CS Colloquium Speaker: David LeBauer, “Computation for Climate: Modeling Agriculture Under Uncertainty’
March 13, 2026 11 a.m.–12:15 p.m.
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Shanahan Center, Auditorium
320 E. Foothill Blvd.
Claremont, CA 91711
Contact
Morgan McArdle
mmcardle@g.hmc.edu
909.607.0299
Details
“Computation for Climate: Modeling Agriculture Under Uncertainty”
Abstract
Climate mitigation in agriculture is ultimately a modeling problem: how do we turn complex biology and sparse data into reliable decisions? Soil carbon and greenhouse gas emissions arise from nonlinear processes, incomplete records, and uncertain futures. Converting those dynamics into decision-ready tools requires integrating computer science, statistics, and domain science in ways that are rigorous, transparent, and scalable.
David LeBauer will describe his path from ecology to building climate modeling systems that support governments and startups working on carbon and greenhouse gas accounting in managed lands. He chose to build a career at the intersection of open-source software, quantitative modeling and public policy.
LeBauer will introduce the computational architecture behind these systems in accessible terms: how biological processes are encoded in models, how Bayesian calibration constrains parameters using noisy data, how ensemble simulations and sensitivity analysis propagate and decompose uncertainty, and how software design and open science practices determine whether tools are interpretable, reproducible, transparent and scalable for real-world decision-making.
The broader message is that impactful climate work requires scientific depth, disciplined software engineering, and a commitment to transparency and reproducibility, and that there are multiple viable paths to building such a career.
Speaker
David LeBauer (PhD, earth system science, UC Irvine) is a scientist and consultant working at the boundary of ecology, statistics, and scientific computing. He builds open, reproducible modeling and data infrastructures that couple process-based ecosystem models, field measurements, and Bayesian inference to make ecological predictions transparent, scalable, and decision-relevant. He is founder of The LeBauer Approach and Modeling Lead and Project Manager for California’s statewide cropland carbon monitoring and modeling initiative. Previously, he founded the Data Science team at the University of Arizona and led model calibration and validation at Indigo Ag in support of carbon credit protocols. He is creator and long-time co-lead of the open-source PEcAn ecosystem modeling platform and has led open data and cyberinfrastructure efforts supporting model–data synthesis, forecasting, and data-intensive agricultural research.
This event is for: faculty, staff, students
Community Connections events provide opportunities for HMC faculty, students and staff to cultivate community, foster open conversations and share important information as together we live out our mission and shape the future of the College.
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This learning community is for everyone, from those who are already experienced in community engagement to those who are curious about learning more about this high-impact educational practice. Faculty participants will discuss readings, meet with outside speakers, share ideas, and think collaboratively about implementing community engagement into the 5C students’ experience.
Welcome to HMC’s Community Conversations for the fall 2025.
HMC Community Conversations* use conversation guides with a structured format to help people with different viewpoints and experiences build understanding. There will be 3–5 other people in a table group. It is not a debate, and the goal is not to change one another’s opinions. There are Conversation Agreements like “Listen and Be Curious” and “Show Respect and Suspend Judgement” that create the framework for diving into the questions. The questions are designed to draw out our personal experiences rather than opinions around the topic.
The overall purpose is to learn more about the experiences others have around the topic and build a sense of community.
Community Conversations will take place on Tuesdays from 11 a.m. to noon in Shanahan 1480; and each gathering will be on a separate topic. Gatherings will be in person only.
Kickstart your career journey by joining us each week for the OCS career and professional development series! From expert panels to hands-on workshops and presentations, each session dives into a new topic designed to help you build skills and confidence for your future.
Learn about HMC’s approved study abroad programs and how to study abroad your junior year.
The Great ShakeOut is an opportunity for our community to practice what to do during an earthquake (drop, cover, and hold on). In the event of a real earthquake, a notification will be sent via Mudd Alert containing important information and instructions.
In most situations, if you feel shaking or receive an earthquake alert, you should immediately:
Drop where you are, onto your hands and knees. This position protects you from being knocked down and reduces your chances of being hit by falling or flying objects.
Cover your head and neck with one arm and hand. If a sturdy table or desk is nearby, crawl underneath for shelter. If no shelter is nearby, crawl next to an interior wall. Stay on your knees; bend over to protect vital organs.
Hold on until the shaking stops. If you’re under shelter, hold on to it with one hand and be ready to move with your shelter if it shifts. If you are not under shelter, cover your head and neck with both arms and hands.
For the purpose of this exercise, we encourage community members to practice these steps for one minute upon receiving the Mudd Alert notification. Thank you for your time and participation in this important emergency preparedness exercise.
“We don’t want to live in a society in turmoil. In the US, 93 percent of people want to reduce divisiveness, and 86 percent believe it’s possible to disagree in a healthy way. Yet with increasing political and social fragmentation, many of us don’t know how to move past our differences. Civil rights scholar john a. powell presents an actionable path through “bridging” that helps us communicate, coexist, and imagine a new story for our shared future where we all belong.” (taken from Othering and Belonging Institute)
The Office of Civic & Community Engagement (OCCE) will be hosting a guilt-free book club this fall semester on john a. powell’s book The Power of Bridging: How to Build a World Where We All Belong. Our first gathering is on Friday, October 3rd.
This learning community is for everyone, from those who are already experienced in community engagement to those who are curious about learning more about this high-impact educational practice. Faculty participants will discuss readings, meet with outside speakers, share ideas, and think collaboratively about implementing community engagement into the 5C students’ experience.
Welcome to HMC’s Community Conversations for the fall 2025.
HMC Community Conversations* use conversation guides with a structured format to help people with different viewpoints and experiences build understanding. There will be 3–5 other people in a table group. It is not a debate, and the goal is not to change one another’s opinions. There are Conversation Agreements like “Listen and Be Curious” and “Show Respect and Suspend Judgement” that create the framework for diving into the questions. The questions are designed to draw out our personal experiences rather than opinions around the topic.
The overall purpose is to learn more about the experiences others have around the topic and build a sense of community.
Community Conversations will take place on Tuesdays from 11 a.m. to noon in Shanahan 1480; and each gathering will be on a separate topic. Gatherings will be in person only.
Kickstart your career journey by joining us each week for the OCS career and professional development series! From expert panels to hands-on workshops and presentations, each session dives into a new topic designed to help you build skills and confidence for your future.
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All are welcome to stop by as schedules allow.
“We don’t want to live in a society in turmoil. In the US, 93 percent of people want to reduce divisiveness, and 86 percent believe it’s possible to disagree in a healthy way. Yet with increasing political and social fragmentation, many of us don’t know how to move past our differences. Civil rights scholar john a. powell presents an actionable path through “bridging” that helps us communicate, coexist, and imagine a new story for our shared future where we all belong.” (taken from Othering and Belonging Institute)
The Office of Civic & Community Engagement (OCCE) will be hosting a guilt-free book club this fall semester on john a. powell’s book The Power of Bridging: How to Build a World Where We All Belong. Our first gathering is on Friday, October 3rd.
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