Ronda Strauch

Ronda is currently working on a PhD at the University of Washington in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering with an emphasis in hydrology.  Her research focuses on assessing climate change impacts and adaptation related to transportation, particularly on the lands managed by National Forest and National Parks in Washington.  These areas have already experience extensive damage and disruption ($$) from extreme storms over the past couple of decades.  Therefore, managers are concerned about continued vulnerability, which has heightened interest in understanding the future impacts and identifying adaptation strategies.  Anticipated key impacts to both infrastructure and operations include increased flooding, increased landslides, and reduced snow cover (allowing greater access).   For her dissertation, she will be refining this research by attempting to better characterize future landslide risks based on static site traits and dynamic factors incorporating simulated soil moisture into slope stability models. Ronda's work builds on previous work experience as a Supervising Engineer with King County Department of Transportation.  She has been involved in climate change for some time since completing a M.S. degree at UW in College of Forest Resources on climate change effects on subalpine tree establishment following fire in 1992.