People

Abigail L.S. Swann, PhD

Abigail L.S. Swann, PhD

Professor of Atmospheric and Climate Science, Professor of Biology, Endowed Professor for the College of the Environment in Climate & Ecosystems

University of Washington

Abigail Swann is a Professor jointly appointed in the Department of Atmospheric and Climate Science and the Department of Biology at the University of Washington and is the Endowed Professor for the College of the Environment in Climate & Ecosystems.

Her research is defining a new framework for studying the role of plants in Earth’s climate. While some scientists study climate and others study the biosphere, she studies the two as a coupled system, drawing from the best research in both areas to explore critical ecosystem-climate interactions that have profound near- and long-term implications for life and the well-being of the planet. She has the expertise to evaluate both the physical climate system and the underlying biological processes that govern ecosystems and characterize their response to environmental variability and change. Her central hypothesis is that changes in the biosphere modify the course of climate change, and that the dynamic interaction of the two systems reveals emergent behavior not anticipated in each separately.

Interests

  • Ecosystem-Climate Interactions
  • Carbon Cycling
  • Increasing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Geosciences

Education

  • PhD in Earth and Planetary Science, 2010

    University of California, Berkeley

  • MA in Earth and Environmental Sciences, 2005

    Columbia University

  • BA in Earth and Planetary Science, 2003

    University of California, Berkeley

Lab Members

Graduate Students

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Amy Liu

Graduate Student

Biosphere-atmosphere interactions, Impacts of drought, Urban air quality

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Ben Buchovecky

Graduate Student

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Chad Small

Graduate Student

Extreme Rainfall and Flooding, Biosphere-atmosphere interactions, Science Communication

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Iana Ferguson

Graduate Student

Tipping points, carbon dynamics, atmospheric chemistry, Tropical Wetlands

Undergraduate Students

Laura Pong

Undergraduate Researcher

Friends of the Lab

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Lily Zhang

Friend of the Lab

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Patrick Murphy

Friend of the Lab

Alumni

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Ben Lee

Research Scientist 2022-2023

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Claire Zarakas

Graduate Student 2018-2024

Eliza Dawson

Undergraduate Student 2017-2018

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Elizabeth Garcia

Postdoctoral Scholar 2014-2019

Esmeralda Chavalas

Summer Intern 2022

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Fiona Lo

Friend of the Lab

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Greg Quetin

Graduate Student 2012-2017

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Greta Shum

Graduate Student 2018-2024

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Haynes Stephens

Friend of the Lab

Jas Ogiste

Summer Intern 2021

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Jennifer Hsiao

Graduate Student 2015-2022

Jinhyuk Kim

Undergraduate Student 2018-2019

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Kavya Pradhan

Friend of the Lab 2019-2023

Lashaun Jackson

Summer Intern 2023

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Lucas Vargas Zeppetello

Friend of the Lab

Madeline Burns

Summer Intern 2022

Marianne Pietschnig

Lab Visitor 2019

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Marlies Kovenock

Graduate Student 2013-2019

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Marysa Laguë

Graduate Student 2013-2019

Parker Malek

Undergraduate Student 2014-2015

Rose Schoenfeld

Undergraduate Student 2020-2022

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Sam Pennypacker

Friend of the Lab 2016-2023

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Tyler Kukla

Postdoctoral Fellow 2022-2023