Floridians need reliable scientific information about climate change so that they can make decisions and policies that are economically beneficial and environmentally sound. This is particularly important given the wide range of opinions and often conflicting interpretations of available evidence that are presented to the public.
UCF is joining the Florida Climate Institute to increase the effectiveness of current collaborations among universities and state and local agencies in Florida. The FCI will promote cooperation with the private sector with a Florida-centric focus to help develop a climate-ready workforce and to provide information about the climate-related risks that are unique to the state. This institute brings together outstanding scientists from multiple universities to conduct research needed by Floridians on climate change and sea level rise, and it provides education on economic and environmental opportunities and risks.
UCF’s alignment with the FCI brings to the group the expertise of Scott C. Hagen, professor of Civil, Environmental and Construction Engineering and the director of UCF’s Coastal Hydroscience Analysis, Modeling and Predictive Simulations Laboratory (CHAMPS Lab), and Reed Noss, the Provost’s Distinguished Research Professor in Biology. Drs. Hagen and Noss each lead research groups with extensive experience in the coastal dynamics of sea level rise.
For more information, see the article in UCF Today.