Lesley-Ann Dupigny-Giroux
Professor, Department of Geography
94 University Place
200 Old Mill Building
Burlington, VT 05405
United States
- Doctor of Philosophy, McGill University. Climatology & Geographic Information Systems 1996
- Master of Science, McGill University. Climatology and Hydrology. 1992 Bachelor of Science, University of Toronto (High Distinction). Physical Geography and Development Studies. 1989
- G.C.E. (Cambridge) Advanced Level, St. Joseph's Convent (Trinidad). 1979-1986
BIO
An applied climatologist by training, Dr. Dupigny-Giroux's research interests intersect a number of interdisciplinary fields including hydroclimatic natural hazards and climate literacy as well as the use of remote sensing and GIS (Geographic Information Systems) in the fields of spatial climate and land-surface processes. Dr. Dupigny-Giroux is also the State Climatologist for Vermont. Her work takes her across Vermont to assist colleagues in State Agencies (transportation, emergency management, agriculture, forestry and legislators) to help plan for and adapt to climate change. She is an expert in floods, droughts and severe weather and the ways in which these affect Vermont's landscape and people.
She also works extensively with K-12 teachers and students, bringing the use of satellites and understanding climate to all levels of the pre-university curriculum. She is the lead editor of Historical climate variability and impacts in North America, the first monograph to deal with the use of documentary and other ancillary records for analyzing climate variability and change.
Courses
GEOG 040 - WEATHER, CLIMATE & LANDSCAPES
Introduction to the fundamentals of weather, climate, landform evolution, and plant distribution using a systems approach. Focus on variation in processes over space and time.
GEOG 143 – CLIMATOLOGY
Polar Vortex, “Godzilla El Niño,” mega droughts in California, Hurricane Sandy, Tropical Storm Irene, Lake Champlain flooding. Why do these events occur? How do they fit into their geographic climatic locales vis-a-vis our changing climate? This class will equip you with the statistical techniques, tools and fundamental concepts to answer and explore these questions in much the same ways that climatologists do. Historical and near real-time data will be manipulated via statistics, weather map interpretation, indices, modeling and remote sensing. The various sub-fields of climatology will be explored as we delve into what drives climates, instrumentation challenges, teleconnections such as the North Atlantic Oscillation and El Niño-Southern Oscillation, hydroclimatological extremes and anthropogenic (human-induced) climate change.
GEOG 281 – ADV TOPIC:GIS & REMOTE SENSING
Forest fires in southern Canada and Alaska. Climate change impacts on water resources. Multi-view angles for quantifying wetland stress. This applied, capstone course will weave together the ENVI and IDRISI remote sensing packages with climate models and techniques to explore a) atmospheric issues at varying temporal and spatial scales, as well as b) the influence of topography, vegetation and land-water boundaries. Public and private sector data and professionals will enrich the course. The course is divided into three parts. In the first section, you will acquire the advanced techniques with which to interpret the land-surface. This will be followed by analysis of vegetation and surface moisture characteristics.
Awards and Achievements
Dr. Dupigny-Giroux' awards and grants include: the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Association of Geographers Climate Specialty Group in 2022; a 2022 NOAA RISA grant to work with mobile home residents on climate change vulnerabilities; being named a Fellow of the American Meteorological Society in 2020; the 2018 Association for Women Geoscientists Professional Excellence Award in the Academia/Research category; the University of Georgia Franklin Visiting Scholar for Inclusion and Diversity Leadership; the NSF-funded Satellites, Weather and Climate (SWAC) professional development program for in-service K-12 science and mathematics teachers; the NSF-funded Diversity Climate Network (D-ClimNet) to enhance diversity in climatology; AAUW Educational Foundation Shirley Farr Fellowship; and funding from the AAAS Women's International Science Collaboration (WISC) Program.
Area(s) of expertise
Climate variability and change; climate education and literacy; climate hazards; drought; New England and Vermont
Bio
An applied climatologist by training, Dr. Dupigny-Giroux's research interests intersect a number of interdisciplinary fields including hydroclimatic natural hazards and climate literacy as well as the use of remote sensing and GIS (Geographic Information Systems) in the fields of spatial climate and land-surface processes. Dr. Dupigny-Giroux is also the State Climatologist for Vermont. Her work takes her across Vermont to assist colleagues in State Agencies (transportation, emergency management, agriculture, forestry and legislators) to help plan for and adapt to climate change. She is an expert in floods, droughts and severe weather and the ways in which these affect Vermont's landscape and people.
She also works extensively with K-12 teachers and students, bringing the use of satellites and understanding climate to all levels of the pre-university curriculum. She is the lead editor of Historical climate variability and impacts in North America, the first monograph to deal with the use of documentary and other ancillary records for analyzing climate variability and change.
Courses
GEOG 040 - WEATHER, CLIMATE & LANDSCAPES
Introduction to the fundamentals of weather, climate, landform evolution, and plant distribution using a systems approach. Focus on variation in processes over space and time.
GEOG 143 – CLIMATOLOGY
Polar Vortex, “Godzilla El Niño,” mega droughts in California, Hurricane Sandy, Tropical Storm Irene, Lake Champlain flooding. Why do these events occur? How do they fit into their geographic climatic locales vis-a-vis our changing climate? This class will equip you with the statistical techniques, tools and fundamental concepts to answer and explore these questions in much the same ways that climatologists do. Historical and near real-time data will be manipulated via statistics, weather map interpretation, indices, modeling and remote sensing. The various sub-fields of climatology will be explored as we delve into what drives climates, instrumentation challenges, teleconnections such as the North Atlantic Oscillation and El Niño-Southern Oscillation, hydroclimatological extremes and anthropogenic (human-induced) climate change.
GEOG 281 – ADV TOPIC:GIS & REMOTE SENSING
Forest fires in southern Canada and Alaska. Climate change impacts on water resources. Multi-view angles for quantifying wetland stress. This applied, capstone course will weave together the ENVI and IDRISI remote sensing packages with climate models and techniques to explore a) atmospheric issues at varying temporal and spatial scales, as well as b) the influence of topography, vegetation and land-water boundaries. Public and private sector data and professionals will enrich the course. The course is divided into three parts. In the first section, you will acquire the advanced techniques with which to interpret the land-surface. This will be followed by analysis of vegetation and surface moisture characteristics.
Awards and Achievements
Dr. Dupigny-Giroux' awards and grants include: the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Association of Geographers Climate Specialty Group in 2022; a 2022 NOAA RISA grant to work with mobile home residents on climate change vulnerabilities; being named a Fellow of the American Meteorological Society in 2020; the 2018 Association for Women Geoscientists Professional Excellence Award in the Academia/Research category; the University of Georgia Franklin Visiting Scholar for Inclusion and Diversity Leadership; the NSF-funded Satellites, Weather and Climate (SWAC) professional development program for in-service K-12 science and mathematics teachers; the NSF-funded Diversity Climate Network (D-ClimNet) to enhance diversity in climatology; AAUW Educational Foundation Shirley Farr Fellowship; and funding from the AAAS Women's International Science Collaboration (WISC) Program.
Areas of Expertise
Climate variability and change; climate education and literacy; climate hazards; drought; New England and Vermont