What We'll Cover in this Conversation

Kevin Reed, an Assistant Professor at Stony Brook University, received his Ph.D. in 2012 from the University of Michigan where he studied the ability of NCAR’s Community Atmosphere Model (CAM) to simulate tropical cyclones at high-resolutions (< 50 km grid spacing). His research interests include understanding the capability of global models to simulate extreme weather events and the impact of model design choices on the simulation of such extremes. This incorporates developing simplified, reduced complexity testbeds to study extremes in a global context. Furthermore, Dr. Reed studies how extreme events, including tropical cyclones, may change as a result of a changing climate.

In this conversation, Perry and Kevin discuss:

• Tropical cyclones and the impact of climate change
 
• How El Niño or La Niña in the Pacific might affect tropical cyclones in the Atlantic
 
• Factors that control the tropical cyclone size and intensity
 
• Mitigating hurricane effects through policy
 
• The need for local evacuation plans
 
• Green infrastructure to combat hurricane damage
 

Please keep in mind that this segment was filmed in September 2017 and may be slightly out-of-date. We hope that you find all of the content in this Teach-Out engaging and informative!

Reflection Questions

What are your thoughts on using green infrastructure and updated strategies in urban planning to mitigate the damage of flooding, especially, in urban areas? Are there examples of this in your area? Where could your area improve?