It’s a passion for preserving wild spaces that drives Climate Scientist, Dr. Kimberley Rain Miner.
Working in the climate field for the past 12 years, Dr. Miner has been fiercely devoted to the study of climate change. Her penchant for research and exploration, combined with her enthusiasm for science communication and education, is what makes Dr. Miner a leading changemaker in our world.
Before becoming a Climate Scientist, Dr. Miner worked in applied environmental science for a number of years, wearing a wide variety of different hats.
She served as coordinator for the largest tree-planting restoration project in North America at the time (which occurred in Los Angeles National Forest). She has also worked at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory at Columbia University, doing science communication and outreach across NYC.
Recently, Miner finished working on the National Geographic & ROLEX Perpetual Planet expedition to Mt. Everest. Researchers from the University of Maine, where Dr. Miner works as a Research Assistant Professor, took ice and snow samples at the top of the mountain, for the first time.
Dr. Miner led the pollution component, using snow and water samples to test for microplastic and chemical pollutants across the mountain.
Currently, Miner also works as a Scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab, where she’s involved in a project examining ongoing changes to the Arctic due to rapid climate change warming.
“We’re trying to quantify what the changing Arctic means, both for local and global ecosystems,” said Dr. Miner.
During the pandemic, Dr. Miner has been more focused on research and writing. But once things normalize, she’ll be back in the field.
In the past, she’s been to places like Antarctica and Alaska to do research and take samples…
“I always say I’m a bi-polar scientist...having gone to both poles,” said Dr. Miner.
She has also done extensive research in mountain ranges across Canada, Switzerland, and Italy.
“There’s intrinsic value in nature and in wild spaces. And they also generate everything we rely on -- food, water, clean air. Without strong and functioning ecosystems, humans will struggle.”
Dr. Kimberley Miner
At Energy 2.0 this year, Dr. Miner will be our Keynote Speaker, leading a presentation on Climate Tipping Points and The Energy Transition. Go here to register.
