Dr. Polsky received his Ph.D. and M.S. (Geography) degrees from the Pennsylvania
State University, where he was a National Science Foundation Graduate Research
Fellow, and B.S. (mathematics) and B.A. (humanities, French) degrees from the
University of Texas at Austin. He is currently finishing a two-year Postdoctoral
Fellowship at Harvard University, with the Research and Assessment Systems for
Sustainability program at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs,
John F. Kennedy School of Government. This Fellowship is sponsored by the
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, U.S. National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration. Colin is a geographer specializing in the human
dimensions of global environmental change, emphasizing the statistical analysis of
vulnerability to climate change.

He is currently examining ways to blend quantitative and qualitative methods for
the study of social and ecological vulnerability to environmental changes in two
regions, the Arctic and the U.S. Great Plains. This research requires the blending of
statistical techniques (such as empirical downscaling and spatial econometrics) with
insight gained from qualitative methods (such as interviews and participant observation).
Colin is affiliated with Clark University’s HERO project and George Perkins Marsh Institute.

Curriculum Vitae

Selected publications:
Polsky, C. and D. Munroe, forthcoming. "Scale in Integrated Regional Assessments:
Theoretical Background and Methodological Advancements." In: Integrated Regional
Assessments, C.G. Knight and J. Jager, eds.

Easterling, W.E. and C. Polsky, forthcoming. "Crossing the Complex Divide: Linking
Scales for Understanding Coupled Human-Environment Systems." In: Scale and
Geographic Inquiry, R.B. McMaster and E. Sheppard, eds. Oxford: Blackwell.

McCarthy, J.J., M.L. Martello, R.W. Corell, N. Eckley, G. Hovelsrud-Broda, S.
Mathiesen, C. Polsky, H. Selin and N. Tyler, In preparation. Assessing Vulnerabilities:
A Strategy for the Arctic. An Interdisciplinary and Intercultural Study to Assess the
vulnerabilities of Coupled Human-Environment Systems in the Arctic, Arctic Climate
Impact Assessment of the Arctic Council.

Polsky, C., D. Schröter, A. Patt, R.W. Corell, N. Eckley, S. Gaffin, M. Long, R.
Neff, A. Pulsipher, H. Selin, J. Borck, S. Fox, P. Raskin and J. Ribot, forthcoming.
Assessing Vulnerabilities to the Effects of Global Change: An Eight-Step Approach.
Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs Working Paper #, Environment
and Natural Resources Program, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard
University, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Internet: http://ksgnotes1.harvard.edu/bcsia/sust.nsf/publications

Turner, B.L., R.E. Kasperson, P. Matson, J.J. McCarthy, R.W. Corell, L. Christensen,
N. Eckley, J.X. Kasperson, A. Luers, M.L. Martello, C. Polsky, A. Pulsipher and A.
Schiller, forthcoming. A Framework For Vulnerability Analysis In Sustainability Science.
Proceedings, National Academy of Sciences.

Turner, B.L., P. Matson, J.J. McCarthy, R.W. Corell, L. Christensen, N. Eckley, G.
Hovelsrud-Broda, J.X. Kasperson, R.E. Kasperson, A. Luers, M.L. Martello, S.
Mathiesen, C. Polsky, A. Pulsipher, A. Schiller and N. Tyler, forthcoming. Illustrating
The Coupled Human-Environment System For Vulnerability Analysis: Three Case
Studies. Proceedings, National Academy of Sciences.

Denny, A., B. Yarnal, and C. Polsky, 2002. “The Central Pennsylvania study area:
How coal dominates the greenhouse gas problem.” In: Global Change in Local Places,
R. Kates and T. Wilbanks, eds. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge & New York.

Easterling, W.E. and C. Polsky, 2002. “Crossing the Complex Divide: Linking Scales
for Understanding Coupled Human-Environment Systems.” In: Scale and Geographic
Inquiry, R.B. McMaster and E. Sheppard, eds. Oxford: Blackwell.

Polsky, C. and W.E. Easterling III, 2001.“Adaptation to Climate Variability and Change
in the US Great Plains: A Multi-Scale Analysis of Ricardian Climate Sensitivities.”
Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 85(1-3):133-144.

Polsky, C., J. Allard, N. Currit, R. Crane and B. Yarnal, 2000. “The Mid-Atlantic
Region and its Climate: Past, Present and Future.” Climate Research 14(3):161-173.

Polsky, C., 1999. “Book Review: Technology and Global Change, by Arnulf Grubler.”
Annals of the Association of American Geographers 89(4):792-794.

Easterling, W.E., C. Polsky, D. Goodin, M.W. Mayfield, W.A. Muraco and B. Yarnal,
1998. “Changing Places, Changing Emissions: the cross-scale reliability of greenhouse
gas emission inventories in the US.” Local Environment 3(3):247-262.

U.S. EPA, 1995. Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-1994,
Washington, D.C. Overall production manager and lead author for Chapter Two,
“Industrial Processes.”