Professor
Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies
Hometown: Linwood, NJ
Ankur Desai is a Professor of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences at the UW–Madison. He studies how ecosystems respond to climate variability and how the climate responds to ecological patterns and processes.
Talks:
What can YOU do about climate change?
You have probably heard stories in the news about climate change or global warming. If these stories are all true, what does it mean for the future? Or maybe the stories are exaggerated? Either way, how should we be good stewards of the only planet we’ve lived on? Solutions to global warming can sound either trivial or downright draconian and expensive. It’s overwhelming! Let’s discuss what we know about the science, what it means for ecosystems and society, and why developing climate policy or technological solutions are so difficult.
What can you, as individuals or groups of concerned citizens, actually do to ensure a healthy, prosperous, sustainable, and just world for all of God’s children? I will present some of the basics of climate change and some of our research at UW-Madison on impacts of climate change to Wisconsin forests and wetlands. But most of all, I’d like to use this time to let you hold a discussion and ask all the questions you want about climate change and possible solutions.
Approximate Length of Talk: 45 minutes to 1 hour
Climate, carbon, and forests: The changing Northwoods
Professor Desai will discuss the latest in climate science, ongoing research in northern Wisconsin, and what predictions may mean for the Northwoods community.
Approximate Length of Talk: 45 minutes to 1 hour
Ecology and climate: A two-way street
Are We All Doomed? An Optimist's Guide to How Research and Policy can Reduce the Harmful Effects of Climate Change, Protect Wisconsin's Landscapes, and Grow the Economy
There is no doubt that human-caused climate change is occurring. But, some of the worst case scenarios are overblown, over-hyped, or bad science. Ankur Desai will review what we know to date about climate change impacts in Wisconsin and the work his lab and others have done to understand how we can mitigate or adapt to these effects while also preserving and improving our quality of life.