Project Specialist III, Climate and Global Dynamics Laboratory, National Center for Atmospheric Research
I am an interdisciplinary researcher at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in the Climate and Global Dynamics Laboratory. I primarily work on an NSF Growing Convergence Research project focused on designing scenarios of combined climate interventions for application to Earth System models to better understand the efficacy and safety of these responses to the climate crisis.
My key expertise is in the philosophy of climate science (epistemology and ethics)—mainly scientific representations and models, model and knowledge integration and translation, and value management in scientific practice. My additional expertise is in climate science, physical geography, sociology of science, and climate justice.
I received my PhD in Philosophy from Indiana University under the guidance of Elisabeth A. Lloyd, PhD. My graduate research specialized in the philosophy of climate science, with secondary studies in environmental science and physical geography. For my doctoral thesis, I studied how the social context of climate model development impacts the way decisions are made about what and how to represent features (phenomena) of the model's complex target system.
In my postdoc, I studied actionable science in the context of climate modeling—particularly how we can evaluate, and possibly enhance, the usefulness and usability of climate models for societal purposes (adaptation, resilience, vulnerability studies). I continue to research the logic and practice of actionable science, identifying the criteria that make scientific products useful and usable by stakeholder communities, and the different processes for responsible (i.e., ethical) co-development in climate modeling that can aid in the satisfaction of these criteria.
My secondary interest is convergence research in climate science and geosciences more generally. I am particularly interested in the different dimensions of scientific convergence—specifically how to implement mechanisms and processes that can facilitate deep integration across traditionally disparate perspectives and research communities at institutions such as NCAR.
"Brief communication: Sea-level projections, adaptation planning, and actionable science" with William Lipscomb and David Behar. Find a copy of the pre-print for discussion here.
"Representational risk in climate modeling" with Eric Winsberg and Stephanie Harvard. To watch my original presentation this work is based on visit here, and move forward to 7:18:47, or [here] and forward to 3:27:00. The first presentation is from the CESM 2023 Workshop. The second linked talk is from the January 2023 meeting of the Atmosphere Model Working Group of CESM, and extends the issue to climate justice. My paper on climate justice is still in the works, with an abstract available on request.
"Enhancing the Actionability of GEWEX Projects: Designing Responsible and Collaborative Processes" in GEWEX Quarterly Quarter 3 2023
Indiana University at Bloomington—Bloomington, Indiana
- Doctor of Philosophy in Philosophy, January 2021, Elisabeth A. Lloyd, PhD, “The Models are Alright: A Socio-Epistemic Theory of the Landscape of Model Development”
University of Miami—Miami, Florida
- Graduate student in Philosophy, 2011–2013
Indiana University at Indianapolis—Indianapolis, Indiana
- Master of Arts in Philosophy, May 2011
Washington University in Saint Louis—Saint Louis, Missouri
- Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy
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Advanced Study Program Postdoctoral Fellow—National Center for Atmospheric Research
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SOARS Scientific Communication and Writing Workshop Instructor, National Center for Atmospheric Research, 2020–2022
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Adjunct Instructor (Philosophy), University of Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana, 2014–2019
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Assistant Instructor (Philosophy), Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, 2014–2018
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Adjunct Instructor (Philosophy), Butler University, Indianapolis, Indiana, 2014–2018
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Adjunct Instructor (Philosophy), Ivy Tech Community College, Indianapolis, Indiana, 2014–2016
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Climate and Global Dynamics Laboratory Research Exchange Coordinator (present)
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Community Earth System Model Task Force on Climate Justice and Actionability Co-Lead (present)
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Co-lead of Meso- and Central America and the Caribbean Affinity Group (present)
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World Climate Research Programme Open Science Conference Session Co-convener and Chair, 2023
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Member of Steering Committee for UCAR/NCAR Climate Intervention Strategies Project (present)
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Member of South American Affinity Group, National Center for Atmospheric Research (present)
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Forging Allies and Connections for Equity in STEM (FACES) representative—National Center for Atmospheric Research (present)
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Community Earth System Model 2022 Annual Workshop cross-working group sessions lead, 2022
“Implications of Model-Based Uncertainty: Scientific Responses and Philosophical Interpretations,” Monica Ainhorn Morrison and Peter Lawrence, April 2023, Springer Handbook of the Philosophy of Climate Change.
"Understanding Model-Based Uncertainty in Climate Science," Monica Ainhorn Morrison and Peter Lawrence, April 2023, Springer Handbook of the Philosophy of Climate Change.
“Global Environmental Change Perspectives on Integrated, Coordinated, Open and Networked (ICON) Science”—Earth system modeling, Monica Ainhorn Morrison, April 2022, Earth and Space Science, https://doi.org/10.1029/2022EA002231.
“Developing a Framework for an Interdisciplinary and International Climate Intervention Research Strategies Research Program,” S. Tilmes, A. Smith, P. Lawrence, T. Barnes, G. Gadikota, W. Grabowski, D. MacMartin, B. Medeiros, M. Morrison, A. Prein, R. Rasmussen, K. Rosenlog, D. S. Rothman, A. Seimon, G, Shrestha, B.B. Stephens, February 2022, Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-21-0053.1.
“A Valuable Approach to Complexity: Interest-Driven Model Choice in Paleoclimatology,” Meghan Page and Monica Morrison, December 2020, SPSP 2020: International Society for Philosophy of Science in Practice: Abstracts of Research.
“Benjamin Franklin” (co-authored with C. de Waal) in Dictionary of Early American Philosophers, New York: Continuum International Publishing Group, 2012, pp. 414–420.
"Adequacy and Reliability of Earth System Models: Actionable Purposes, Model Inadequacy, and Epistemic Risk" EGU 2023 Annual Meeting, April 2023
“The Ethical Dimensions of Climate Modeling: Model Adequacy, Epistemic Risk, and Advancing Justice,” CESM Atmosphere/Whole Atmosphere/Chemistry-Climate Winter Working Group Meeting, January 2023
(Invited) “Climate Justice in Earth and Space Sciences: Developing an Ethical Framework for Climate Intervention and Potential Scaling,” AGU Fall Meeting, December 2022
The Logic of Actionable Research: Recommendations for Achieving Usefulness and Usability of Earth System Model Products,” AGU Chapman Conference on Water Availability and Research, September 2022
(Invited) “Dissecting COP26,” Bard College, November 2021
“Frameworks for Evaluation and Governance of Climate Intervention Solutions,” Arctic Circle Assembly, October 2021
“Community Climate Intervention Strategies Program,” Climate Engineering in Context 2021, October 2021
(Invited) “Values, Ethics and Methodological Decisions in Climate Intervention Research,” oral presentation/panel discussion, 100th American Meteorological Society Annual Meeting: 22nd Conference on Planned and Inadvertent Weather Modification, Boston, Massachusetts, January 2019
(Invited) “Local Epistemologies and Diversity of Purpose in the History of Climate Model Development,” oral presentation, American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, San Francisco, California, December 2019