Colin Polsky, Ph.D portrait

Colin Polsky, Ph.D.

Professor of Geosciences and Associate Vice President, Broward Campuses

Charles E. Schmidt College of Science

Geosciences

Davie Campus | DW 312

Profile

Professor Polsky is a geographer specializing in the Human Dimensions of Global Environmental Change. He has completed four degrees with majors in four disciplines, plus a two-year postdoctoral training in a fifth field. This background in mathematics, humanities, French, geography, and Science & International Affairs (from U. Texas, Penn State, and Harvard, respectively) has led to a sustained interest in advancing knowledge of U.S. climate vulnerabilities, in both methodological and applied terms.

As part of several inter-disciplinary teams, Polsky has received NSF grants totaling close to $18M of which $1.7M has been directed to Clark University. His publications include 26 peer-reviewed articles, 2 co-authored books, 17 book chapters, and 11 other reports; he has delivered close to 100 public presentations in 8 countries. Polsky has served as co-Convening Lead Author for a chapter in the 2013 National Climate Assessment, served on NRC & USGCRP committees, and prepared reviews for several IPCC reports. In May 2009, Polsky was promoted to Associate Professor with tenure, and for the period January 2011 鈥� August 2012 served as Associate Dean for Undergraduate Research.

Prof. Polsky also has significant experience with several administrative functions, including: leadership and program-building, both within and across university departments; fund-raising from public and private foundations; staffing of diverse and multi-generational teams; and communicating with varied audiences, for both persuasive and reporting purposes.

Partial List of Publications

Peer-reviewed articles

1. Polsky, C., J. Morgan Grove, Chris Knudson, Peter M. Groffman, Neil Bettez, Jeanine Cavender-Bares, Sharon Hall, James Heffernan, Sarah Hobbie, Kelli Larson, Jen Morse, Christopher Neill, Kristin Nelson, Laura Ogden, Jarlath O鈥橬eill-Dunne, Diane Pataki, Meredith Steele, and Rinku Roy Chowdhury, 2014. 鈥淎ssessing the Homogenization of Urban Land Management with an Application to US Residential Lawncare.鈥� Proceedings, National Academy of Sciences 111(12) 4432-4437. DOI:10.1073/pnas.1323995111.

2. Groffman, P.M., J. Cavender-Bares, N.D. Bettez, J.M. Grove, S.J. Hall, J.B. Heffernan, S.E. Hobbie, K.L. Larson , J.L. Morse, C. Neill, K. Nelson, J. O鈥橬eil-Dunne, L. Ogden, D. Pataki, C. Polsky, R.R. page 2 of 15 Chowdhury and M.K. Steele, 2014. 鈥淓cological homogenization of urban America.鈥� Frontiers in Ecology and Environment 12(1): 74鈥�81. DOI:10.1890/120374.

3. Giner, N.M., C. Polsky, R.G. Pontius Jr., S. Ratick, and D.M. Runfola, accepted 3/2014. 鈥淪patial prediction of lawns in suburban Boston, Massachusetts, USA.鈥� Cities and the Environment.

4. Steele, M. K., J. B. Heffernan, N. Bettez, J. Cavender-Bares, P. M. Groffman, M. Grove, S. Hall, S. E. Hobbie, K. Larson, J. L. Morse, C. Neill, K. C. Nelson, J. O鈥橬eil-Dunne, L. Ogden, D. E. Pataki, C. Polsky, and R. R. Chowdhury, 2014. 鈥淐onvergent surface water distributions in U.S. cities.鈥� Ecosystems. DOI: 10.1007/s10021-014-9751-y.

5. K. Foo, D. Martin, C. Wool, and C. Polsky, 2013. 鈥淭he production of urban vacant land: relational placemaking in Boston, MA neighborhoods.鈥� Cities 35:156鈥�163. DOI:10.1016/j.cities.2013.06.012.

6. Larson, K.L, C. Polsky, P. Gober, H. Chang, and V. Shandas, 2013. 鈥淰ulnerability of water systems to climate change and urbanization: A comparison of Phoenix, Arizona and Portland, Oregon (USA).鈥� Environmental Management 52(1): 179-195.

7. Giner, N., C. Polsky, R.G. Pontius, and D. Runfola, 2013. 鈥淯nderstanding the social determinants of lawn landscapes: A fine-resolution spatial statistical analysis in suburban Boston, Massachusetts, USA.鈥� Landscape and Urban Planning 111:25-33. DOI:10.1016/j.landurbplan.2012.12.006.

8. Runfola, D., C. Polsky, C. Nicolson, N. M. Giner, R. G. Pontius, and A. Decatur, 2013. 鈥淎 growing concern? Examining the influence of lawn size on residential water use in suburban Boston, MA.鈥� Landscape and Urban Planning 119:113-123. DOI:10.1016/j.landurbplan.2013.07.006.

9. Gober, P., K. L. Larson, R. Quay, C. Polsky, H. Chang, and V. Shandas, 2013. 鈥淲hy Land Planners and Water Managers Don't Talk to One Another and Why They Should!鈥� Society and Natural Resources. DOI:10.1080/08941920.2012.713448

Charles E. Schmidt College of Science

The Charles E. Schmidt College of Science prepares students for careers in various fields, including biology, mathematics, physics and psychology.The Charles E. Schmidt College of Science offers unparalleled experiential learning opportunities to prepare the next generation of scientists and problem solvers.The College of Engineering and Computer Science offers majors in areas of national priority such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, transportation and supply chain management.

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