Kimberley’s Bio
Dr. Kimberley R. Miner is a Scientist at the NASA Jet Propulsion Lab in Pasadena, California, where she looks at Arctic change as part of a joint NASA-ESA initiative. She is a graduate of Columbia's School of International and Public Affairs (MPA) and the University of Maine's Climate Change Institute (Ph.D.). At the University of Maine, she continues her work as a Research Assistant Professor focusing on global risks from climate change. In this capacity, she managed pollution research on the 2019 National Geographic trip to Mt. Everest. She is a Fellow at the Center for Climate and Security and Co-chair of the NASA HQ Interagency Forum on Climate Risks, Impacts, and Adaptation.
During her Doctoral research, Kimberley worked with multi-national teams in Canada, Switzerland, and Alaska to develop the first risk assessment of glacial meltwater pollution. For this research, she was awarded a Fulbright scholarship and fellowships from the National Science Foundation, Department of Defense, and the Switzer Foundation.
Before her Ph.D., Kimberley worked at Columbia's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and the NYC Office of Emergency Management. At both institutions, she created platforms for scientists and emergency managers to engage with the public after Hurricane Sandy. Based on this work, she joined the 2014-2015 NSF research trip to Antarctica, where she traveled by boat from Chile to Palmer Station.
Kimberley is a Black belt, certified Wilderness Firefighter and First Responder, and mom to a lively cattledog.
WITH GROUPS CREATING PROGRAMS TO ENCOURAGE FEMALES TO CONSIDER STEM, WHAT IS THE BIGGEST BARRIER TO ENTRY THAT IS STILL PREVALENT TODAY?
Pay and promotion equity are big barriers to women across STEM. When young women are considering entering the STEM professions, they have to be able to picture a career that will support them. They have to see that STEM careers are sustainable and inspiring.
WHAT OR WHO INSPIRES YOU?
There have been many women leading in the field of STEM for generations. I am inspired by Hedy Lamar, who maintained an acting career while inventing cutting-edge communication tools, and by the NASA human computers-- women who did all the math to computer space travel--before the electronic computers were used!
WHAT IS YOUR PROUDEST MOMENT/ACCOMPLISHMENT?
I am proud of my research that identified previously unrealized risks to Arctic and mountain communities. Ecosystems reliant on ice and snow are critical to the planet, and my work has explored preserving and safeguarding them for the future.