Distinguished atmospheric scientist Katharine Hayhoe will visit UF to talk about a little more than the weather.
Hayhoe, a research associate professor of the geosciences department at Texas Tech University, will be speaking at a seminar co-hosted by the Florida Climate Institute and the UF Water Institute.
The seminar is scheduled for Thursday from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. in Emerson Alumni Hall Room 209.
"The purpose of the seminar is to explore the reliability of various climate models," said Carolyn Cox, coordinator for the Florida Climate Institute.
Making climate projections for cities is challenging, Cox said.
Climate models give a worldwide forecast.
Hayhoe will take a look into climate projections by evaluating current models' reliability and presenting a new approach to remove model uncertainty.
She said she will reveal her new approach at the seminar.
Hayhoe is known for developing ways to measure the potential impacts of human activities at the regional scale, Cox said.
Hayhoe said climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing this generation.
"We [in Florida] are particularly vulnerable to sea-level rise and climate change geographically," Cox said.
Admission to the seminar is free and open to the public. The room holds about 100 people.
A question-and-answer section is scheduled for after the seminar, where students will be able to talk to Hayhoe.
"A lot of people have doubts, and this will be a chance to clear them out," said Wendy-Lin Bartels, post-doctoral research associate for the Florida Climate Institute.
Hayhoe will also discuss climate sensitivity and its implications on the projections for Florida's future climate.
"Climate affects everything around us," Cox said. "There is a need in Florida for reliable climate information."
