David Atkinson

David Atkinson is a Professor and Acting Department Chair in the Department of Geography at the University of Victoria. His research focuses on climate and weather impacts on coastal and marine systems, with emphasis on the Arctic. He has held faculty positions at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (2004-2010) and postdoctoral roles at Bedford Institute of Oceanography and the University of Ottawa.

• Education: PhD in Geography from the University of Ottawa (2000).

Atkinson's research examines environmental forcing of Arctic coastal zones through storm surges, wave action, and temperature inversions. His work integrates field instrumentation, Indigenous community engagement, and advanced statistical modeling. Key projects include ALPACA-PBL field experiments, ArcticNet collaborations, and NSERC-funded snowpack dynamics studies.

His recent publications highlight interdisciplinary approaches to Arctic coastal erosion, climate change impacts, and operational weather metrics for shipping industries. MEOPAR, ArcticNet, and NSERC have provided major funding. His lab trains graduate students in methodology development, fieldwork, and community-based research.

Teaching: He instructs graduate quantitative analysis (GEOG 524) and applied climatology (GEOG 373), emphasizing Python programming and real-world operational skills.

Collaborations: Partnerships with Environment and Climate Change Canada, Geological Survey of Canada, Campbell Scientific Canada Corp., and Indigenous communities across Alaska and Canada.