Laurence C. Smith

Laurence C. Smith is the John Atwater and Diana Nelson University Professor of Environmental Studies at Brown University, affiliated with the Institute at Brown for Environment & Society (IBES) and the Department of Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences (DEEPS). Previously, he served as UCLA's Geography Department Chair and Professor. His research focuses on Arctic environments, water resources, and remote sensing, with over 150 peer-reviewed publications and $16M in NSF/NASA grants. He has contributed to IPCC reports and leads NASA's SWOT mission for global water monitoring. Key awards include the Guggenheim Fellowship (2006-07), AGU Fellow (2015), and Walter P. Kistler Book Award (2012) for *The World in 2050*.

Education:

• PhD, Cornell University (1996)
• MS, Indiana University (1991)
• BS, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (1989)

Research Interests: Arctic systems, hydrology, satellite remote sensing, and climate change impacts. His work bridges natural and social sciences, addressing topics like Greenland meltwater dynamics and northern resource development. Recent projects include methane emissions from Arctic lakes and river avulsion monitoring via SWOT.

Awards:

• Phi Beta Kappa Visiting Scholar (2020-21)
• AGU Fellow (2015)
• Walter P. Kistler Book Award (2012)
• Guggenheim Fellowship (2006-07)

Teaching & Grants: Teaches courses on water systems and scientific writing at Brown. Secured major grants from NASA and NSF, totaling over $16M. Advises graduate students in environmental studies and geosciences.

Labs/Teams: Collaborates with IBES, DEEPS, and global institutions like the World Economic Forum on Arctic development and NASA's SWOT mission. Active in interdisciplinary research networks.