Introduction
Tonya Bernadt is an Education and Outreach Specialist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's National Drought Mitigation Center (NDMC), which operates within UNL's School of Natural Resources. She has been at the NDMC since January 2009. She has recently been named project coordinator for a new program called "Climate Masters of Nebraska," as well.
Education:
- M.S., Leadership Education, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2004
- B.S., Natural Resources, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2000
Examples of Current Research/Extension Programs:
Bernadt is currently working on several projects, including the new Climate Masters program. She and Natalie Umphlett and Tapan Pathak worked as a team to obtain U.S. Environmental Protection Agency funding for seed money to start the program. It is an adult education program that was developed to teach participants about climate change and ways to reduce their carbon footprint. The group just completed their first course and is very excited about it.
She is also involved in two projects funded by NOAA and USDA that involve working with the Center for Research on the Changing Earth System. These grants focus on decadal climate variability (DCV) modeling, dissemination, and working with stakeholders in the Missouri River Basin to help identify how DCV outlooks might be useful to the region and its stakeholders.
Other current projects include a grant from the Risk Management Agency in which she and the NDMC team are working with ranchers to help them prepare a drought plan that will assist them before, during and after a drought. Bernadt is also a team member on the National Integrated Drought Information Systems (NIDIS) Engaging Preparedness Communities working group.
Examples of Past Research/Extension Programs:
Bernadt has been on a number of varying projects since affiliating with the NDMC. Some of these are; DCV stakeholder projects, RMA drought tools workshops, Republican River Water and Drought Portal, National Weather Service Low Flow Project, assisting with the NDMC website upgrade, and many others.
Examples of Outreach Programs
NDMC participates in a number of wide-ranging outreach events. Some of these are: Children's Groundwater Festival in Grand Island, Hartley Elementary Community Learning Center after school program, Earth Wellness Festival, Weatherfest, Weather Camp, Naturepalooza and more.
Selected Publications:
- Mehta V., C. Knutson, T. Bernadt, J. Olsen, N. Wall, M. Hayes, and N. Rosenberg. 2010. An Assessment of Decadal Drought Information Needs of Stakeholders and Policymakers in the Missouri River Basin for Decision Support.
- Metha V., C. Knutson, T. Bernadt, J. Olsen, N. Wall, M. Hayes, and N. Rosenberg. 2011. An Assessment of Decadal Drought Information Needs of Stakeholders and Policymakers in the Missouri River Basin for Decision Support Part III: Urban Water Security in the Missouri River Basin.
- Woudenberg, D., M. Svoboda, T. Bernadt, N. Wall, M. Widhalm, J. Okalebo, C. Bergman, S. Jones, and C. Knutson. 2010. Low Flow/Stage Related Impacts in the Upper Colorado River Basin Project Report. Prepared for NOAA's Climate, Water and Weather Service Division.
Web/e-mail addresses:
Tonya Bernadt