May 29, 2024
Dr. Guillaume Mauger named Washington State Climatologist
Dr. Guillaume Mauger has been named the next director of the Office of the Washington State Climatologist. Mauger’s appointment began earlier this month.
Mauger succeeds Dr. Nick Bond, who retired from the role in February after nearly 14 years. Karin Bumbaco, deputy state climatologist, served as interim state climatologist from February to May.
Currently a research scientist at the Climate Impacts Group, Mauger has 15 years of experience working in climate change impacts and adaptation in the Pacific Northwest with a focus on flooding and water availability.
“Mauger’s deep knowledge of climate impacts in the Northwest and long history working with decision makers, resource managers and community members makes him an excellent choice for the next State Climatologist,” Jason Vogel, interim director of the Climate Impacts Group, says. “We are thrilled he will be stepping into this role and leading the Office to provide even greater support to the citizens and communities of Washington state.”
Specializing in Climate Science, Mauger has worked on projects that assess hydrologic changes across a variety of Northwest watersheds, worked to apply climate information in water supply planning and collaborated with floodplain managers to integrate climate change into their work. In addition to his research, he serves as a resource to stakeholders who are interested in obtaining and understanding the numerous climate and hydrologic datasets that are now available.
“I am excited to get to work,” Mauger says. “Washington State is ahead of the game on climate, and I see a lot of potential for building on that good work.”
Bringing his wealth of experience in co-produced and applied climate research, Mauger will build on OWSC’s valued role as an expert in climate science, as a source of digestible climate information and as a collaborator on climate-related initiatives. One of several near-term initiatives is to reprioritize community engagement for the Office to effectively reach new audiences.
“We are excited to think critically about how we engage across the state,” says Karin Bumbaco, deputy state climatologist, who will work closely with Mauger in his new role. “For example, we are exploring ways to train students in climate communication, and are developing a new “Climate Matters” database as a resource for learning about local climate phenomena.”
A near-term priority is to ensure the sustainability of the Office, so it can continue to support Washington State with reputable climate data and interpretation, capacity building and applied climate research.
The Office of the Washington State Climatologist will remain a program of the Climate Impacts Group, and the organizations will continue to collaborate on projects and initiatives. Mauger will remain a member of the leadership team for the Climate Impacts Group.
