Lab goal:
To understand the role of the land system in the global climate system, in a supportive, inclusive learning environment. If you are interested in working with the lab, as an undergraduate student, graduate student, or a postdoctoral researcher, please see open opportunities below!
What we research:
Check out the “Research” section of the website for details on specific past and ongoing projects.
In the lab, we aim to understand the role of the land surface in the global climate system, exploring the coupling between terrestrial processes and atmospheric dynamics. This spans everything from studying how crop management is impacting regional cloud formation to how the distribution of land masses on a planet modulates planetary habitability. Research areas include:
- Vegetation change impacts on local climate
- Vegetation change impacts on the atmosphere
- Atmospheric feedbacks to terrestrial change
- Where the atmosphere is most sensitive to changes in the land surface
- What about the land does the atmosphere care most about?
- Land processes impacting the atmosphere and ocean
- Atmospheric dynamics
- Vegetation dynamics
- Cloud responses to land surface processes
- Global Earth System Modelling / Climate Modelling
- Climate model development
- Atmospheric and terrestrial systems modelling – and the coupling between them
- Global energy budgets
- Paleoclimate
- Future climate
- Planetary climates
Undergraduate Research Opportunities
Engaging in undergraduate research is a fantastic way to learn new skills and concepts outside of the classroom. There are several pathways for undergraduate students to get involved with research at UBC, including through the Work Learn and Work Learn International programs, through Directed Studies courses, and through Honours Thesis programs.
Graduate Students
Those interested in working with me should apply to the University of British Columbia Department of Geography graduate program:
https://geog.ubc.ca/graduate/admissions/ . I also able to supervise students through the UBC Institute for Applied Mathematics (https://www.iam.ubc.ca/graduate-studies/how-apply-iam/). Note for applicants from the USA: if you are interested in a PhD but have not yet completed an MSc, please apply to the MSc program. Recruitment of students for the Fall 2027 cohort will be subject to available funding.
I encourage applications from students interested in climate dynamics of the coupled Earth system. For those interested in the development and analysis of complex Earth System Models, strong quantitative background skills (e.g. mathematics including calculus at a minimum, preferably including one or both of ordinary differential equations and partial differential equations, and programming skills e.g. in python, command line, bash etc.) are an asset.
Interested students should contact me in early Autumn of the year they plan to apply (typically ~ 10-12 months before the start of the program).
Postdoctoral Scholars
I do not currently have postdoctoral funding available. However, UBC has a list of postdoctoral funding opportunities available here. Interested applicants should pay particular attention to the Killam Postdoctoral Research Fellowship program. Some individuals may also be eligible to apply for postdoctoral fellowships and Banting fellowships through the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC). Scholars with interests in applied sciences should also explore fellowships available through MITACS.
