Heidi A. Roop

Heidi A. Roop serves as Assistant Professor in the Department of Soil, Water and Climate at the University of Minnesota's College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences. She concurrently holds appointments as Extension Specialist in Climate Science with University of Minnesota Extension, Director of the University of Minnesota Climate Adaptation Partnership, and Director for Knowledge Transfer for the NSF-funded COLDEX Science and Technology Center. Additionally, she maintains an Affiliate Assistant Professor position in the University of Washington School of Public Health.

Her academic credentials include:

• BA from Mount Holyoke College
• MS from Northern Arizona University
• PhD from Victoria University of Wellington

Dr. Roop specializes in climate science with emphasis on polar regions and Minnesota-specific climate impacts. Her research integrates climate data into community planning, policy development, and investment decisions to advance equitable climate resilience. She focuses on translating complex climate science into actionable strategies through effective communication frameworks.

Her scholarly work demonstrates consistent progression from paleoclimate reconstruction (2015-2020) toward contemporary climate communication and adaptation (2019-2023). Key thematic clusters include the Iso2k paleoclimate database development, atmospheric river dynamics analysis, wildfire smoke health impacts, and practical climate action guidance as evidenced by her 2023 handbook. This trajectory reflects her commitment to bridging fundamental climate science with societal applications.

Dr. Roop leads significant grant-funded initiatives including the Climate Adaptation Partnership and COLDEX Knowledge Transfer program. She trains diverse stakeholders in science communication and climate decision-support through community-based programs and university instruction. Her work emphasizes co-creation of solutions with tribal communities, government agencies, and utilities.

She directs the Climate Adaptation Partnership and collaborates with Polar Educators International to build interdisciplinary networks. Her approach combines field research from Antarctica to Lake Superior with community engagement, focusing on translating climate science into locally relevant adaptation strategies for vulnerable populations.