Roger Bales

Roger Bales is a Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering at the University of California Merced, where he has served as founding faculty since 2003. His research focuses on climate, hydrology, and biogeochemistry within the Sierra Nevada mountain range, emphasizing forest management, water resources, and wildfire impacts. He leads interdisciplinary teams studying mountain ecosystem resilience to climate change, integrating sensor networks and remote sensing for data-driven insights.

Key research themes include evaluating forest restoration co-benefits (e.g., water, carbon, wildfire reduction), snowpack dynamics in mixed rain-snow climates, and innovative solutions like solar-over-canals for water-energy nexus challenges. His work bridges natural and social sciences, addressing stakeholder collaboration for sustainable land and water management.

Publications emphasize adaptive management frameworks, climate change mitigation strategies, and multi-benefit policy design. Bales' research infrastructure includes wireless sensor networks in Sierra watersheds and leadership roles in the Southern Sierra Critical Zone Observatory. He actively engages with policymakers and communities to translate scientific findings into actionable environmental solutions.