Karsten is a Peak Affiliate on matters of policy and climate science. He currently serves as the Climate Scientist at General Dynamics Information Technology and is a former NASA and NOAA scientist with a 25-year career spanning government, academia, and the private sector. He has considerable experience in atmospheric and ocean climate research, project and data management, and citizen science. As a leading authority on climate data and adaptation strategies, his research has included studying how climate affects coral reefs, wine quality, aviation, and renewable energy production. Karsten has worked with local, statewide, national, and international partners and directed a major regional climate center. He is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP). In his free time, he is a pilot, scuba diver, author, photographer, and world traveler.
Education and Certifications:
- PhD, Geography, Michigan State University
- MS, Geography, Indiana University
- BS, Geography, University of Illinois
Areas of Expertise:
- Climate vulnerability and risk assessments
- Developing strategic policy initiatives on climate change
- Energy, aviation, marine, and agriculture sectors
- Environmental instrumentation and monitoring
- Geomorphology
- Ecosystem services and natural infrastructures
- Statistics and quantitative methods