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September 24, 2021

Learn about the research of Shawn Carter, Senior Scientist for the National Climate Adaptation Science Center. 

This profile was written by Gina Fiorile, National CASC Science Communication Specialist. 

Few people are as well-suited for their position as Shawn Carter, Senior Scientist for the National Climate Adaptation Science Center (CASC). Shawn has always been very curious about the world around him. "It’s a personality trait of mine. I've always been very inquisitive. I've always wanted to know why certain things work, and if there's something broken, how to fix it”, he explains. As it turns out, this trait is perfect for a scientist who manages major research projects across many disciplines. In his role, Shawn leads a team of scientists at the National CASC to address large-scale research questions, and works with scientists at other federal agencies, such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the U.S. Forest Service, to identify areas ripe for multi-agency collaboration. His path leading up to this point has been guided by his curiosity and enthusiasm for the natural world, one in which he’s explored marine science, conservation genetics, forest ecology, and more. 

 

From Herpetology to Forest Ecology 

Shawn Carter_Alaska
Shawn Carter in Alaska.

People who know Shawn know that he’s not satisfied sticking to just one research topic, and his diverse interests have led to a diverse career. While attending Cornell University as an undergraduate to pursue his passion for cycling, Shawn considered microbiology, horticulture, and pre-med majors, before he clicked with a natural resources professor who encouraged him to pursue Environmental Studies. Shawn also met his wife at Cornell and moved with her to Virginia Tech where she earned her veterinary degree, while he pursued wildlife ecology.  

“I literally just knocked door to door in the Natural Resources Department at Virginia Tech, trying to find a technician job. I ended up getting on a project studying salamanders, which I enjoyed. Funding eventually came in for me to start another project with bog turtles, which were federally threatened at the time. That started my first love, which was herpetology. Virginia Tech is a hotspot in the world for this research, and I did radio tracking and fell in love with my turtles.”  

Working with threatened animals piqued Shawn’s interest in conservation genetics, which integrates population genetics and conservation biology. Shawn went on to The State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY ESF) in Syracuse, NY, to work with a professor studying Galapagos tortoise and turtle genetics. Shawn didn’t feel connected to the work however, finding that being in a genetics lab all day wasn’t a good fit. He then switched topics, and began researching ice storm damage to forests in New York State’s Adirondack Park.  

“I crafted a PhD in Forest Ecology, studying ice storm damage and how biodiversity would shift according to the complexity of the forest under ice storm conditions. I studied forest management, birds, salamanders, ground spiders, ground beetles, and my favorite critters, carrion beetles, in the Adirondacks.” 

After completing his PhD, Shawn considered academia and taught classes at Hudson Valley Community College. He had gained a mix of teaching and post-doc experiences when a friend from SUNY ESF suggested he look into working for the federal government. Shawn thought, ‘Why would I ever work for the federal government?’, but after learning more about his friend’s work on the National Park Service’s (NPS) new Natural Resource Challenge, an effort to strengthen and revitalize natural resource programs in national parks, Shawn was intrigued. He went on to take a position with the NPS in Washington D.C., managing a program on environmental monitoring at the NPS Center for Urban Ecology -- the only federal center for urban ecology in the country. 

“That's how I went from academia into federal service, and each experience made my perspective broader and broader.” Having previously worked on various science topics, Shawn was well-suited to collaborate with a variety of experts in his role at NPS, where he managed all types of professionals including mappers, hydrologists, statisticians, photographers, and botanists.    

After eight years with the NPS environmental monitoring program, Shawn made his way to the National NPS office, where he loved connecting and making close friends with resource managers and superintendents from across the country working at some of the best parks in the world. He happily notes, “I love the Park Service and I love the people.”  

The move into the role of National Coordinator for Climate Monitoring at the National Park Service in D.C. led Shawn to become involved in “big science”, and into the world of policy, climate change, and climate change monitoring. While he enjoyed many aspects of the job, working on science policy in downtown D.C. was challenging. When an opportunity with the USGS’s National CASC opened up, Shawn was drawn to the idea of continuing to do climate science, while leaving the policy making component behind. “I jumped on it! I was lucky enough to get one of the first jobs in their [CASC] program, as Chief Scientist at headquarters,” Shawn explains. 

He further noted, “It's one of the few times where I haven’t gotten wanderlust to try something else. I really love my job and the people, and it’s a good fit for me.” 

 

Setting a Collaborative Science Standard 

Shawn Carter
Shawn Carter, National CASC Senior Scientist.

A large part of the Chief Scientist position with the National CASC involves identifying national priorities that CASC researchers across the network can focus on. “I'm kick-starting projects and trying to be a spokesman and a mouthpiece for the science, letting people know who's doing it and why. So that's kind of a general thrust of what I do, managing people and starting projects that benefit the network.” 

Under Shawn’s leadership, the CASCs have worked on topics from ecological drought (“ecodrought”), to the future of aquatic flows, to initiating fellowship programs looking at fire and climate change that are coordinated as national, multi-year efforts. For example, the topic of ecodrought didn’t gain momentum until it was discussed five years ago at a meeting with CASC-university affiliates, where Shawn and well-respected atmospheric researcher Kelly Redmond discussed emerging research areas. Redmond pointed out that most drought research hadn’t yet focused on how drought affected ecosystems. 

With support from CASC Chief Doug Beard, and under Shawn’s coordination, the CASCs began funding science projects focused on ecological drought, initiating the field of research on this topic. Valuing collaborative and interdisciplinary teams, Shawn contacted colleagues at The Nature Conservancy and the Wildlife Conservation Society about the work. “We said, let's get the smartest people we know working in this space together,” Shawn explained. The CASCs hired two post-docs to study the topic and began an interagency group on ecodrought. The team published a paper in 2017 defining ecological drought as a concept and why it's important. They also held workshops in every CASC region to further receive input on and support for ecological drought research. 

Shawn has a long list of collaborators who he attributes the growth of the ecodrought field to, including the original post-docs that were hired for the program, Aaron Ramirez and Shelley Crausbay, who continue to research climate adaptation topics and are now considered experts in the field of ecological drought.  

The success of building a community of practice for ecological drought has led Shawn to consider a similar initiative focused on the future of fire. Under Shawn’s direction, the CASC Network recently hired nine post-docs from around the country to develop new fire-relevant areas of study. 

 

Contributing to the Bigger Picture 

Many of the programs Shawn had a hand in developing at NPS, including the environmental monitoring program, are still ongoing today. Shawn is a proponent of using science communication to demonstrate why certain science needs should be funded. He also enjoys watching the individuals he hired early on flourish in the scientific community. “Capacity building and mentorship is something that I really enjoy. I've been fortunate enough to foster people early in their careers, and I get a lot of satisfaction from that." 

Shawn also takes pride in his efforts to protect natural resources for our country, and for the greater good. He instills his passion for civic engagement with his two teenage boys, who are active in scouting and outdoor recreation, to take actions that have broad societal impacts when they can. For Shawn, it is an important value to give back to the community and society. Though there can be difficult aspects of federal service, Shawn remains a civil servant because he enjoys the opportunity to add value to other peoples’ lives. 

 

Leading with the CASCs 

Having helped the CASC Network grow from the ground up, Shawn has rare, yet valuable insight when describing how the program has grown over the years. He believes the CASC community has played a major role in making the shift toward actionable science, and deconstructing the traditional “loading dock science” model that doesn’t take into account the practical types of questions practitioners need answered. CASC scientists work with managers to identify science needs and create meaningful data that is useful for decision-making, creating more actionable, co-produced science. There are many NGOs, universities, and even for-profit organizations who have followed the lead of focusing on user-inspired research that is created hand-in-glove with the groups who will be using it. Shawn believes the CASC Network has been instrumental in creating a new research template for the climate adaptation community.  

He proudly notes, “This is what sets us apart and what has helped us stand the test of time. We are working with people and managers on very practical solutions." 

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Shawn is the Senior Scientist of the U.S. Geological Survey’s National Climate Adaptation Science Center, headquartered in Reston, VA. Shawn has degrees from Cornell University, Virginia Tech, and SUNY-ESF and his research interests include ecological monitoring and assessment, forest ecology, and species-habitat relationships.

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