Brent is working on establishing the patterns of regional climatic variation and change in the region and their impacts on freshwater resources. Brent is part of a research group modeling the hydrologic response of river basins to forcing by weather and climate. It has distinct climatological, hydrologic, socioeconomic, and policy components. Brent is helping the Penn State team determine the bundle of greenhouse gases emitted in central Pennsylvania, the socioeconomic forces driving these emissions, and what can be done to mitigate the emissions. Brent oversees the integrated regional assessment of the Susquehanna River Basin.
Brent helps with data acquisition and analysis.
Current studies include a survey of regional water managers and research into the linkages between climate change and water quality. Brent is also helping to establish a new center for natural hazards research at Penn State. He is focusing his efforts on establishing a program to study natural disasters in the Mid-Atlantic Region, with emphasis on floods, droughts, and severe storms. Recent Publications Yarnal, B. Integrated regional assessment and climate change impacts in river basins. W.A. Muraco, D. Goodin, M. Mayfield, and B. Yarnal.