CV

Postdoctoral Research Associate at Dartmouth College working on climate change mitigation, decarbonization, and climate risk management.

Contact Information

Name Robert Fofrich Navarro
Professional Title Postdoctoral Research Associate
Email robertfofrich@dartmouth.edu
Location 33 Tuck Mall, Hanover, New Hampshire 03755

Professional Summary

I develop sustainable, equitable, and economically viable solutions to mitigate the drivers and risks of anthropogenic climate change. My research spans climate attribution, decarbonization, carbon removal solutions, and climate risk management.

Experience

Education

  • 2016 - 2022

    Irvine, CA

    Ph.D.
    University of California, Irvine
    Earth System Science
  • 2016 - 2019

    Irvine, CA

    M.S.
    University of California, Irvine
    Earth System Science
  • 2014 - 2016

    Irvine, CA

    B.S.
    University of California, Irvine
    Earth System Science
  • 2012 - 2014

    Culver City, CA

    A.A.
    West Los Angeles College
    Liberal Arts & Science: Math, Sciences & Computer Science

Publications

Skills

Research: Expertise in climate change mitigation pathways, carbon accounting, decarbonization strategies, carbon offset programs, and measuring emissions from energy and agriculture infrastructure. Experience with remote sensing and in situ carbon monitoring (e.g., Climate Trace, Carbon Mapper, OCO-2, TROPOMI-SIF), natural CO2 fluxes and storage, net-zero strategies, and climate risk assessment. Experienced in leading cross-disciplinary, policy-relevant research projects that align with global decarbonization goals.
Data Analysis: Advanced proficiency in MATLAB, Python (e.g., Pandas, NumPy, SciPy, xclim, Dask, xarray), MS Excel, and ArcGIS. Demonstrated expertise in managing large datasets, spatially analyzing emissions data, and applying statistical and geospatial methods to monitor compliance with climate change mitigation scenarios. Skilled in processing satellite observations, emissions inventories, and site-specific data to identify pollution sources and support regulatory frameworks.
Writing: Experienced in authoring peer-reviewed articles, technical reports, and public-facing research briefs. Skilled at synthesizing and summarizing complex scientific findings for both expert and non-expert audiences. Committed to scientific accuracy, transparency, and reproducibility.
Presentation: Proficient in developing engaging and accessible visual content using Python, MATLAB, Adobe Illustrator, and MS PowerPoint. Demonstrated ability to convey complex climate science to diverse audiences, including policymakers, stakeholders, and interdisciplinary teams.
Languages: Fluent in English and Spanish
Other: Extensive experience mentoring undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral researchers. Proven ability to lead collaborative research teams across institutions and disciplines. Comfortable interacting with media, policymakers, external partners, and community stakeholders. Skilled in project coordination and stakeholder engagement. Experienced in authoring research grants.

Awards

  • 2023
    UC President's Postdoctoral Fellowship
    University of California Office of the President

    Awarded 2023 & 2024

  • 2023
    IDRE Postdoctoral Fellowship
    Institute for Digital Research and Education, UCLA

  • 2020
    Outstanding Contributions to the Department Award
    Department of Earth System Science, UC Irvine

  • 2020
    Rose Hills Foundation Science & Engineering Fellowship
    University of California, Irvine

    Awarded 2020 & 2021

  • 2017
    Ridge to Reef Fellowship
    National Science Foundation Research Traineeship, UC Irvine

    Awarded 2017 & 2018

  • 2017
    Long Institute Graduate Student Grant
    Long US-China Institute, UC Irvine

    Awarded 2015 & 2017

  • 2016
    Reward Opportunity Advancing Distinguished Students (ROADS) Scholarship
    University of California, Irvine

  • 2015
    Juan Francisco Lara Endowed Scholarship
    University of California, Irvine

  • 2015
    Ecological Preserve Restoration Grant
    Green Initiative Fund, UC Irvine

  • 2014
    Jet Propulsion Laboratory Undergraduate Scholar
    NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory

  • 2014
    Irving R. Tannenbaum Memorial Award
    West Los Angeles College

  • 2014
    AFT 1521 Foundation Scholarship
    Los Angeles Community College Guild

  • 2013
    Morris J. Heldman Chemistry Award
    West Los Angeles College

  • 2013
    Academic Senate Scholarship
    West Los Angeles College

  • 2013
    David Rodriguez Memorial Scholarship
    West Los Angeles College

  • 2012
    Riding the Roadmap to Transfer Fellowship
    National Science Foundation - West Los Angeles College

    Awarded 2012 & 2013

Teaching

  • Guest Lecturer — Natural Climate Solutions, Dept. Geography, UCLA (2024, 2025, 2026)
  • Teaching Assistant — Sustainable Energy, Dept. of Earth System Science, UC Irvine (2020, 2021)
  • Teaching Assistant — Intro to the Cryosphere, Dept. of Earth System Science, UC Irvine (2020, 2021)
  • Teaching Assistant — Sustainable Food and Water Systems, Dept. of Earth System Science, UC Irvine (2019)
  • Teaching Assistant — Fundamentals of Geographic Information Systems, Dept. of Earth System Science, UC Irvine (2017)
  • Teaching Assistant — Introduction to Earth System Science, Dept. of Earth System Science, UC Irvine (2016)
  • Instructor — Health and Safety, American Red Cross, Greater Los Angeles, CA (2010-2012)

Mentoring

  • Research Supervision: Cate O’Bryon (undergrad, UCLA, 2024-2025); Alcen Chiu (undergrad, UCLA, 2023-2024); Daniel Blanco (Ph.D., Rutgers, 2022-2023); Lauren Liebermann (undergrad, UC Irvine, 2021-2022)
  • Undergraduate Mentoring: Anna Ho (UC Irvine, 2025-current); Isabelle Gomez (UCLA, 2025); Brandon Ng (UC Irvine, 2024-2025); London Perkins (UC Irvine, 2024-2025); Aaron Wang (UC Irvine, 2024-2025); Mathew Ye (UCLA, 2024); Phoebe Caudill (UC Irvine, 2023-2024); Sarah Mey (UC Irvine, 2022-2023); Angelica Loya (UC Irvine, 2021-2022); Monet Bridgewater (UC Irvine, 2022); Jordyn Rodwell (UC Irvine, 2017)
  • Graduate Mentoring: Marina Fennel (Ph.D., UC Irvine, 2021-2022); Kyle Manley (Ph.D., UC Irvine, 2020-2022); Matea Djokic (Ph.D., UC Irvine, 2020-2021); Ariane Jong (Ph.D., UC Irvine, 2020-2021); Gracie Wong (Ph.D., UC Irvine, 2019-2020)

Academic Service

2025-current: Engagement Committee Chair, National Postdoctoral Association (NPA)
2024-2025: Task Force on a Vision for American Science & Technology, Science & Technology Action Committee
2023-2025: Committee for Anti-Racism and Equity (CARE), Dept. of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, UCLA
2023-2024: Diversity Task Force, National Postdoctoral Association (NPA)
2022-2024: Postdoc Council, National Postdoctoral Association (NPA)
2020-2022: Speaker Series Search Committee, Dept. of Earth System Science, UC Irvine
2019-2021: Conservation and Outreach Chair, Orange County Chapter of the Society for Conservation Biology
2019-2020: Graduate Student Representative, Dept. of Earth System Science, UC Irvine
2017-2019: Science Educator, Community Engagement, Climate Solutions Annual Conference
2012-2014: Cofounder and Vice President, American Chemical Society (West Los Angeles Chapter)

Scientific Presentations

  • 2026 — Invited talk, Quantifying the drivers and damages of climate change, Dept. of Environmental Science, UC Riverside, CA
  • 2025 — Invited talk, Pursuing a Postdoc Proactively, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA
  • 2025 — GDNat: a Global, Daily, High-Resolution, Natural-Forcing-Only Temperature Data Set for Attribution Research, European Geosciences Union, Vienna, Austria
  • 2025 — Keynote address, The Role of Community Colleges in the Fight Against Climate Change, LA Community College Regional Consortium Conference, Los Angeles, CA
  • 2025 — Invited talk, Bridging Climate Science & Sustainability: Transdisciplinary Models for Climate Change Mitigation, IE University, Madrid, Spain
  • 2024 — GDNat: a Global, Daily, High-Resolution, Natural-Forcing-Only Temperature Data Set for Attribution Research, American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, Washington, D.C.
  • 2024 — Invited talk, Confronting Climate Change Mitigation Challenges, NASA-JPL, Pasadena, CA
  • 2024 — Challenges to Mitigating Climate Change Drivers, Institute for Digital Research and Education, UCLA, CA
  • 2024 — Climate Risks to Tropical Ecosystems, Dept. of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, UCLA, CA
  • 2024 — Navigating Climate Change Transition Risks, Institute for Digital Research and Education, UCLA, CA
  • 2023 — Ecological and Climate Mitigation Tradeoffs from Cultivating Energy Crops in Tropical Regions, American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA
  • 2023 — Harnessing High-Performance Computing Across STEM Disciplines, Institute for Digital Research and Education, UCLA, CA
  • 2023 — Keynote address, Why Do We Need Green and Blue Jobs?, California Center for Climate Change Education, West Los Angeles College, CA
  • 2020 — Agricultural migration to avoid future climate change, American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, Virtual
  • 2020 — Invited talk, Decarbonizing Contemporary Society, Climate Solutions Conference, UCI Ridge to Reef & Newport Bay Conservancy, Costa Mesa, CA
  • 2019 — Early Retirement of Power Plants in Climate Mitigation Scenarios, American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA
  • 2019 — Invited talk, Infrastructural Inertia in Energy-Emissions Scenarios, UC Office of the President Global Climate Leadership Council Annual Meeting, Irvine, CA
  • 2019 — Ecosystem Climate Migrations in the Anthropocene, Decolonizing Ecology and Indigenous Land Co-Management Conference, Irvine, CA
  • 2018 — Infrastructural Inertia in Energy-Emissions Scenarios, American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, Washington, D.C.
  • 2018 — Invited talk, What Community College Can Do For You, Creative Edge Conference, West Los Angeles College, CA
  • 2018 — Infrastructural Inertia in Energy-Emissions Scenarios, Carnegie Institution for Science Global Ecology Energy Symposium, Palo Alto, CA
  • 2017 — Future CO2 emissions and electricity generation from proposed coal-fired power plants in India, American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, New Orleans, LA
  • 2015 — A global database of smoke injection heights from landscape fires, NASA-JPL SURF Symposium, Pasadena, CA

Journal Referee

  • Nature Climate Change; Environmental Research: Food Systems; Environmental Research: Letters; Environmental Research: Communications; Environmental Research: Climate; Environmental Research: Energy; Environmental Science & Technology; Environmental Sciences Europe; Energy and Climate Change; Scientific Reports; Cleaner and Circular Bioeconomy

Professional Associations

  • American Geophysical Union (AGU)
  • European Geosciences Union (EGU)
  • Society for Conservation Biology
  • National Postdoctoral Association (NPA)
  • American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
  • Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS)
  • Society for Leadership and Success, University of California, Irvine
  • Sigma Xi
  • Phi Theta Kappa
  • Alpha Gamma Sigma

References

  • Justin Mankin, Ph.D.

    Professor, Department of Geography, Dartmouth College. Justin.S.Mankin@dartmouth.edu

  • Steven J. Davis, Ph.D.

    Professor, Department of Earth System Science, Stanford University. sjdavis@stanford.edu

  • Robert Kopp, Ph.D.

    Professor, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Rutgers University. robert.kopp@rutgers.edu

  • Elsa Ordway, Ph.D.

    Assistant Professor, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, UCLA. elsaordway@ucla.edu