Dr. Linnia Hawkins

Researcher

Dr. Hawkins is a postdoctoral scholar at the National Center for Atmospheric Research and a collaborating researcher at the ‘Learning the Earth with Artificial Intelligence and Physics’ Center at Columbia University. Her research interests broadly lie at the intersection of climate, natural resources, and management – with a particular focus on the forested ecosystems of the western US. Society relies on the climate mitigation role of forests; however, forests are vulnerable to climate driven changes in drought frequency and severity, changing fire weather conditions, and management practices and policies. Dr. Hawkins’ research investigates the effects of changing climate conditions on the vulnerability of forest ecosystem carbon and water cycling. She uses measurements and models to assess the consequences of climate change on carbon sequestration and water availability for municipal, industrial, cultural, and ecological uses.

Dr. Hawkins received her PhD in Atmospheric Science in 2019 from Oregon State University where she developed high-resolution climate projections designed to inform climate adaptation efforts. Dr. Hawkins also worked with the Oregon Climate Change Research Institute to engage stakeholders in the coproduction of science to build climate-resilient communities in Oregon.