
Bio
I am a natural resource data scientist at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. I am a member of the ORNL Climate Change Science Institute (CCSI) with over 10 years R&D experience in the Environmental Sciences Division (ESD). Specifically, with research experience at the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) climate research facility’s data center (ADC), and in natural resource management and economic assessments related to biomass production (e.g., forestry, bioenergy) for the "Billion Ton" (e.g., USDOE 2016, and forthcoming BT23). I have also provided visioning of strategic computational resources as biomass assessments transition to high-performance computing and open-science.
Under the Buildings and Transportation Science Division (BTSD), I am a researcher in Mobility and Energy Transitions Analysis (META), working with an interdisciplinary group of decision-scientists for decarbonization strategies. Long-term (multi-decade) changes for a net-zero energy society will incorporate new systems and financial mechanisms, that help people make decisions for decarbonized households and communities. Sound science, accurate measurement and verification of the effectiveness of these strategies are essential. I am therefore building tools to assess whether nature-based solution markets can be one of the enabling strategies for 2030-50 Sustainable aviation fuels & marine goals. This research also explores finance and business models for this energy sector, and monitoring, mitigation & verification (MMV) considerations embedded in standards.
RESEARCH INTERESTS:
Leveraging data informatics for improved land management techniques, leveraging markets and policies that create environmental change; influencing carbon valuation in forestry and agricultural sectors for increased opportunities in a circular economy and trade of bioproducts. Short Rotation Woody Crop (SRWC) plantations management (e.g., carbon farming); modernizing growth and yield models that leverage observational climate data for improved planning in natural resource economics and land use efficiency. Specifically, international market-based interventions that advance equitable climate-smart industries.
LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE:
- PI: modeling and tool development to inform deployment of bioenergy crops for specific regions with known nature-based solutions (NbS) markets that can enable cost competitiveness, and benefit marginalized communities.
- Lead: forest-based biomass, DOE’s next “Billion Ton” report
- Contributor: Biomass in a Circular Economy, International Standards Organization
- Management: Atmospheric Radiation Measurement metadata team
- Leadership: Climate Change Science Institute, decarbonization in the Southeast through NbS
Awards
ARM Service Award, 2020, 2021