1. Who are we? -Group of active climate researchers with diversified expertise in a wide range of disciplines relevant to climate science, including atmosphere, ocean, land, hydrology, ecosystem, water resources, agricultural economics, … -Our mission is to advance understanding of how and why the climate is changing, improve projection of future climate change in the Southern US, Texas, and the Gulf of Mexico region, and evaluate how climate change will impact region’s coastal resources, agriculture, rangelands and forests, water resources and major economic sectors What do we do? -Promoting cross-disciplinary climate research initiatives and collaborations -Developing an advanced integrated modeling system for simulating, predicting and projecting climate variability and change in the region -Building a data server to provide important climate data sets to climate researchers in the region http://texasclimate.tamu.edu

2. Dynamical Downscaling Approach High-resolution regional climate models that better resolve regional features to improve climate simulations & predictions at local scales TAMU Regional Earth System Model The model is capable of simulating extreme climate events, such as hurricane Katrina, and are being used for climate change assessment in the region. Simulated Storm Surge Associated with Katrina Simulated Katrina at 18z 28 August 2005

3. What can we bring to RCN CE 3 SAR? -Provide a scientific and scholarly community that supports climate researchers and those concerned with the impacts of climate change -Bring diversified expertise and experience in a wide range of climate change related issues and climate applications -Offer the latest information, knowledge and understanding of climate change science and climate applications -Provide more accurate and detailed present and future climate change assessment in the region needed to address the critical sustainability issues concerning energy and environment -Provide a better understanding of uncertainties in climate change science and effects of natural climate variability -Disseminate climate change related research to help the region’s population, resource managers, decision makers, educators, students, and stakeholders understand and prepare for changes likely to result within the region from global-scale climate changes -Facilitate and promote interactions between climate researchers and applied climate scientists, as well as between the federal, state, regional, and local agencies, academic and educational institutions