William R. Travis, Ph.D.
(Formerly known as William E. Riebsame.)
Associate Professor, Department of Geography
Director, Center for Science and Technology Policy Research
Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Science
University of Colorado
Boulder, CO 80309-0488
Phone: (303) 492-6312
Email: william.travis@colorado.edu
Webpage: http://spot.colorado.edu/~wtravis

Curriculum Vitae |  Working Papers & Presentations   |  Teaching  |  Research  |  

R.W. Kates on the WWW:

I’m working with Bob Kates to get as much of his written work on the web as possible, and we’ve built quite an extensive archive----a treasure chest of enquiry into the human and environmental prospect---at:

www.rwkates.org

Contact me or Bob if you have material to contribute.

Reports / Working Papers / Presentations

Draft report of results from NSF SGER Project 083596 on Human Dimensions of the Pine Beetle Outbreak in the Rocky Mountains:

(PDF): "Human Dimensions of the Mountain Pine Beetle Outbreak in the Greater Niwot Ridge LTER Landscape: Specifying Anthropogenic Feedbacks and Socio-Economic Impacts in a Coupled Human-Natural System"

working paper (PDF): "Geoengineering the Climate: Lessons from Purposeful Weather and Climate Modification"

working paper (PDF): "Elements of a Severe Climate Change Early Warning System"

Teaching

I teach in the environment and society field of Geography, including classes in natural hazards, land use, and human ecology.

Recently-taught courses:

• Geography 3402: Natural Hazards. Examines the physical, economic and social effects of extreme events such as hurricanes, earthquakes and floods, with emphasis on social responses including preparedness, risk assessment, warning, mitigation, and recovery.

• Geography 2412: Environment and Culture. A MAPS (minimum academic preparedness standards) class introducing 500 students a year to the themes, theories, and problems of the interaction of nature and society.
  
• Geography 4742: Land Use. A critical thinking senior seminar on the legal and social theory of property and land use, the driving forces and patterns of American land use, and public sector planning as a shaper of geographical outcomes.

• Geography 3412: Conservation Practice: Ecosystems Management. An upper level class on the theory and practice of environmental conservation and ecosystems management.

Research

My research examines the interaction of environment and society, in two main realms: (I) social response to climate change and extreme events; and (II) coupled social and natural systems, including land use and anthropogenic transformations of land cover, with a focus on the American West. Here are some representative projects:

Extreme Climate Change: Recent climate studies and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fourth Assessment Report (AR4) point to the potential, albeit small, for extreme climate change over the next century as anthropogenic global warming ramps up and geo-physical "tipping points" are encountered. While the bulk of impacts and adaptation studies should logically focus on the more likely, less extreme, scenarios, some attention must be paid to the possibility of severe, abrupt, and quite disruptive climate change. How will social systems respond to the threat of extreme climate change? What can we learn from human response to typical natural risks, like hurricanes and floods, that would help us anticipate human response to, say, rapid sea level rise (if Greenland melts), mega-droughts, and super-hurricanes? Do we need a rapid climate change warning system? This recent article in Climatic Change addresses such questions:

"Going to Extremes: Propositions on the Social Response to Extreme Climate Change”

http://sciencepolicy.colorado.edu/admin/publication_files/resource-2668-2010.03.pdf

See also: (PDF): Environment Magazine editor's picks.

Commentaries

“Two Decades and Two Adaptation Panels: What Progress?” comparing NRC climate change assessments:

http://sciencepolicy.colorado.edu/ogmius/archives/issue_30/ogmius_exchange.html

“Snowmageddon Policy and Politics”

http://sciencepolicy.colorado.edu/ogmius/archives/issue_29/ogmius_exchange.html

“Emergency Use Only: Geo-engineering to Reduce Global Warming”

http://sciencepolicy.colorado.edu/ogmius/archives/issue_26/ogmius_exchange.html#emergency

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Revised April 1, 2010