Amanda Farris

Amanda Farris headshot
Associate Director

Biography

Amanda Farris is an Associate Director for the University of Minnesota Climate Adaptation Partnership (MCAP). In this role she helps to coordinate the MCAP program and several ongoing grants, collaborates with regional partners, translates climate data and information to support decision-making, and builds networks of climate adaptation practitioners. Prior to joining the MCAP team, Amanda worked with the Carolinas Integrated Sciences & Assessments (CISA), an applied climate research team at the University of South Carolina Department of Geography.

Research Interests

A key component of Amanda’s work is bridging the gap between climate science and stakeholder communities through network building. She serves as lead organizer for the Midwest Climate Resilience Conference and also organized the biennial Carolinas Climate Resilience Conference from 2014 to 2021. She is a member of the Program Committee for the National Adaptation Forum and has served as mentor for the American Society of Adaptation Professionals (ASAP) mentorship program for three terms.

Current Projects

  • Developing a Decision-Making and Climate Adaptation Framework for National Wildlife Refuge Systems in the Midwest
  • Modeling Minnesota's Climate Future
  • Support for Tribal Climate Adaptation across the 1854 Ceded Territory
  • Tracking for Impact: Development of Climate Resilience Metrics for the State of Minnesota

Selected Publications and Presentations

  1. Lackstrom, K., A. Farris, and R. Ward. 2022. Backyard Hydroclimatology: Citizen Scientists Contribute to Drought Detection and Monitoring. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society. DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-21-0157.1
  2. Farris, A. and S. Watson. 2019. Regional Perspectives on the Value of Social Networks for Adaptation. National Adaptation Forum, April 23 - 25, 2019, Madison, WI. 
  3. Jorns, J., C. Enquist, A. Farris, R. Jacobson, J. Kim, J. Leichty, L. Lynch, and M. Simpson. 2019. Advancing Climate Networks through Regional Adaptation Forums: Lessons Learned from 2018 Events and Future Plans. National Adaptation Forum, April 23 - 25, 2019, Madison, WI. 
  4. Farris, A. and K. Lackstrom. 2018. Using Citizen Science to Support Drought-Related Decision-Making. American Meteorological Society Annual Meeting, January 6-11, 2018, Austin. TX. 
  5. Lackstrom, K., A. Farris, D. Eckhardt, N. Doesken, H. Reges, J. Turner, K.H. Smith, and R. Ward. 2017. CoCoRaHS Observers Contribute to “Condition Monitoring” in the Carolinas: A New Initiative Addresses needs for Drought Impacts Information. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 98, 2527-2531. DOI: 10.1175/BAMS-D-16-0306.1
  6. Haywood, B., A. Brennan (Farris), K. Dow, N. Kettle, K. Lackstrom. 2013. Negotiating a mainstreaming spectrum: climate change response and communication in the Carolinas. Journal of Environmental Policy & Planning. DOI: 10.1080/1523908X.2013.817948