LeRoy Westerling

LeRoy Westerling is Professor and Chair of Management of Complex Systems at UC Merced, studying climate-wildfire interactions. His research develops predictive models for wildfire behavior under climate change, analyzes emissions impacts, and evaluates forest management strategies. Recent work includes spatial burn severity mapping, emissions inventories, and conservation-focused restoration frameworks for fire-prone ecosystems.

Publications emphasize practical applications for wildfire risk reduction, community resilience, and carbon sequestration in western US forests. Current projects assess acoustic monitoring for restoration planning and stakeholder perceptions of fire management practices.