Dr. Keith Musselman

Hydrologist

Dr. Keith Musselman grew up on the U.S. East Coast where his excitement for the science of weather, climate, and the snow grew from his love for skiing, snowboarding, and surfing. As a hydrologist at the University of Colorado, he studies how mountain snowpack supports sustainable forest ecosystems and water supply for people, wildlife, and agriculture. Motivated by the thrill of scientific discovery and collaborative communication, Keith develops approaches with diverse groups, including Indigenous leaders, to inform sustainable adaptation and decision strategies. Effective communication of climate change issues to diverse groups and the public is a central theme of his work. Keith conducts fieldwork on three continents and uses supercomputers to assess climate change impacts on water availability, streamflow, and flood risk. His background includes degrees in Geology, Hydrology and Water Resources, and Civil Engineering, and training at the National Center for Atmospheric Research.

Keith is committed to building and encouraging a diverse research community and believes that society collectively benefits from the storytelling and communication that is made richer by our differences. Efforts to be more inclusive improve our knowledge and better serve smart decision strategies of individuals, organizations, and policymakers. Keith has authored over 30 publications, some of which are ranked in the top 1% of referenced Earth Science papers. His work has been featured broadly in media including the New York Times. He received an Outstanding Mentor Award from the University of Colorado in 2021 and serves on the NOAA CMIP6 Task Force that informs the organization on the utility of the next generation of climate models. In his free time, Keith skis, snowboards, bikes, and floats rivers—increasingly finding himself in hot pursuit of his two young groms as the family recreates in Colorado and beyond.