Physical and human dynamics around melting ice and sea level rise in a warming world

In the face of ongoing global warming, coastal communities are increasingly threatened by rising sea levels and coastline retreat—irreversible changes that will persist for generations. Addressing these challenges requires innovative solutions that bridge the social and physical sciences. This project uses a transformative approach to develop next-generation climate models that incorporate critical insights into ice sheet dynamics—capabilities currently lacking in existing models.

The project fosters interdisciplinary collaboration by co-developing research questions with stakeholders, enhancing modeling capacity, and investigating the psychology of decision-making in response to various science communication strategies. By examining how different methods of presenting scientific information influence decision-making, this research team aims to equip communities with actionable knowledge and tools to confront the challenges of climate change effectively.

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Andrea Dutton, professor of geoscience

CO-PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS

Feng He, senior scientist at the Center for Climatic Research

Todd Newman, associate professor of science communication

Lucas Zoet, associate professor of geoscience

CO-INVESTIGATORS

Marianne Haseloff, assistant professor of geoscience

Shaun Marcott, associate professor of geoscience

Till Wagner, assistant professor of atmospheric and oceanic sciences

Daniel Wright, professor of civil and environmental engineering