LAURA M. EDWARDS
Western Regional Climate Center
Division of Atmospheric Sciences
Desert Research Institute
EDUCATION
M.S. Meteorology
B.A. Physics and French
2215 Raggio Parkway
Reno, NV 89512
(775) 674-7163
laura.edwards@dri.edu
University of Maryland
2003
University of Minnesota
1999
PROFESSIONAL INTERESTS
My areas of research include regional climate change and variability, including trends
and extremes. In particular, I am interested in improving connections between climate
research and services. The quality of climate data and siting of stations is an area of
interest as well. I enjoy participating in outreach efforts, and teaching students about
weather, climate, and earth sciences.
EMPLOYMENT
November 2003-present
Assistant Research Climatologist
Western Regional Climate Center, Desert Research Institute, Reno, NV
Designed California Climate Data Archive website to streamline climate data access
for the state. Edit and write contributions for the California Climate Watch, a
monthly online newsletter. Collaborate in development of climate monitoring indices
for California and other research projects in climatology and wildland fire.
January-May 2003
Teaching Assistant
University of Maryland, College Park, MD
Planned and taught two undergraduate discussion sections per week in global climate
change. Course topics included carbon, tectonic and water cycles, ozone depletion
problem, effects on human health and climate change policies.
January 2001-March 2003
Assistant State Climatologist
University of Maryland, Department of Meteorology, College Park, MD
Interacted with public and private parties to provide climate data and resources and
maintained climate records. Redesigned and updated the Maryland State
Climatologist website. Assisted State Climatologist in preparing products for public
distribution.
PUBLICATIONS
Koslowski, D.R. and L.M. Edwards, 2007. An analysis and summary of the July 2006
Record-Breaking Heat Wave Across the State of California. National Weather Service
Western Region Technical Attachment No. 07-05.
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Edwards, L. M. and K. T. Redmond, 2005. Climate factors on Colorado River Basin
water supply. Chapter in Colorado River Basin Climate: Paleo, Present, Future,
special publication for Association of California Water Agencies and Colorado River
Water Users Association Conferences, California Department of Water Resources, pp.
14-22.
Edwards, L. M., K. T. Redmond, G. D. McCurdy, D. R. Cayan, M. Tyree, and L.
Riddle, 2005. CalClim: An accessible data archive to monitor California climate.
Manuscript and presentation in 16th Conference on Climate Variability and Change,
85th AMS Annual Meeting, 9-13 January 2005, San Diego, CA.
PRESENTATIONS
Edwards, L. M., D. R. Cayan, L. Riddle, K. T. Redmond, G. D. McCurdy, 2004.
CalClim: the California Climate Data Archive and Climate Watch. Poster presentation
at PACLIM 2004, 28-31 March 2004, Asilomar, CA.
Edwards, L. M., K. T. Redmond, and G. D. McCurdy, 2004. CalClim: An accessible
data archive to monitor California climate. Invited presentation, DRI Division of
Atmospheric Sciences Seminar Series, June 4, 2004, Reno, NV.
Edwards, L. M., D. R. Cayan, L. Riddle, K. T. Redmond, G. D. McCurdy, 2004.
California Climate: an accessible data archive to monitor California climate. Poster
presentation at 1st Annual California Energy Commission Climate Change Conference,
9-10 June 2004, Sacramento, CA.
Edwards, L. M., 2004. CalClim: An accessible data archive to monitor California
climate. Presentation at 3rd Biennial CALFED Bay-Delta Program Science
Conference, 4-6 October 2004, Sacramento, CA.
Edwards, L. M., D. R. Cayan, K. T. Redmond, G. D. McCurdy, L. Riddle and M. M.
Tyree, 2004. CalClim: An accessible data archive to monitor California climate.
Presentation at Special Focus: Advances in Data Acquisition, Management, Analysis
and Display, 2004 AGU Fall Meeting, 13-17 December 2004, San Francisco, CA.
Edwards, L. M., 2005. CalClim: monitoring California climate. Presentation at
University of California-Davis Atmospheric Science Seminar Series, April 18, 2005,
Davis, CA.
Edwards, L. M., 2005. CalClim: monitoring California climate. Presentation at
California Air Resources Board Seminar Series, April 19, 2005, Sacramento, CA.
Edwards, L. M. and K. T. Redmond, 2005. An experiment in state climate services: the
CalClim project. Presentation at 15th Conference on Applied Climatology, 20-24 June
2005, Savannah, GA.
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Edwards, L. M., K. T. Redmond and G. D. McCurdy, 2005. The California Climate
Data Archive: an assessment after 18 months. Presentation at 15th Conference on
Applied Climatology, 20-24 June 2005, Savannah, GA.
Edwards, L. M., 2005. California climate activities in support of WERA-102.
Presentation at 2005 WERA-102 Workshop, 5-7 October 2005, Asilomar, CA.
Edwards, L. M., 2005. California climate activities at the Western Regional Climate
Center. Invited presentation, Sacramento AMS Chapter meeting, October 20, 2005,
Sacramento, CA.
Edwards, L. M. and K. T. Redmond, 2006. Development of climate monitoring indices
for California. Poster presentation at 18th Conference on Climate Variability and
Change, 86th AMS Annual Meeting, February 1, 2006, Atlanta, GA.
Edwards, L. M., 2006. Careers in climatology at the Western Regional Climate Center.
Invited presentation, Nevada K-16 Education and Engineering Program (KEEP),
February 14, 2005, Reno, NV.
Edwards, L. M., 2006. The challenges of developing climate monitoring indices for
California. Poster presentation at PACLIM 2006, 26-29 March 2006, Asilomar, CA.
Edwards, L. M., K. T. Redmond, J. T. Abatzoglou, 2006. Development of climate
monitoring indices for California. Poster presentation at 3rd Annual California Energy
Commission Climate Change Conference, 13-15 September 2006, Sacramento, CA.
Redmond, K. T. and L. M. Edwards, 2006. Climate tracking for California: what
makes sense? Presentation at 3rd Biennial CALFED Bay-Delta Program Science
Conference, 23-25 October 2006, Sacramento, CA.
Edwards, L. M., D. Koslowski, A. Bair, J. Juskie, W. Blier, and B. O’Hara, 2006. A
review of the July 2006 heat wave in California. Poster presentation at 2006 American
Geophysical Union Fall Meeting.
Edwards, L. M., D. Koslowski, 2007. July 2006 state of California record-breaking
heat wave. Poster presentation at 2007 Pacific Climate Workshop, 13-16 May 2007,
Asilomar, CA.
AWARDS
Recipient, 2006 State Climatologist Exchange Program
PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES
• American Meteorological Society (AMS)
• American Geophysical Union (AGU)
• American Association of State Climatologists (AASC)
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OTHER PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
• Committee Member, American Meteorological Society Applied Climate Committee,
2007-2010.
• Conference Co-Chair, American Meteorological Society Applied Climate and
Mountain Meteorology Conference, August 2008, Whistler, BC, CAN.
• Nevada State Coordinator, Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network
(CoCoRaHS), March 2007-present.
• Editor, 2006 and 2007 editions of the American Association of State Climatologists
Annual Report, The State Climatologist.
• Coordinator/Organizer, 2006 WERA-102 Workshop, October 31-November 2, 2006,
Reno, NV.
• Coordinator, Regional NWS and WRCC Workshop, 10 August 2006, Reno, NV.
• Coordinator, Noah’s Ark Child Care Weather Instrument Lab and Tour of Desert
Research Institute, July 18 and 20, 2006, Reno, NV.
• Participant, 2006 American Association of State Climatologists Meeting, 20-23 June
2006, Rapid City, SD.
• Proposal Review Panelist for a NOAA Grant, May 2006.
• Participant, 12th Annual Workshop on Weather Prediction in the Intermountain
West, November 3, 2005, Reno, NV.
• Participant, 2nd Annual California Energy Commission Climate Change
Conference, 14-16 September 2005, Sacramento, CA.
• Participant, 2005 American Association of State Climatologists Meeting, 20-24 June
2005, Savannah, GA.
• Participant, NOAA Data Users’ Workshop, 11-13 May 2005, Asheville, NC.
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