Pair of Western students named Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center research fellows
Two Western Washington University students, Katie Ewen and Shannon Healy, have been named 2020-2021 Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center (NW CASC) research fellows.
The Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center (NW CASC) was established to help safeguard the natural and cultural resources of Idaho, Oregon, Washington and surrounding river basins. The center is a result of a federal-university partnership that produces relevant and accessible science on climate change impacts and adaptation actions for Northwest natural resource managers and policy-makers. This University-Federal partnership allows access to a broad range of scientific expertise, production of high-quality science and the leveraging of funds, resources and facilities.
Katie Ewen
Katie Ewen's NW CASC research will focus on Identifying Mount Rainier’s Critical Cold-Water Zones and Protecting Native Fish Populations in a Changing Climate. Katie’s research seeks to understand the impacts of Mount Rainier’s accelerated glacial melt on critical cold-water fish habitat. By examining stream temperatures in glacial systems on Mount Rainier and locating both vulnerable and resilient zones, her project will inform resource managers as they seek to protect native fish and aquatic habitat from climate threats.
Shannon Healy
Shannon Healy's NW CASC Research is focused on Using Remote Sensing to Assess the Impact of Snow Algae on Snow Melt and Water Availability in the North Cascades. Shannon’s project will assess how snow algae, which cause discoloration of the snow that increases the rate of snow melt, are influencing snow melt on the Sholes Glacier in Washington. Using remote sensing techniques, her project will provide understanding of algae impacts on future glacial melt and aquatic resources under climate change.
The NW CASC Research Fellowship Program enables graduate students and postdocs from a variety of scientific backgrounds to conduct actionable climate adaptation science in collaboration with regional natural resource managers and decision-makers, while receiving training in the principles of actionable science. Fellows represent NW CASC's consortium universities across Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana.
