Students in the CCS Masters program come from a variety of backgrounds and investigate the interface between climate change and society at different scales and in different forms.
Our 2016-2017 class
Cara Geiger
Bio: My name is Cara and I am a weather and outdoor enthusiast! I got my Bachelor’s in Science in both Meteorology and Ocean Sciences & Coastal Studies from Millersville University of Pennsylvania. My undergraduate research involved studying sea surface temperature using remote sensing. I came to NC State to master in Climate Change & Society and I absolutely loved the program! Project: Currently, I am interning at the State Climate Office of North Carolina. I am studying the sensitivity of livestock heat stress to climate change and variability. Specifically, I am focusing on dairy cattle and how lactation, fertility, and reproduction are affected. Outside of school and work, I enjoy hiking, going to the beach, and exploring the sights of North Carolina! In the future, I am interested in studying long term trends of climate variability and weather impacts.
Connect with Cara: @caralynng
Kara Piarulli
Bio: I received my B.S. in meteorology from Millersville University and was excited to combine that knowledge with climate through this program.
Christian Erickson
Bio: Christian grew up in Vienna Virginia and earned a BA in Geosciences from Denison University in 2014. He is interested in educating the public about science and climate change, and actively does so at his part time job at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. Project: I am completing my internship at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in downtown Raleigh NC. I am working in the visual investigate lab to produce an interactive presentation exhibit on invasive species and climate change. The particular species of focus is the Lionfish, but I plan to add more to the presentation as time allows.
Eric Wright
Bio: I began my undergraduate career studying civil and environmental engineering. My passions for math, science, and our environment were what led me in that direction. I changed majors my Junior year, to shift my focus more strictly to the realm of earth science, and earned my Bachelor of Science in Soil, Environmental and Atmospheric Sciences with an emphasis in Atmospheric Science. The Climate Change and Society Program at NCSU has been a unique experience and has given me a completely new perspective on the importance of climate information and how it can be used.
Project: I am investigating the sensitivity of blackberry production to climate variability in collaboration with the State Climate Office of North Carolina. Understanding how climate variability affects maturity dates of blackberries can help blackberry producers in North Carolina manage production risks, optimize yields, and coordinate delivery of products to fresh markets.
Crystal Yelverton