Science-Policy Fellow, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Biography
Supervising Faculty: Ben Preston
Kassie joined the Bredesen Center to further her understanding of methods and processes to plan for and respond to the impacts of climate change. She became interested in climate change planning while working in a National Park in Alaska. The impacts of climate change, and other hyper-complex anthropogenic problems were present, yet the steps necessary to mitigate and adapt to these changes were not. She researched questions of climate change decision-making, modelling approaches, and stakeholder involvement on public lands while obtaining her Master’s in Geography from the University in Tennessee. Afterwards, Kassie began working at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the Geographic Information Sciences and Technology Group, focusing on the state of the United States energy grid and its ability to adapt to future changes. Her work at Oak Ridge National Laboratory led her to the Bredesen Center to focus on how governance and decision-making will adapt to plan for the impacts of climate change. She is working with Dr. Ben Preston from the Climate Change Sciences Institute on measuring and visualizing climate impacts, assessing vulnerabilities, and considering adaptations to climate change. Her questions focus on what scales and levels are most necessary in Integrated Assessment Modeling, and the optimal ways stakeholders can be included in the climate change decision-making process.
Education
Master of Science in Geography with a Minor in Environmental Policy and Management - University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Bachelor of Science in Geography and Sociology - University of Wisconsin, Madison
Awards and Recognitions
- Significant Event Award, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (2014) - for the Development of the first ever government-owned foundation energy infrastructure data layer.
- Shipley Swan Graduate Fellowship - University of Tennessee, Knoxville (2014)
- Masters Paper Competition Finalist at the Southeastern Division of the Association of American Geographers Annual Meeting (2012) - Public Land in a Changing Climate: Planning for an Uncertain Future
- McClure Scholarship for the Study of World Affairs (2012) - to conduct research on climate change adaptation and the inclusion of local indigenous stakeholder views and knowledge in Kakadu National Park, Australia.
- Department of Forestry Independent Research Scholarship (2012) - to conduct research on climate change adaptation and the inclusion of local indigenous stakeholder views and knowledge in Kakadu National Park, Australia.
- Outstanding Teaching Assistant in Geography (2012)
- UT-ORNL Science Alliance Fellowship (2011)
- Stewart K. McCroskey Memorial Foundation Scholarship (2011)
Publications
Google Scholar profile: Kathleen Ernst
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