Elizabeth Balgord is a geology professor at Weber State University in Ogden, Utah, specializing in sedimentology and tectonics. She earned her PhD at the University of Arizona, where she spent much her time working in the high Andes of central... more
MOUNTAIN ENVIRONMENTS RESEARCH INSTITUTE
Training the next generation of field researchers and conservationists
NEWS
- U.S. scientists to climb Everest, collect data on climate
- US scientists to climb Everest, collect data on climate
- Peruvian students enjoy culture and classes at WWU over winter quarter
- WWU students, faculty to make trip to Mt. Everest to study climate change
- To the Roof of the World: WWU Faculty, Students Headed to Mount Everest this Spring to Study Climate Change
WWU's Mountain Institute in Peru
WWU's Mountain Institute on Mt. Everest
by James Holmes
Some family and friends have asked, why exactly are you there again? What are you trying to achieve by taking snow samples on Mt. Everest? As we idle around base camp again, waiting for good health and clear weather for a summit attempt, let me take a shot at answering this.
The reason we are sampling the snow and looking for black carbon (or soot) is fairly simple. It’s based on the principle that darkly colored things absorb sunlight and then heat up rapidly, whereas lightly colored things reflect sunlight and heat a lot less rapidly. Pure white snow is highly... Read the blog post
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Carl Schmitt, PhD, was trained as an Atmospheric Physicist but now is better described as an Environmental Physicist. His research interests range from ice clouds and their impact on climate and representation in climate models to more down-to-earth topics such as air... more
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Manca Valum, For information regarding how to support MERI activities and programs, please contact Manca Valum, Senior Director of Advancement for Strategic Initiatives
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John Tuxill, Associate Professor, Farhaven College of Interdisciplinary Studies: An ethnobotanist by training, my academic interests center on understanding how people value, utilize and manage plants and the natural world. I am particularly interested in how... more
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Ruth Sofield I am most interested in research at the intersection of environmental chemistry and toxicology. My educational background has led me here with degrees and research experiences in biology, environmental science, toxicology, and environmental chemistry. My... more
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Robin Kodner, Professor of Biology is an alpinist and biologist specializing in the study of microbial communities in the ocean as well as mountain environments. Currently a Professor of Biology at Western Washington University, Robin has been an outdoor educator for over 15... more
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Eric Dechaine is an Associate Professor of Biology at WWU and the Curator of the Pacific Northwest Herbarium (WWB). He explores how climate impacts the distribution and diversity of arctic-alpine plants - the early indicators of environmental change. Imagine an archipelago of... more
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Doug Clark is an Associate Professor of Geology at WWU. His research interests include Alpine geomorphic processes and climates in western North America, New Zealand, Australia, and Central Asia; Ice-core paleoclimatology; Cordilleran Ice sheet and sea-level dynamics;... more
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Randall Burtz is an Associate Professor and Coordinator of the Recreation Program. His studies have involved research for the USDA Forest Service, USDI National Park Service, and state departments of fish and wildlife. His Doctorate is from Colorado State University’s... more
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Andy Bunn is an environmental scientist interested in climate and energy. Most of my research has to do with paleoclimate and carbon cycling. Visit the Huxley Tree Ring Lab site for more information about my... more
