Biography
Suzanna (Suzi) received her Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science at the University of California, Los Angeles, and her PhD in Physical Oceanography from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology - Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Joint Program. Prior to joining MCAP, her work spanned the world, from Southern California to the North Sea to North Carolina and Maine, and covered topics from harmful algal blooms (aka "Red Tides") to renewable energy to climate change. Suzi has both technical and communication expertise, having downscaled climate models and translated what a climate model is to various non-academic partners such as fishermen and photographers.
Since joining MCAP in 2021, Suzi has been involved in various projects, including co-developing a pilot program to train Minnesotans in effective climate communication, assessing stakeholder climate data needs in the U.S. Corn Belt, and mapping the Midwest Adaptation Network. She particularly enjoys translating abstract concepts such as climate models into digestible, usable information. As a Climate Adaptation and Resilience Extension Educator, she plans to lead applied research about the effects of climate change on Minnesota's water resources, convene water resources practitioners from across the state, and develop climate data training workshops focused on water resources.
Research Interests
Climate adaptation, Science communication, Climate modeling, Water resources
Current Projects
- Extension programming: Climate change and water resources
- Modeling Minnesota's future climate
- Developing a decision-making and climate adaptation framework for National Wildlife Refuge Systems in the Midwest
- Minnesota Climate Smart Agriculture Extension Program
- Tracking for impact: Development of climate resilience metrics for Minnesota
- An assessment of the Midwest climate adaptation network
Selected Publications and Presentations
Clark, S., H.A. Roop, K.R. Gonzales, C. Mohr, A. Dybsetter, L. Kinger. Submitted. “A community-based approach to climate science communication: results from a pilot Climate Extension program.” Community Science.
Clark, S., H.A. Roop, N. Meyer, S. Liess, J. Mosel, B. Hoppe, and A. Farris. 2023. “Climate modeling: an introductory primer for practitioners.” Report. URL.
Clark, S., J.F. Wolfinger, M.A. Kenney, M.D. Gerst, H.A. Roop. 2023. “Assessing stakeholder climate data needs for farm-level decision-making in the US Corn Belt.” Geoscience Communication 6. URL.
Clark, S., K.A. Hubbard, D.K. Ralston, D.J. McGillicuddy, Jr., C. Stock, M.A. Alexander, E. Curchitser. 2022. “Projected effects of climate change on Pseudo-nitzschia bloom dynamics in the Gulf of Maine.” Journal of Marine Systems 230. URL.
Clark, S. “The recipe for a harmful algal bloom.” Oceanus, November 2018. p 4.
Carpenter J.R., L. Merckelbach, U. Callies, S. Clark, L. Gaslikova, B. Baschek. 2016. “Potential impacts of offshore wind farms on North Sea stratification.” PLoS ONE 11(8): e0160830.