Leadership

Bob Kopp

Bob Kopp

Robert Kopp is a climate scientist who serves at Rutgers University as a distinguished professor in the Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences. He also directs the Megalopolitan Coastal Transformation Hub.

Postdocs

Praveen Kumar

Praveen Kumar

Praveen Kumar is a postdoctoral researcher in the Earth System Science & Policy Lab at Rutgers University, where he currently works on producing sea-level hindcasts and projections using the Framework for Assessment of Changes To Sea-level (FACTS). His research focuses on understanding the role of climate variability in influencing ocean-atmosphere interactions through the examination of feedbacks between ice sheets, oceans, and the atmosphere. In addition to his work on sea-level change, Praveen is also interested in the potential impact of climate variability on the economy and human well-being, as well as the application of climate risk management under conditions of deep uncertainty. As a native of the Goan coastline, Praveen is committed to understanding the potential risks that climate change poses to global coastal communities. In his leisure time, Praveen enjoys playing table tennis, cooking, and spending time by the water.

Graduate students

Diana Apoznanski

Diana Apoznanski

Diana is a PhD student in the Atmospheric Science program through the Department of Environmental Sciences at Rutgers University. Her research, as part of the Megalopolitan Coastal Transformation Hub (MACH) Hazards team, investigates extreme flood risk from storm surge associated with extratropical cyclones (locally known as nor’easters). Her professional goals include using scientific research to aid organizations affected by climate change and extreme weather events. Prior to her graduate studies, she worked on the Catastrophe Modeling and Applied Research team at The Hartford Insurance Group. She graduated from Penn State University in 2020 with a Bachelor of Science in Meteorology and Atmospheric Science, a minor in Energy Business and Finance, and a Certificate in Geographic Information Science. In her free time, Diana enjoys being outdoors, whether she is hiking, biking, or paddle boarding.

Dan Blanco

Dan Blanco

Dan Blanco is a PhD student in the Atmospheric Science program through the Department of Environmental Sciences at Rutgers University. They hold a Bachelor’s degree in Physics with an emphasis in mathematics from Lewis University. They are a former CIERA REU student through Northwestern University where their work focused on the Laurentian Great Lakes hydrology. They are affiliated with the Climate Impact Lab and the MACH Hazards Team. Their work aims to use climate models in better understanding the idea of time of emergence of climate change, particularly when it comes to future projections of sea level rise. A combination of natural hazards forecasting and socioeconomic data will be used alongside statistical methods to determine the time of emergence of sea level rise for the Northeastern U.S. This work will assist policy makers and urban planners to determine when and where detections of sea-level changes become regionally evident beyond natural variability. Local risk assessment, mitigation, and adaptation planning can benefit from this work to better facilitate community responses to sea level rise.

Staff

Moira Scheeler

Moira Scheeler

Moira Scheeler is a program coordinator for the Rutgers Earth System Science & Policy Lab and the Megapolitan Coastal Transformation Hub (MACH). In 2023 she earned her Masters of City and Regional Planning at Rutgers University, concentrating in Environmental Planning & Coastal Resilience. In 2021, she earned her bachelors degree in Sustainability from Stockton University with a focus in Environmental Policy and Economics.

Tara Collins

Tara Collins

Tara Collins is a program coordinator for the Rutgers Earth System Science & Policy Lab and the Megapolitan Coastal Transformation Hub (MACH). She earned her BA in Communications-Mass Media at The College of New Jersey.

Alumni

Postdocs

Graduate students

  • Maya Buchanan, Princeton Ph.D. ‘17 in Public Policy
  • Erica Ashe, Rutgers Ph.D. ’18 in Statistics and Biostatistics
  • D.J. Rasmussen, Princeton Ph.D. ‘20 in Public Policy
  • Kristen Joyse, Rutgers Ph.D. ‘22 in Earth & Planetary Sciences and Coastal Climate Risk & Resilience
  • Laura Geronimo, Rutgers Ph.D. ‘24 in Planning & Public Policy and Coastal Climate Risk & Resilience

Undergraduate students

  • Corie Hlavaty (senior thesis student; BS ‘13 in Geological Sciences)
  • Kinan Tadmori (undergraduate research assistant, 2012-2013; BS ‘15 in Biological Sciences/Environmental Policy)
  • Andrew Wang (undergraduate research assistant, 2012-2013; BS ‘15 in Mechanical Engineering)
  • Zeal Shah (undergraduate research assistant, 2013-2014; BS ‘15 in Mechanical Engineering)
  • Emily Zee (undergraduate research assistant, 2013-2014; BS ‘16 in Mechanical Engineering)
  • Christina Williamson (summer research experience, 2016; Pomona College)
  • Rachel DiSciullo (undergraduate research assistant, 2015-2016; BS ‘16 in Philosophy and Political Science)

Research Staff

External Affiliates