Clark University Geography Student Receives 2020 Raskin Scholarship

The Earth Science Information Partners (ESIP) has awarded the 2020 Robert G. Raskin scholarship to Jackie Guz, a PhD Candidate in the Graduate School of Geography at Clark University.

Jackie’s research focuses on the effects of climate change, forest disturbances, and land management in mountain forest ecosystems. Important themes in her research include the direct and indirect consequences of climate change and land-use in mountain forest ecosystems, effects of climate change on forest dieback, and post-disturbance regeneration. Jackie’s dissertation research focuses on the degree to which climate change is affecting post-disturbance regeneration for lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) forests in the Southern Rocky Mountains. She creates predictive models using historical and current data from the western United States to understand how climate change will impact the at-risk communities in the wildland-urban interface under future climate conditions.

Additionally, Jackie is completing a Graduate Pursuit Fellowship with the National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center (SESYNC). Her project focuses on integrating large geospatial datasets and models to answer environmental justice research questions. Prior to arriving at Clark University, Jackie attended Texas A&M University and worked for the United States Environmental Protection Agency, Science Advisory Board Staff Office and ESRI.

The Raskin Scholarship is an annual award made by ESIP to a current graduate student or postdoc in the Earth or computer sciences who has an interest in community evolution of Earth science data systems. The scholarship is named for longtime ESIP member Robert G. Raskin, and seeks to promote collaboration, research support and exposure for talented students in the Earth or computer sciences.

Jackie's research interests combined with her passion for community outreach and record of volunteerism to show girls that they can be scientists and technologists impressed the Raskin Review Committee and embodies the values held by ESIP.

Guz will receive a stipend and has been invited to attend the ESIP biannual meetings; she will also give an invited talk at the 2020 ESIP Summer Meeting.

About ESIP
ESIP is a community steward for global Earth science data professionals and provides a collaborative platform for advancing the usefulness and impact of data necessary to address pressing global environmental challenges and fuel new discoveries. For the past 20 years, ESIP has driven its mission to support the networking and data dissemination needs of members and the global Earth science data community by linking the functional sectors of observation, research, application, education and use of Earth science. By encouraging open and FAIR data platforms for the global ecosystem of Earth science data stewards to share resources, ESIP facilitates collaboration and builds connections across federal agencies, academia and the private sector.

For more than twenty years, ESIP has developed significant collaboration methods and infrastructure that provide a scalable, neutral platform to support Earth science research, data, and technical communities. Our partner organizations and community participants lead the advancement of Earth science information best practices in an open and transparent fashion.

Contact
Megan Carter, ESIP Community Director
megancarter@esipfed.org