Martha Sample

A light-skinned woman with dark brown hair smiles at the edge of a lake in spring. She is wearing a yellow fleece hat and a green windbreaker over another light coat and a hoodie.
Researcher 5
she/her
sampl135@umn.edu
Education
  • PhD, Earth Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, Northern Arizona University 
  • MS Environmental Sciences and Policy, Northern Arizona University 
  • BA Environmental Studies, University of Montana
External Affiliations

Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science

Areas of Interest

Climate change adaptation, natural resources management, ecological restoration, and ecological monitoring.

Biography

While originally from Wisconsin, Martha Sample has spent the past 10+ years in the intermountain West pursuing graduate education and professional experience in ecology, conservation, climate adaptation. She is excited to be back in the upper Midwest to apply her passion and expertise to address climate adaptation challenges in regional ecosystems!

Research

Sample works as part of the Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science (NIACS) team to synthesize and communicate scientific information on how a changing climate will affect lowland, riparian, wetland, and shoreline ecosystems of the Great Lakes and Midwest, and Northeast US. This involves strong collaborations with regional scientists and managers to identify and evaluate potential land management responses that may help reduce climate risks and facilitate adaptation in lowland and riparian ecosystems. Sample aims to create resources that enhance the awareness and integration of climate change considerations into land management activities, provide training and technical assistance to natural resources managers, and deploy the best available science to support management planning and decision-making processes.

Select Publications

"Adaptation Strategies and Approaches for Managing Fire in a Changing Climate"