years’ experience in academia and industry studying the proteins and pathways essential for photosynthesis. He previously worked at Matrix Genetics and ExxonMobil, where he used this expertise to improve growth and biofuel production in eukaryotic algae and cyanobacteria. Currently, Mark leads Lumen’s efforts to optimize the production of therapeutic proteins in Arthrospira platensis (spirulina). By combining photosynthetic characterization, design of experiments methodology, and machine learning, Lumen has increased the productivity of valuable therapeutic strains 2-10-fold. These improvements, along with growth enhancements and other cost reductions, make protein therapeutics viable for previously unfeasible applications. One example is feeding spirulina to cattle to reduce methane emissions, which shows the platform’s power and adaptability. Mark’s ultimate goal is to help make these therapeutics affordable and accessible worldwide.
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Jim Roberts
Co-Founder, Lumen Bioscience
Jim Roberts
Co-Founder, Lumen Bioscience
Dr. Roberts is the co-founder of Lumen Bioscience and serves as its Chief Scientific Officer. Dr. Roberts trained as a biochemist, completing an MD-PhD from Columbia University in the laboratory of Dr. Richard Axel, where he contributed to the development of a novel method for amplifying transfected genes of interest in mammalian cell lines. Before launching a successful biotechnology company, Dr. Roberts spent 28 years as a Division of Basic Sciences member at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. His research focused on understanding cell division mechanisms that lead to cancer development. During his tenure, he was an HHMI Investigator for nine years and Division Director for six years. In addition to an extensive publication record, Dr. Roberts holds more than 25 biotechnology patents, including the spirulina genetic engineering methodology that forms the foundation of Lumen’s technology and products.
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Fred Geyer
Inga Foundation
Fred Geyer
Inga Foundation
Fred Geyer is a volunteer, advocate, and friend of the Inga Foundation. Fred began working
with Inga in 2018, representing the revolutionary innovation of Inga Alley Cropping at the Science, Technology, and Innovation forum for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Outside of his work with the Inga Foundation in the United States, Fred is an HR professional, public speaker, and performer. He lives in New York City with his wife and family.
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Constantine Megaridis
Distinguished Professor and Director Micro/Nanoscale Fluid Transport Laboratory, Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering, University of Illinois Chicago
Constantine Megaridis
Distinguished Professor and Director Micro/Nanoscale Fluid Transport Laboratory, Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering, University of Illinois Chicago
Professor Megaridis received his Ph.D. in Fluid/Thermal Sciences from Brown University, and holds a M.S. in Applied Mathematics also from Brown. He is a Fellow of the American Physical Society (APS) and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). He was named UIC Distinguished Professor in 2018, UIC Inventor of the Year in 2015, and University of Illinois Scholar in 2012. He has been awarded the Kenneth T. Whitby Award of the American Association for Aerosol Research (AAAR), and received teaching awards at UIC. He has published over 150 journal papers, 250 conference papers, and is co-inventor of 10 issued U.S. patents. His research has received continuous funding support from numerous federal and industrial sources for over three decades. His current research activities focus on fluid/particle transport, multiphase heat and mass transfer, multifunctional coatings and interfacial phenomena relevant to micro and nanotechnologies. Day 1 Panel Participants
Businesses & Utilities Panel
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James Jonsson
Vice President of Construction, Ivory Homes
James Jonsson
Vice President of Construction, Ivory Homes
19 years at Ivory Homes, with 45 total years in the construction industry. I have worked in residential and commercial construction, and also land development. I am the GC license holder for Ivory Homes and also licensed in real estate. Grew up in Hawaii and moved to Utah in 1993. I am an avid open water marathon swimmer and skier. Married with five children and four grand children.
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Sara Maatta
Power Resources Manager, Peninsula Clean Energy
Sara Maatta
Power Resources Manager, Peninsula Clean Energy
Sara Maatta is an engineer implementing one of the most aggressive renewable energy goals in the world.
Sara is a Power Resources Manager at Peninsula Clean Energy, a community choice electric energy provider serving over 800,000 people in San Mateo County and the City of Los Banos in California. Peninsula Clean Energy has a goal to provide 100% renewable energy on a 24/7 basis by 2025, which means providing renewable energy each and every hour of the day, not just when the sun is shining or the wind is blowing. This goal is leading the industry and is a critical example of how the energy system must transform in order to fight climate change.
In January 2023, Sara and her colleagues published a white paper describing Peninsula Clean Energy’s plan to achieve 24/7 renewable energy. In addition to contributing to planning efforts, Sara negotiates long-term Power Purchase Agreements and Energy Storage Service Agreements, and oversees Peninsula Clean Energy’s regulatory compliance requirements. Sara also develops long-term load forecasts, including the effects of load modifiers such as electric vehicle charging and behind-the-meter solar and storage resources.
Sara is a licensed Civil Engineer specializing in long-term resources planning for energy and water resources. She graduated from Stanford University with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Civil Engineering. Outside of work, she tries to keep up with her two-year-old son and four-year-old retriever. Sara is a long-time Ultimate Frisbee player.
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James Campbell
Director of Innovation and Sustainability Policy, Rocky Mountain Power
James Campbell
Director of Innovation and Sustainability Policy, Rocky Mountain Power
James Campbell is the Director of Innovation and Sustainability Policy at Rocky Mountain Power. James joined PacifiCorp in 2007 where he worked on crafting corporate environmental policy and strategy and designed and implemented the company’s GHG Cap and Trade program in California. He has successfully led major pieces of legislation enabling innovative technologies including most recently the creation of a $50 million EV infrastructure program in Utah, He has led projects on EVs and grid technologies that have been awarded over $20 million from the U.S. Department of Energy. Prior to joining Rocky Mountain Power, James was the staff lead for Utah Governor Jon Huntsman’s Renewable Energy Initiative and Blue Ribbon Advisory Council for Climate Change. James earned a Bachelor’s degree in Materials Science and Engineering, a Masters in Environmental Engineering, and a Masters in Business Administration all from the University of Utah. 
Eliot Wilcox
Director of Operations, College of Science, University of Utah (MODERATOR)
Eliot Wilcox
Director of Operations, College of Science, University of Utah (MODERATOR)
State Landscape of Climate Solutions Panel
Tim Hawkes
General Counsel, Great Salt Lake Brine Shrimp Cooperative, Inc.
Tim Hawkes
General Counsel, Great Salt Lake Brine Shrimp Cooperative, Inc.
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Brian Steed
Executive Director, Janet Quinney Lawson Institute for Land, Water, and Air, Utah State University
Brian Steed
Executive Director, Janet Quinney Lawson Institute for Land, Water, and Air, Utah State University
Brian Steed is the Executive Director of Utah State University’s Janet Quinney Lawson Institute for Land, Water, and Air. He began this position at USU in July 2022, with a goal of connecting USU researchers and programs with government and public partners to address concerns on natural resource issues. Prior to his current role, Brian served as the Executive Director of the Utah Department of Natural Resources, heading that agency since his appointment in 2019 by then Governor Gary Herbert.
Brian also served as the U.S. Bureau of Land Management’s Deputy Director for Policy and Programs and exercised authority of the director from 2017-2019. He was the chief of staff to Utah Congressman Chris Stewart from 2013-2017. Steed also previously served as the deputy county attorney for Iron County and taught political science and economics at USU.
Returning to USU as Executive Director for the JQL Institute for Land, Water, and Air felt natural to Brian. Hailing from Logan, Utah, Steed first attended USU where he earned both a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in political science. He earned a Ph.D. in public policy with emphasis in environmental policy from Indiana University Bloomington and a J.D. from the S.J. Quinney College of Law at the University of Utah, with a certificate in natural resources and environmental law.
Steed and his wife, Leslie, have three children. He enjoys almost any outdoor activity, including hiking, biking, fishing, camping, and skiing.
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Sarah Wright
CEO, Utah Clean Energy
Sarah Wright
CEO, Utah Clean Energy
Sarah founded Utah Clean Energy, a nonprofit organization committed to mitigating climate change, Sarah has a proven record of advancing climate solutions, impactful policies, renewable energy, building efficiency, and decarbonization strategies for the built environment and transportation. As CEO, she has effectively fostered diverse partnerships with state agencies, municipal governments, industry leaders, and agricultural and community groups to advance clean energy solutions. Before founding Utah Clean Energy, Sarah worked for 15 years as a consultant providing occupational health and ambient air quality permitting services to industries across the West. Sarah holds a B.S. in Geology from Bradley University and an M.S. in Public Health from the University of Utah.
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Becky Edwards
Editorial Board, Salt Lake Tribune, Former U.S. Senate candidate and Utah House Representative
Becky Edwards
Editorial Board, Salt Lake Tribune, Former U.S. Senate candidate and Utah House Representative
Becky Edwards is a lifelong Utahn and an unabashed champion of civic engagement and political involvement. She served as a member of the Utah House of Representatives for ten years, representing Davis County from 2008-2019. Her legislative work focused on issues related to strengthening Utah’s economy, climate and air quality, education, and helping families achieve economic stability. Most recently Becky was a candidate for the U.S. Senate, representing Utah.
While in the legislature, Becky served as Chair of the Economic Development and Workforce Services Committee, and Co-Chair of both the Women in the Economy Commission and the Clean Air Caucus. Additionally, she served on the Governor’s Education Excellence Commission, the Utah Commission on Service and Volunteerism, and on the Organizing Committee for Real Women Run, now Utah Women Run.
Becky graduated with an MSW, and an MS in Marriage and Family Therapy from BYU and has worked as a Trauma Social Worker, Inpatient Substance Abuse Therapist, and as an Outpatient Family Therapist.
Becky’s involvement in politics is a natural outgrowth of her long standing commitment to community involvement on a grassroots level. During her time as a stay at home mom raising four children, Becky served as a school and community volunteer, PTA president and Community Council member, and 4-H leader.
Becky has volunteered and served on boards for various local non-profits including Utah Clean Energy, Utah Women Run, Mormon Women for Ethical Government, Action Utah, Days of ’47, Safe Harbor Crisis Center, and the Salt Lake County Jail. For 17 years she was a volunteer pianist at the LDS Conference Center and Joseph Smith Memorial Building.
Becky grew up in Provo, and currently lives in North Salt Lake with her husband John Edwards. She has four children and eleven grandchildren. From May 2019-January 2021 Becky served with her husband in Samoa as a humanitarian missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
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Natalie Gochnour
Associate Dean and Director, Kem C.Gardner Policy Institute (MODERATOR)
Natalie Gochnour
Associate Dean and Director, Kem C.Gardner Policy Institute (MODERATOR)
Natalie Gochnour serves as an associate dean in the David Eccles School of Business and director of the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute at the University of Utah. She also serves as the chief economist for the Salt Lake Chamber. In these roles, she provides policy leadership that helps Utah prosper.
Gochnour’s experience includes a diverse mix of public service and business experience. During her public service, she advised Utah governors Norm Bangerter, Mike Leavitt, and Olene Walker. She also served as a political appointee in the George W. Bush administration, serving as an associate administrator at the EPA and counselor to the secretary at Health and Human Services. For seven years she led the public policy business priorities of the Salt Lake Chamber.
Gochnour has authored over 250 published columns in Utah Business magazine and the Deseret News and co-hosts the weekly public radio program Both Sides of the Aisle on KCPW.
Non-Governmental Organizations Panel
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Sara Baldwin
Senior Director of Electrification Policy at Energy Innovation Policy & Technology LLC®
Sara Baldwin
Senior Director of Electrification Policy at Energy Innovation Policy & Technology LLC®
Sara is the Senior Director of Electrification Policy at Energy Innovation Policy & Technology LLC®, where she leads the firm’s electrification policy practice area to advance economy-wide decarbonization through the strategic electrification of buildings, transportation, and industry. She and her team provide policy analysis, thought-leadership, and original research to support policymakers and decision-makers at the state, federal, and local levels.
Sara has testified before the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, served as faculty for the Center for a New Energy Economy’s Clean Energy Legislative Academy, served on panels and delivered presentations for various events, including those convened by the National Council on Electricity Policy, the National Academies of Sciences, and the G20 Transportation Task Force, among others. She has been featured in numerous media outlets, including Forbes, the New York Times, the LA Times, National Geographic, Politico, Bloomberg, Salt Lake Tribune, Automotiv News, and Family Handyman Magazine. Sara has contributed to several landmark reports on the Inflation Reduction Act, hydrogen, electrified transportation, electric vehicle charging access, and clean energy deployment.
Prior to joining Energy Innovation, Sara served as Vice President of Regulatory for the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) and Senior Policy Associate for Utah Clean Energy. In both capacities, she led and coordinated efforts to advance renewable energy and energy efficiency policy and regulations in Utah, the West, and throughout the United States. She was named an “Innovator and Influencer” by Solar Power World (2017) and one of “Utah’s Enlightened 50″ by the Community Foundation of Utah (2012). Several projects under her direction have received awards and recognition from the U.S. Department of Energy, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, the Utah’s Governor Office of Economic Development, and Utah Business Magazine. She also spearheaded Utah’s first Wind for Schools projects and Community Solar Bulk Purchase campaigns.
Sara is a member of GridLab’s advisory board, host of Energy Innovation’s Electrify This! podcast, and former host of the Grid Geeks podcast. She earned her Honors B.S. in environmental studies and a B.A. in Spanish from the University of Utah, graduating Phi Beta Kappa.
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Aliya Haq
Vice President, U.S. Policy and Advocacy, Breakthrough Energy
Aliya Haq
Vice President, U.S. Policy and Advocacy, Breakthrough Energy
Aliya leads the team at Breakthrough Energy that advocates for an ambitious climate and clean energy policy agenda in the U.S. to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. She manages the development of policy ideas and frameworks across multiple sectors, to speed up innovation and clean technology deployment. She also directs strategies to advance Breakthrough Energy’s policy goals, including grantmaking, convening, policymaker education, and communications.
Prior to joining Breakthrough Energy, Aliya was the Federal Climate Policy Director at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). She managed NRDC’s work to both defend and advance climate policies in Congress and the Executive Branch. Aliya has been focused on climate and clean energy issues for her entire 20-year career. She has worked at several national environmental organizations and has deep experience in climate and clean energy policy development, communications, field organizing, and research.
Aliya holds a master’s degree in environmental management from the Yale School of the Environment, and a bachelor’s degree from Cornell University in environmental sociology. She is based in Washington, DC.
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Erica Key
Global Hub Director, USA Hub, Future Earth
Erica Key
Global Hub Director, USA Hub, Future Earth
Dr. Erica Key is the US Global Hub Director for Future Earth, an international constellation of researchers, innovators, and actors supporting transformations to sustainability. She brings to the role more than a decade of experience leading systems approaches to global change and community-led research. Prior to joining Future Earth, Erica was Executive Director of the Belmont Forum, an international partnership of funding, resource, and science coordination organizations committed to transdisciplinary, transnational approaches to global environmental change. She led membership and strategic development for the Forum, building a funding ecosystem capable of supporting a range of knowledge types and geographies in collaborative research and action with stakeholders. Erica also supported the implementation of the Forum’s Open Data and Open Access Policy and Principles in all elements of its funding and review program, including targeted funding for innovative re-use of Belmont Forum data and digital objects. She is a co-founder and Executive Committee member of the annual global Sustainability Research and Innovation Congress, a Special Advisor to the UN Science-Policy-Business Forum, and a member of the Conseil d’Orientation Strategique of the Institute for Research and Development of France. Erica draws on her experience as a program director at the U.S. National Science Foundation, interagency agreements lead, and a global change researcher. She holds a Ph.D. in meteorology and physical oceanography from the University of Miami's Rosenstiel School for Marine Sciences.
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Megan Nelson
Director Of Government Relations, The Nature Conservancy
Megan Nelson
Director Of Government Relations, The Nature Conservancy
Megan Nelson is the Government Relations Director for the Utah Chapter of The Nature Conservancy. She has worked on Western natural resource, environmental, climate, and public land issues for over fifteen years as an attorney, environmental planner, and public lands consultant. In her current role, she develops partnerships with relevant agencies, conservation organizations, and private entities and works on state and national policy to conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends. Before joining the Conservancy, she developed federal land management plans, facilitated planning efforts, authored federal legislation, managed NEPA for federal agencies, and advocated for conservation. Throughout her career, she has most enjoyed collaboration and working closely with diverse groups to find common ground. Megan holds a Juris Doctor and Natural Resources Law and Policy Certificate from the University of Colorado Law School.
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Josh Craft
Government and Corporate Relations Manager, Utah Clean Energy (MODERATOR)
Josh Craft
Government and Corporate Relations Manager, Utah Clean Energy (MODERATOR)
Josh is the lead for government and legislative outreach and corporate affairs for Utah Clean Energy. Josh has spent over a decade working at the intersection of state politics and energy and utilities regulation. A native of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, Josh holds a B.A. in History from Davidson College and an M.S. in Law and Public Policy from Northeastern University. When Josh isn’t working on energy policy matters, he enjoys getting to know Utah’s beautiful outdoors, reading about American history, and spending time with his wife and two children.
Entrepreneurship Panel
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Gabi Tellez
Innovation Consultant, Utah System of Higher Education
Gabi Tellez
Innovation Consultant, Utah System of Higher Education
Gabrielle or “Gabi” Tellez is an innovation consultant for the Utah System of Higher Education and an Investment Analyst at Intermountain Ventures. Prior to Intermountain Ventures, Gabi worked for Intermountain Healthcare’s internal incubator. She has also worked at Leavitt Partners as a health policy consultant and at Keck Hospital of USC as a process improvement consultant. She is published in the Journal of Pediatric Surgery as a result of her work in the fetal surgery department at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. She began her career at a biotech startup. She has volunteered with Operation Smile as a health system strengthening researcher, where she analyzed the health systems of twenty African countries and provided ecosystem building recommendations.Gabi received a master’s in Healthcare Systems Engineering from Loyola Marymount University and a bachelor’s in Business Management from Brigham Young University.
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Steve Davis
Head of Climate Science, Watershed
Steve Davis
Head of Climate Science, Watershed
Steve Davis is a Professor of Earth System Science at the University of California, Irvine and Head of
Climate Science at Watershed. He researches how different human activities are affecting climate and air quality, how those environmental changes in turn jeopardize human wellbeing, and the relative priority of solutions. He is a Highly-Cited Researcher (2020-present), was a Contributing Author of two Working Group III chapters in the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), serves on the Scientific Steering Committee of the Global Carbon Project, the Technical Council of the Science Based Targets Initiative, and is Chapter Lead of the Mitigation chapter in the forthcoming Fifth National Climate Assessment. He holds degrees from Stanford University, the University of Virginia School of Law, and the University of Florida.
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Jake Gong
Chief of Staff, Zanskar Geothermal & Minerals, Inc.
Jake Gong
Chief of Staff, Zanskar Geothermal & Minerals, Inc.
Jake Gong is the Chief of Staff at Zanskar, a leading energy startup with a mission to make geothermal power the most affordable form of widely-deployable, 24/7, carbon-free generation on the planet. Zanskar is utilizing cutting-edge technology and data to discover and de-risk geothermal assets, which provide crucial firm energy to complement other variable renewables. Zanskar is backed by industry-leading venture investors including Union Square Ventures and Lowercarbon Capital.
Jake's role draws on his experiences as a management consultant at Bain & Company, an operator in a Kenyan startup, and an impact investing associate at the University of Utah's Sorenson Impact Center. His passion for environmental stewardship, meaningful entrepreneurship, and commitment to advancing carbon-free energy are driving forces behind his work at Zanskar.
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Tom Georgis
Managing Director Energy Accelerator, Partners for Innovation, Ventures, Outreach & Technology (PIVOT) Center (MODERATOR)
Tom Georgis
Managing Director Energy Accelerator, Partners for Innovation, Ventures, Outreach & Technology (PIVOT) Center (MODERATOR)
Tom Georgis has 24 years of experience in both the conventional and renewable energy sectors, most recently as the CEO of SolarReserve, a global concentrated solar with thermal energy storage company, He has extensive climate technology expertise derived from working with numerous renewable and sustainable energy companies, technologies and projects; including early stage investment capital sourcing and structuring, regulatory and legislative policy advocacy, clean technology development and commercialization, and utility scale project development and financing.
Tom has lived and worked around the world focused on bringing clean energy solutions to such diverse geographies as Australia, Chile, China, El Salvador, Nigeria, Morocco, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Algeria, UAE, Honduras, South Africa, and Peru. These activities included creating thousands of clean tech sector jobs while facilitating transition from conventional fossil fuel power generation. He has successfully advocated for clean technology policies and adoption with the most senior stakeholders in all of the aforementioned countries, including Heads of State and Ministers of Energy.
He has been a principal involved in raising over $3 billion of corporate and project capital through engagement with venture capital, private equity, commercial lenders. global energy corporate partners, sovereign wealth funds, development banks and agencies; all in support of financing clean technology development and deployment.
Tom is also an Adjunct Instructor with the Department of Entrepreneurship and Strategy in the David Eccles School of Business at the University of Utah and an Adjunct Professor and Faculty Advisor at the Anderson School of Management at UCLA where he lectures on entrepreneurship, international business strategy, and sustainability. At Anderson, he is also on the board of the Price Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation.
As an entrepreneur, operator, advisor, and investor, he has been involved with over 20 startups. He holds a degree in Political Science from Northwestern University and an MBA from UCLA.
Federal Landscape of Climate Solutions Panel
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Ben King
Associate Director, Rhodium Group
Ben King
Associate Director, Rhodium Group
Ben King is an Associate Director with Rhodium Group's Energy & Climate practice. Ben leads research projects focused on the effects of policy and economic changes to the US energy system, particularly in the power and industrial sectors. Ben developed the Rhodium Group Industrial Carbon Abatement Platform (RHG-ICAP) to model facility-level opportunities for emissions reductions in industry.
Prior to joining Rhodium, Ben was an analyst in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), where he worked on demand-side efficiency analysis and electricity market policy. Ben also served as Deputy Chief of Staff in EERE and developed clean energy policy resources for cities and states at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
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Maria Martinez
Director, U.S. Policy and Advocacy, Breakthrough Energy
Maria Martinez
Director, U.S. Policy and Advocacy, Breakthrough Energy
Maria leads Breakthrough Energy’s clean fuels portfolio. She works to advance policies that help bring innovative clean energy solutions to market and incentivize adoption of low- and zero-carbon technologies. Prior to joining Gates Ventures and Breakthrough Energy, Maria served as an appointee at the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) where she led in the planning, development, and execution of agency climate policy. While at DEEP, she oversaw implementation of an Executive Order which expanded the scope of the Governor's Council on Climate Change (GC3) to address climate change mitigation and adaptation in the state. Maria held earlier positions at the Natural Resources Defense Council and the U.S. Green Building Council. She holds a master’s degree in environmental management from Yale University and a bachelor’s degree in sustainability studies from the University of Florida.
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Savvy Bowman
Program Manager, ClearPath
Savvy Bowman
Program Manager, ClearPath
Savvy Bowman is a Program Manager for Carbon Management at ClearPath, leading the organization’s carbon dioxide removal (CDR), and steel and concrete industrial decarbonization initiatives. In this role, Savvy guides legislative efforts, including through new policy development, and manages stakeholder engagement with policymakers, government, industry, and coalitions.
Prior to joining ClearPath, Savvy was a Business Resolution Analyst at Tesla, where she managed pre-litigation solar and storage assets across North America and conducted risk mitigation assessments to resolve issues ranging from system performance discrepancies to contractual disputes. Her background also includes consulting for Pöyry, reviewing the feasibility of biomass energy deployment in Southeast Asia, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) researching the impacts of bauxite mining in Guinea for aluminum production.
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William (Bill) Anderegg
Director, Wilkes Center for Climate Science & Policy, Associate Professor, School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah (MODERATOR)
William (Bill) Anderegg
Director, Wilkes Center for Climate Science & Policy, Associate Professor, School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah (MODERATOR)
Bill is the Director of the Wilkes Center for Climate Science & Policy and an Associate Professor in the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Utah. He received his bachelors and Ph.D. from Stanford University and did a NOAA Climate & Global Change Postdoctoral Fellowship at Princeton University.
Alternative Financing Panel
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Caroline de Bossart
Director of Climate Investing, The Grantham Foundation for the Protection of the Environment
Caroline de Bossart
Director of Climate Investing, The Grantham Foundation for the Protection of the Environment
Caroline de Bossart (Lester) is a Director representing the Grantham Foundation for the Protection of the Environment, an organisation founded by Jeremy and Hanne Grantham, where she advises on grants and investments into neglected climate solutions. She has a particular interest in carbon removal and is a board director for C-Trees, a non-profit organisation that tracks carbon for every tree on the planet to enable nature-based climate solutions at scale. Prior to the Grantham Foundation, she was a growth-stage climate investor at CPP Investments, the C$500B investment arm of the Canadian pension plan, and a strategy consultant at Bain & Company. She was selected for the 2020/21 Harvard Climate Leaders Programme. Caroline lives in the Canadian Rockies with her husband and husky.
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Andy Hecht
Climate Fund Manager, Park City Community Foundation
Andy Hecht
Climate Fund Manager, Park City Community Foundation
Andy is currently the Climate Fund Manager with Park City Community Foundation. Originally from Chicago, Andy found his way out west to work with the National Park Service. After working seasonally raft guiding in the summers and skiing in the winters, Andy pursued an Elementary Education degree and graduated from the University of Utah. In 2008, in collaboration with over 30 public/private partnerships, Andy started a natural resources education program for the U.S. Forest Service in northern California. For over ten years, he ran an environmental education site on the Oregon coast for a consortium of school districts in Northwest Oregon. He was featured on PBS NewsHour for his collaborative approach to this program. In 2018 he earned his Master’s in Educational Business Administration, keeping true to his roots in seasonal work, Andy carved out the winter months to work for Sundance Film Festival in Park City since 2006. In 2018 he married his long-time partner, and they chose to make Park City their permanent home. He works closely with MT2030 and serves on various committees, including, More than Music, Park City’s Green Business Program, Park City’s Sustainable Tourism, and Park City’s feasibility study for the Bonanza park project. Andy and his wife Brittnie enjoy the seasons of Park City and the many activities that come with it, and also are proud owners of an extensive board game collection.
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Vanessa Fajans-Turner
Executive Director, BankFWD
Vanessa Fajans-Turner
Executive Director, BankFWD
Vanessa is dedicated to driving meaningful climate action across the financial sector. As the executive director of BankFWD, she’s focused on accelerating the banking sector’s alignment with the Paris Agreement. As a principal with Investable Oceans, she works to drive investment into sustainable ocean start-ups across the blue economy. A native of Ithaca NY, she also advises the city’s nation-leading sustainability plan to electrify all buildings by 2030 and is never without her ice hockey skates.
Previously, Vanessa held sustainability roles at the United Nations and with James Cameron’s climate-focused Avatar Alliance Foundation. She’s a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and producer of the Emmy Award-winning documentary series Years of Living Dangerously. She has an MA from Johns Hopkins-SAIS and a BA from Harvard.
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Abhishek Bhaskar
Lead, Accelerating Coal Transition (ACT) Investment Program, Climate Investment Funds (CIF)
Abhishek Bhaskar
Lead, Accelerating Coal Transition (ACT) Investment Program, Climate Investment Funds (CIF)
Abhishek Bhaskar leads the CIF’s ACT Investment Program, world's first multilateral fund to transition away from coal, Technical Assistance Facility for clean energy investments and CIF’s JETP engagement in South Africa. With previous jobs at the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the United Nation’s Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the World Bank, Abhishek has over 15 years of clean energy/ climate finance experience working on blended finance, green bonds, compliance grade carbon assets, climate metrics and regulatory frameworks. He holds Masters’ degrees in Economics and Finance.
Eliot Wilcox
Director of Operations, College of Science, University of Utah (MODERATOR)
Eliot Wilcox
Director of Operations, College of Science, University of Utah (MODERATOR)
Day 2 Panel Participants
Impacts on Vulnerable Communities Panel
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Angela Robinson
Assistant Professor, Gender Studies, University of Utah
Angela Robinson
Assistant Professor, Gender Studies, University of Utah
Angela L. Robinson is Assistant Professor of Gender Studies and Environmental Humanities at the University of Utah, where she also works with the Pacific Islands Studies program. An anti-colonial Chuukese scholar, she researches in the areas of Indigenous cultural production, Native queer and feminist theory, affect and new materialisms, and environmental studies. She received her Ph.D. in Gender Studies from the University of California, Los Angeles, and was the inaugural Mellon-Pasifika Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Utah. Her current book project examines climate change as a colonial regime and looks at more-than-human ontologies expressed through Indigenous cultural production as crucial forms of sociality that are vital to addressing climate change and its effects.
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Jayajit Chakraborty
Professor, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, University of Texas at El Paso
Jayajit Chakraborty
Professor, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, University of Texas at El Paso
Dr. Jayajit Chakraborty is a Professor in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) and the Founding Director of the UTEP Socio-Environmental and Geospatial Analysis Laboratory, which supports collaborative, community-engaged, and externally funded research and education on topics at the intersection of environmental and social sciences. His research interests include environmental justice, climate justice, disability justice, social vulnerability to disasters, health equity, and food security. Dr. Chakraborty has published more than 110 articles/chapters and 4 edited books. His research has been supported by grants from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), US National Science Foundation (NSF), US Department of Transportation, US Department of Treasury, Australian Research Council, and many other agencies. He is currently serving as a member of the EPA Science Advisory Board, the EPA Environmental Justice Science Committee, and the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Committee to support the White House Justice 40 Initiative.
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Aaron Flores
Postdoctoral Fellow, Geography, Arizona State University
Aaron Flores
Postdoctoral Fellow, Geography, Arizona State University
Dr. Aaron Flores is a postdoc and incoming Assistant Professor in the School of Geographical Sciences & Urban Planning at Arizona State University. He received his B.A. and M.S. in Geography from Texas Tech University. He received his Ph.D. in Geography from the University of Utah. Dr. Flores is a human-environmental geographer with research interests in the social dimensions of hazards and disasters. In particular, his work focuses on distributional environmental justice, which determines the extent to which socially disadvantaged groups are disproportionately exposed to hazards. His main current research area focuses on federally-overlooked 100-year flood risk (flood risk not recognized by official federal maps from the Federal Emergency Management Agency [FEMA]), but he also conducts research focused on inequities in extreme heat. He has published extensively in respected academic journals such as the Annals of the American Association of Geographers, Environmental Research, Environmental Justice, Public Health Reports, Disasters, etc. He is proud to contribute to the dialogue surrounding issues of racial and spatial justice, and looks forward to continuing his work in this vital area.
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Alessandro Rigolon
Assistant Professor, City & Metropolitan Planning, University of Utah
Alessandro Rigolon
Assistant Professor, City & Metropolitan Planning, University of Utah
Alessandro Rigolon is an Assistant Professor in the Department of City and Metropolitan Planning at the University of Utah. He studies environmental justice issues related to urban green space and their impacts on health equity. His research agenda includes three main areas: policy determinants of inequities in park provision, drivers and resistance to gentrification fostered by new parks (i.e., “green gentrification”), and the public health impacts of urban green space on marginalized communities.
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Tim Collins
Professor, Departments of Geography and the Environmental and Sustainability Studies Program, University of Utah (MODERATOR)
Tim Collins
Professor, Departments of Geography and the Environmental and Sustainability Studies Program, University of Utah (MODERATOR)
Dr. Collins is an established researcher in the areas of air pollution, environmental inequalities, and health disparities. He is also the director of undergraduate studies in Geography at UOU. His research on environmental health has been funded by the National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities, National Science Foundation, Environmental Protection Agency, and National Aeronautics and Space Administration. While at UTEP, Collins gained experience in the scientific and administrative leadership of undergraduate research training programs both in his role as a Provost’s Faculty Fellow with the Campus Office of Undergraduate Research Initiatives and as a PI on a multi-PI team for BUILDing SCHOLARS, which is one of ten sites in the NIH-funded BUILD initiative. As director of the Institutional Development Core, which had a budget of $4.5 million in direct costs, he oversaw the development of a novel research-driven curricular program (including new course-based undergraduate research experiences), searches for key personnel (multiple new tenure-track faculty members and postdoctoral personnel) to support the program, improvements to biomedical research training environments across campus, small grant programs for faculty, and a mentoring awards program.
Science and Innovation in Ecosystems and Nature-Based Climate Solutions Panel
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Jon Wang
Assistant Professor, School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah
Jon Wang
Assistant Professor, School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah
I am an Assistant Professor in the School of Biological Sciences whose research leverages data science, remote sensing, and field measurements to better understand how terrestrial ecosystems dynamics are being reshaped by climate change and human activity. I am specifically interested in when, where, and how much disturbances such as wildfires have caused regional shifts in land cover and carbon stocks, and how forest ecosystems may recover from or influence such disturbances. My research has focused on regions experiencing exceptional changes, including Arctic-boreal high latitude ecosystems, the drought-prone western U.S., and urban ecosystems. My research tracks these changes by generating detailed time series maps of ecosystem properties at regional scale primarily using satellite imagery.
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Anna Trugman
Assistant Professor, UC Santa Barbara
Anna Trugman
Assistant Professor, UC Santa Barbara
Prof. Anna Trugman is a forest ecologist with a multidisciplinary background in the earth sciences. Her research interests are centered around understanding how climate change is impacting forest resilience and carbon cycling. Anna received her bachelor’s degree from Stanford University in Geological and Environmental Sciences, her Ph.D. from Princeton University in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, and spent two years at the University of Utah in the Biology Department as a research assistant professor. She has been an Assistant Professor in the Department of Geography at UC Santa Barbara since 2019.
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Leander Anderegg
Assistant Professor, Landscape Ecophysiology, UC Santa Barbara
Leander Anderegg
Assistant Professor, Landscape Ecophysiology, UC Santa Barbara
Leander Anderegg grew up in rural Colorado, camping, fishing, and hunting in the mountains and high desert. His interest in ecology, climate change and plant physiology was catalyzed by mass forest die-offs across the Southwest caused by anomalously hot droughts in the early 2000s (so called 'climate change-type droughts'), which devastated many of his favorite forests. He received a BA from Stanford University, a PhD from the University of Washington, and was an NSF and NOAA Climate and Global Change Postdoctoral Fellow at UC Berkeley and the Carnegie Institution for Science before starting as an Assistant Professor in Ecology, Evolution & Marine Biology at the University of California Santa Barbara in 2021. His research seeks to scale up the physiological responses of plants to biotic and abiotic stress to explain population level, community level and biogeographic processes. He tries to understand how plants respond physiologically to climatic, biotic, and anthropogenic stresses in order to forecast future ecosystem structure and function and help develop climate resilient land management strategies.
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William (Bill) Anderegg
Director, Wilkes Center for Climate Science & Policy, Associate Professor, School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah (MODERATOR)
William (Bill) Anderegg
Director, Wilkes Center for Climate Science & Policy, Associate Professor, School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah (MODERATOR)
Bill is the Director of the Wilkes Center for Climate Science & Policy and an Associate Professor in the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Utah. He received his bachelors and Ph.D. from Stanford University and did a NOAA Climate & Global Change Postdoctoral Fellowship at Princeton University.
Future of Water Panel
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Candice Hasenyager
Director, Utah Division of Water Resources
Candice Hasenyager
Director, Utah Division of Water Resources
Candice Hasenyager serves as the Utah Division of Water Resources Director. Candice has worked on water resources and planning projects since 2007. She has been involved in multiple Utah Water Task Force workgroups, Great Salt Lake Strike team, water resources planning, surface water modeling, hydrology studies and municipal water demand projections. Candice feels strongly about helping find balanced solutions to ensure Utah families have a reliable water supply, that agriculture and businesses can be successful, and that the environment can prosper. She graduated from the University of Utah with a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Civil Engineering.
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Matt Yost
Agroclimate Specialist, Utah State University
Matt Yost
Agroclimate Specialist, Utah State University
Dr. Matt Yost is a native of southern Idaho where he was raised on a dairy farm. After completing his PhD in Applied Plant Science at the University of Minnesota, he spent 4 years doing postdoctoral research in the Midwestern United States. He is currently an Associate Professor, Associate Department Head, and Agroclimate Extension Specialist at Utah State University. His research and extension efforts focus on water optimization in agriculture, soil health, precision agriculture, and adaptive nutrient management. He also serves as the Director of USUcrops – a team of 25 Extension faculty conducting coordinated research and outreach that educates and assists thousands of stakeholders each year. He has published 50 research journal articles and garnered over 15 million in support for climate resiliency water optimization, nutrient management, and soil health research and outreach efforts.
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Laura Briefer
Director, Department of Public Utilities, Salt Lake City Corporation
Laura Briefer
Director, Department of Public Utilities, Salt Lake City Corporation
Laura Briefer is the Director of Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities (SLCDPU). She has served as Director of SLCDPU for the last seven years. Laura has worked at SLCDPU for 15 years in various areas of the organization and has devoted a 28-year career in natural resource, environmental, and public policy professions in the public, private, and non-profit sectors. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies from the University of California at Santa Barbara, and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Utah.
Laura is a co-author of several peer-reviewed published papers alongside Utah’s academic institutions, focused on water resources, climate change, and watershed management. She serves on local and national boards, including the Provo River Water Users Association, Utah Lake Water Users Association, National Association of Clean Water Agencies (https://www.nacwa.org/), the national Water Research Foundation, (https://www.waterrf.org/), and the Utah Water Task Force.
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Seth Arens
Utah Research Integration Specialist, Western Water Assessment (MODERATOR)
Seth Arens
Utah Research Integration Specialist, Western Water Assessment (MODERATOR)
Seth Arens has worked as a Utah-based research scientist for Western Water Assessment since 2015 where he conducts applied climate research to assist resource managers and local government to understand and adapt to climate change. Seth has a diverse scientific background including research experience in ecosystem and plant ecology, snow hydrology and atmospheric sciences. Prior to 2015, Seth worked as an environmental scientist for the Utah Division of Air Quality where he conducted research on ozone pollution and maintained the state’s air quality monitoring network. In his spare time, Seth enjoys skiing, rafting and exploring the mountains and rivers of the West.
Polar Climate and Ecosystems Panel
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Donald Perovich
Professor of Engineering, Dartmouth College
Donald Perovich
Professor of Engineering, Dartmouth College
Dr. Don Perovich is a Professor in the Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth College. The central goal of his research is deceivingly simple to state: understand the interaction of solar radiation with sea ice. This simple statement belies the rich complexity of the topic. The interaction of solar radiation with sea ice is intimately interrelated with sea ice optical properties, thermodynamics, physical properties, sea ice ecology, and radiative transfer theory. A central element of his research is assessing the role of the sea ice albedo feedback in the Arctic climate system. His research combines field experiments, process oriented modeling, and autonomous sensor systems to explore these issues. He is a Fellow of the American Geophysical Union.
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Cecilia Bitz
Professor Atmospheric Sciences, University of Washington
Cecilia Bitz
Professor Atmospheric Sciences, University of Washington
Cecilia Bitz is a professor in the Atmospheric Sciences Department at the University of Washington. She is presently on sabbatical after serving as department chair the past 3 years and director of the UW Program on Climate Change for the prior 2 years. Dr. Bitz's research focus is on climate and climate change in the high latitudes, climate modeling, and Earth system predictability. She is currently working on Arctic climate predictability, sea ice-wave interactions, sea ice data assimilation, understanding Arctic cyclones, and food security in coastal Alaska. She has traveled to both the Arctic and Antarctic to make measurement to understand polar climate physics and improve predictive models. Dr. Bitz presently serves on the NOAA Climate Working Group. She was a Fulbright Scholar to New Zealand during her last sabbatical. She is a former member of the NAS Board on Atmospheric Sciences.
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Byron Adams
Biology Department Chair, Professor, Brigham Young University
Byron Adams
Biology Department Chair, Professor, Brigham Young University
Byron Adams is a University Professor and chair of Biology at Brigham Young University. With the support of the US National Science Foundation, he has spent the past 20 years studying the terrestrial ecosystems of Antarctica. His work sheds light on the evolution and ecology of the organisms that live there, and how they respond to historical and contemporary climate-driven environmental changes. Byron is involved in several international biodiversity observation initiatives, including capacity building, with goals of coordinating cross-continent and cross-national program-scale assessments of ecosystem and environmental variability and change. He is a United States representative to the Life Sciences group for the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR), and currently serves as Secretary of the SCAR Life Sciences.
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Jody Deming
Professor of Oceanography, University of Washington
Jody Deming
Professor of Oceanography, University of Washington
Jody Deming is a microbial oceanographer who, with her students, explores microbial life in the Arctic Ocean and its sea-ice cover, including how microbes have adapted to the cold, and their broader ecological roles. These interests build on prior years of research on microbial adaptation to the deep sea. At the University of Washington in Seattle, she has directed the Marine Bioremediation Program, launched what has become the Center for Environmental Genomics, and helped establish the nation’s first graduate training program in Astrobiology. She serves on numerous international committees and as Editor-in-Chief of the Ocean Science domain of the non-profit, open-access journal Elementa: Science of the Anthropocene. She is a member of the American Academy of Microbiology and the U.S. National Academy of Sciences. She is currently devoted to developing Ocean Memory, in the face of Climate Change, as an inspiring new line of inquiry at the interfaces of manifold disciplines and practices.
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David Holland
Professor of Mathematics and Environmental Science, New York University (NYU)
David Holland
Professor of Mathematics and Environmental Science, New York University (NYU)
David Michael Holland is a Professor of Mathematics and Environmental Science at New York University (NYU). His research focuses on using mathematics to understand mechanisms by which significant sea-level change could arise from the great ice sheets, Greenland, and Antarctica, over the coming decades in an ever-warming world. He applies advanced applied mathematical techniques to data collected in remote environments. A veteran of more than a decade of Greenland and Antarctic field expeditions, Holland continues to spend summer seasons collecting vital information about the state of the oceans and glaciers in those regions. This data is used to improve computer modeling of the interaction of the great ice sheets with warming global ocean waters leading to more robust projections of global sea-level change.
He has published more than 100 peer-reviewed articles on polar environmental science. In 2000, he was awarded an NSF Career Award He served as Director of the Center for Atmosphere-Ocean Science in the Courant Institute during 2008-2013. Since then, he has become the Director of the Environmental Fluid Dynamics Laboratory at NYU New York and the Center for global Sea Level Change at NYU Abu Dhabi. He was elected a fellow of the American Geophysical Union in 2021.
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Kenneth Golden
Distinguished Professor of Mathematics, University of Utah (MODERATOR)
Kenneth Golden
Distinguished Professor of Mathematics, University of Utah (MODERATOR)
Ken Golden is a Distinguished Professor of Mathematics and Adjunct Professor of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Utah. His main research interests are in mathematics of sea ice and climate, polar ecology, composite materials, and remote sensing. He's been on eighteen polar expeditions, given over 500 invited lectures on six continents, including three presentations to the U.S. Congress, and won awards for teaching, mentoring, and science communication. His work has been covered by media around the world, including profiles in Science, Scientific American, Physics Today, and the BBC. Golden is an Inaugural Fellow of the American Mathematical Society, a Fellow of the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics, cited for “extraordinary interdisciplinary work on the mathematics of sea ice,” a Fellow of the Electromagnetics Academy, and a Fellow of the Explorers Club, whose members have included Neil Armstrong and Jane Goodall.
Wildfire Panel
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Heather Holmes
Associate Professor, Chemical Engineering, University of Utah
Heather Holmes
Associate Professor, Chemical Engineering, University of Utah
Heather Holmes is an associate professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering in the John and Marcia Price College of Engineering at the University of Utah. Her research focuses on transdisciplinary investigations of processes that govern the transport of atmospheric pollutants, with a focus on air quality in the western United States. Specifically, her research group uses ground-based sensors, atmospheric models, and satellite remote sensing to investigate atmospheric physics, air pollution sources, and transport and dispersion ultimately to provide data for human health and public policy assessments.
Website: https://holmes.che.utah.edu
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Derek Mallia
Research Assistant Professor, Atmospheric Sciences, University of Utah
Derek Mallia
Research Assistant Professor, Atmospheric Sciences, University of Utah
Dr. Derek Mallia is a Research Assistant Professor at the University of Utah's Department of Atmospheric Sciences. Derek is most interested in topics that have strong linkages to climate change and involve exchanges between the atmosphere and land surface. His most recent research has primarily focused on using atmospheric models to elucidate key processes that drive wildfire behavior and smoke dispersion, and wind-blown dust. Derek is also interested in combining atmospheric models with statistical methods to identify major sources of atmospheric pollutants and greenhouse gases in urban settings.
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Emily Fischer
Associate Professor, Atmospheric Sciences, Colorado State University
Emily Fischer
Associate Professor, Atmospheric Sciences, Colorado State University
Dr. Emily V. Fischer is an atmospheric scientist who studies the atmosphere using in situ observations, satellite measurements, and chemical transport models. Her current work focuses on the emissions, composition, and impacts of non-traditional air pollution sources including wildfires.
Dr. Fischer is an Associate Professor in the Department of Atmospheric Science at Colorado State University (CSU). She also is an affiliate faculty member of the CSU School of Global Environmental Sustainability (SoGES). As an undergraduate she majored in Atmospheric Sciences at the University of British Columbia. She then earned her M.S. in Earth Sciences from the University of New Hampshire and her Ph.D.in Atmospheric Science from the University of Washington. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard University, and she joined the faculty at CSU in 2013.
Dr. Fischer and her group produce and analyze measurements of many different air pollutants. Her recent research efforts have included leading field campaigns to study the composition of wildfire smoke, the emissions from large animal feeding operations, and the impact of oil and gas operations on air quality at various scales. In addition to her atmospheric chemistry work, Dr. Fischer leads research to identify and test strategies to build more equitable and welcoming educational environments. Her recent work includes leading a mentoring program for undergraduates who identify as women and piloting best practices for preventing sexual harassment in field settings. She is also a founding member of Science Moms, a group of nonpartisan scientists working to demystify climate science and climate solutions.
Dr. Fischer is a recipient of the AGU James B. Macelwane Medal. At CSU her work has been recognized through a Monfort Professorship, an Abel Outstanding Early Career Faculty Award, and an Abell Outstanding Faculty Teaching and Mentoring Award.
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Ian Fox
Acting Deputy Team Leader, Wildfire Risk Reduction Infrastructure Team, U.S. Forest Service
Ian Fox
Acting Deputy Team Leader, Wildfire Risk Reduction Infrastructure Team, U.S. Forest Service
Ian Fox, Acting Deputy Team Leader Wildfire Risk Reduction Infrastructure Team. Ian received a Bachelor of Science in Forestry “Natural Resource Management” from the University of Tennessee in 1998. Upon graduating he worked for the Colorado State Forest Service and the Florida Division of Forestry. For the last twenty-one years he has worked for the U.S. Forest Service in a variety of roles within the Southwestern Region. His primary duties have been conducting forest restoration and fuels reduction treatments through innovative projects with local communities, Tribes, States, non-governmental organizations and industry partners. More recently his focus has been in developing Shared Stewardship projects with the states of Arizona and New Mexico, as well as, with Tribes to reduce wildfire risk to critical watersheds, communities and ancestral lands.
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Gannet Hallar
Professor, Atmospheric Sciences, Director, Storm Peak Laboratory, University of Utah (Co-MODERATOR)
Gannet Hallar
Professor, Atmospheric Sciences, Director, Storm Peak Laboratory, University of Utah (Co-MODERATOR)
Dr. Hallar attended a very small rural high school in central Missouri, where she was inspired by the beauty of math, through a physics class provided by the University of Oklahoma on a videocassette recorder. She also discovered her love of the mountains and skiing via a few family trips to Colorado in high school. She then attended a liberal arts college in Northern Missouri, Truman State University, and completed a Bachelor’s degree in Physics. During college, Dr. Hallar also had an internship at the National Weather Service office near her childhood farm, and really only enjoyed fixing the broken equipment. These experiences led her to the University of Colorado, where she received her M.S. and Ph.D. in Atmospheric Sciences. During her graduate work, she took atmospheric measurements around the world, including a winter experience in Antarctica. After graduate school, Dr. Hallar accepted a postdoctoral research position as a National Research Council Fellow at NASA Ames in California. In this position, she traveled to a remote island in the Indian Ocean to study air pollution. She then joined the Desert Research Institute as Director of Storm Peak Laboratory, a high elevation atmospheric science laboratory in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Storm Peak Laboratory has undergone major changes under her leadership over the last 14 years including new instrumentation, new research foci, new field courses, and a significant building expansion. Dr. Hallar is now an Associate Professor of Atmospheric Science at the University of Utah, where she leads the Hallar Aerosol Research Team (HART). Her path has been possible due to two strong mentors, Dr. Maria Di Stefano at Truman State and Dr. Linnea Avallone at the University of Colorado. She is the mother of three children, Snow (5) and Rio (3), and the step-mom to Ocean (19), and happily married to her partner in life and research, Ian McCubbin.
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John Lin
Professor, Atmospheric Sciences, Associate Director, Wilkes Center for Climate Science & Policy, University of Utah (Co-MODERATOR)
John Lin
Professor, Atmospheric Sciences, Associate Director, Wilkes Center for Climate Science & Policy, University of Utah (Co-MODERATOR)
John Lin is a Professor in the Department of Atmospheric Sciences and the Associate Director of the Wilkes Center for Climate Science & Policy. He has over 20 years of experience researching the emissions and transport of greenhouse gases and pollutants in the atmosphere, publishing over 100 peer-reviewed papers. He was selected as a Earth Leadership Fellow in 2022. His research group (http://lair.utah.edu/) is carrying out greenhouse gas and air quality observations in the Salt Lake area, as well as in the Uinta Basin. John also works regularly with satellite observations from NASA to determine carbon emissions from cities around the world. John received his AB, AM, and PhD degrees from Harvard University.
Health Sciences Panel
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Jeff Robison
M.D. Associate Professor of Pediatrics, University of Utah Health
Jeff Robison
M.D. Associate Professor of Pediatrics, University of Utah Health
Jeff A. Robison, M.D. is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics and holds the Robert Bolte Endowed Chair in Pediatric Emergency Medicine. He is the Associate Chair for Community and Global Engagement within the University of Utah Department of Pediatrics and is an attending physician in the Emergency Department of Primary Children’s Hospital. His academic interests focus on the improvement of emergency and hospital care for children in resource-limited settings, the impact of climate change on global child health, and the development of programs that link Academic Medical Centers with partners in both low- and middle-income countries as well as tribal and rural areas of the U.S.
Dr. Robison graduated from the University of Utah School of Medicine after which he completed residency training in pediatrics at Columbia University/Children’s Hospital of New York. After residency, Dr. Robison spent two years in Malawi at Kamuzu Central Hospital working with acutely ill children and children with HIV/AIDS. He then went on to complete fellowship training in pediatric emergency medicine at the University of Utah/Primary Children’s Hospital. He is certified in both Pediatrics and Pediatric Emergency Medicine by the American Board of Pediatrics.
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Shana Godfred-Cato
M.D. General Pediatrics, University of Utah Health
Shana Godfred-Cato
M.D. General Pediatrics, University of Utah Health
Dr. Shana Godfred-Cato completed her medical degree at Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine and her residency at Baylor Scott & White in Temple, TX. She is currently an Assistant Professor in the division of General Pediatrics at the University of Utah.
Dr. Godfred-Cato is a general pediatrician who provides care from birth through adolescence. Her interests include emerging threats and disaster preparedness for children and families. She is a co-PI for the pediatric pandemic network Primary Children’s Hospital site. She works with the CDC’s National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, focusing on emerging threats that affect mothers and infants. She has served on CDC’s Zika, e-cigarette or vaping product use-associated lung injury, COVID-19 and Monkeypox responses. Dr. Godfred-Cato serves on the executive committee for American Academy of Pediatrics Council on Children and Disasters. During her free time, she enjoys running, biking, skiing and spending time with her family.
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Kimberley Shoaf
Professor, Division of Public Health, Office of Humanitarian Leadership and Emergency Health, University of Utah Health
Kimberley Shoaf
Professor, Division of Public Health, Office of Humanitarian Leadership and Emergency Health, University of Utah Health
Kimberley Shoaf, DrPH is Professor in the Division of Public Health within the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine at the University of Utah. She directs the Office of Humanitarian Leadership and Emergency Health and oversees the graduate certificate in Emergency Health. In addition to her academic duties, over the past year, she has directed the Health and Safety Branch of the University of Utah’s incident management team responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. She was responsible for coordinating public health guidance for the campus, COVID-19 testing, Contact Tracing, Quarantine & Isolation, and vaccination strategies for the campus in collaboration with and under the authority of the Salt Lake County Department of Public Health.
During her academic career, she has focused her research, teaching, and service in two inter-connected areas of public health: emergency public health and public health workforce development. Prior to joining the faculty of the Division of Public Health at the University of Utah, she was an Associate Professor in the Department of Community Health Sciences at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health. At UCLA she was the Associate Director of the UCLA Center for Public Health and Disasters, Director of the CDC funded Preparedness and Emergency Response Research Center, and Director of the Southwest Regional Public Health Training Center. Her research encompasses the health impacts of disasters as well as preparedness of the health sector for public health emergencies and disasters. She is currently Co-Investigator with Dr. Talboys on a sub-award from CDC to the Utah Department of Health to provide technical assistance and evaluation of the State’s efforts to ensure equity in their COVID-19 response.
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Fred Adler
Professor of Mathematics, Biological Sciences, University of Utah (MODERATOR)
Fred Adler
Professor of Mathematics, Biological Sciences, University of Utah (MODERATOR)
I am a Professor of Mathematics and Director of the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Utah. I have used mathematical modeling to study questions ranging from my original interests in ecology and epidemiology to include immunology and many fields of molecular and biomedical biology, with a fascination with the coordination of self-organized biological systems ranging from ant colonies to cell collectives. I am the author of the calculus and statistics textbook "Modeling the Dynamics of Life" and coauthor of the textbook "Urban Ecosystems: Ecological Principles for the Built Environment."