Ryan D Harp

My name is Ryan Harp and I am the current NOAA-CDC Climate and Health Postdoctoral Researcher at the UCAR Cooperative Program for the Advancement of Earth System Science. A climate scientist by background, my research primarily focuses on the intersections of climate and human health, namely vector-borne disease, and I'm an epidemiologist in training. I’m also broadly interested in the societal impacts of climate variability and change. Check out my research page to learn more about what I'm currently working on.

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In my projects, I combine weather and climate observations, reanalyses, and global climate model output with various health and societal data sets to advance our knowledge of interactions between the human and earth systems. I’m a strong proponent of interdisciplinary work and my aim is to produce knowledge that can be used to the benefit of humanity, such as the implementation of disease early warning systems. My other research interests include seasonal to interannual climate variability and their predictability,  and changing precipitation and hydrologic patterns.

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I recently worked alongside Dr. Dan Horton as an Ubben Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Institute for Sustainability and Energy at Northwestern University. Beforehand, I completed my M.S. and Ph.D. in atmospheric and oceanic sciences at the University of Colorado Boulder in the Oceans and Climate Lab under the advisement of Dr. Kris Karnauskas. In addition, I earned a graduate certificate in science and technology policy at the recently closed Center for Science and Technology Policy Research. Prior to moving to Colorado, I completed my B.S. at the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a double major in atmospheric and oceanic sciences and psychology. I’m also passionate about science communication and science policy. When I'm not donning my metaphorical lab coat, I enjoy sports like running, hiking, and skiing, photography, playing board games with friends and family, and spending time with my wife, daughter, and cat.