Project Description
Climate services involve the production, translation, and utilization of climate information to aid in decision-making. These services aim to provide timely and tailored information to decision-makers and stakeholders in the face of growing climate variability. In doing so, climate services are a critical resource for bolstering climate resiliency and adaptation. This project, funded by the United States Department of Agriculture (Grant #5030-21600-001-014-G, PI: Ryan McCoy), will evaluate climate services offered by the USDA Midwest Climate Hub (MCH)–an organization tasked with providing regional-specific climate information to stakeholders in the $76 billion agricultural industry in the Midwest. In doing so, this assessment will provide a baseline measure of the value of these services, including their social, economic, and ecological impacts, as well as identify areas for improvement in service delivery and development. As part of this project, student researchers will work in collaboration with the PI, federal organizations, and other government partners to analyze survey data, as well as produce internal reports and external publications relating to MCH’s climate services. In doing so, students will play a pivotal role in increasing the awareness, accessibility, and usability of climate information for agricultural stakeholders in the Midwest, as well as support climate resiliency in U.S. food systems.
Prerequisites
Ideally, students should have some experience in mixed methods research and data analysis, and some familiarity with R and similar programs by the project start date. Courses relevant to this position include, but are not limited to, the following: -ENV 390 Topics: Applied Mixed Methods in Environmental Studies -SOAN 111 R for Social Scientists -SOAN 222 Data Science Tools for Social Policy
Special Comments
Project Information (subject to change)
Estimated Start Date: 6/08/2026
Estimated End Date: 7/31/2026
Estimated Project Duration: 8 weeks
Maximum Number of Students Sought: 2
Research Location: Hybrid
Travel Required? No (If “yes”: )
Contact Information: Ryan McCoy (email: rmccoy2@wlu.edu)