Dmitri  Kalashnikov,
Ph.D.

I am a climate scientist interested in the physical mechanisms of extreme weather, and how these mechanisms respond to climate variability and change. I value effective science communication and look forward to opportunities to share my findings with diverse audiences - from fellow climate scientists, to stakeholders, to the general public.

 

In June 2024, I started as a National Science Foundation AGS Postdoctoral Research Fellow working with John Abatzoglou at the University of California, Merced, where I am researching thunderstorm precipitation in the western U.S. I recently completed my Ph.D. at Washington State University under a NASA FINESST fellowship. My dissertation research focused on understanding the physical drivers and impacts of dry thunderstorms in the western U.S., which are a major ignition source of wildfires. I am also fascinated by temperature extremes, and I am currently researching the record-breaking heatwave that occurred in Mexico and Texas during the summer of 2023. 

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I received my M.S. in Geography from Portland State University in 2019, where I researched large-scale atmospheric patterns conducive to lightning outbreaks in the western US. I am a contributing author to the Sixth Oregon Climate Assessment on the topic of lightning-caused wildfires and smoke-related air pollution. In my spare time, I enjoy reading, hiking, and spending time with my wife and two young children. 

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December 2024: Poster presentation at AGU Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., on my research into future projections of lightning and lightning-caused wildfire risk in the western United States.

November 2024: New first-author paper entitled "Predicting Cloud-To-Ground Lightning in the Western United States From the Large-Scale Environment Using Explainable Neural Networks" is published in Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres.

October 2024: Oral presentation at the Yosemite Hydroclimate Meeting at Yosemite National Park, CA, on my research into dry lightning and lightning-caused wildfires in the western United States.

July 2024: Poster presentation at the Extreme Heat Workshop hosted by Columbia University in New York, NY, on my research into the role of atmospheric circulation and soil moisture deficits in the June 2023 Mexico-Texas heatwave. 

June 2024: Started NSF-AGS Postdoctoral Research Fellowship at the University of California, Merced. I am working with Dr. John Abatzoglou to understand the physical drivers of, and changes to, thunderstorm precipitation in the western U.S.

April 2024: Awarded the "Outstanding Graduate Student Researcher Award" by the School of the Environment at Washington State University.

April 2024: Won 1st place in the annual WSU Vancouver Research Showcase for presentation of my research into rainfall amounts during lightning-caused wildfire ignition in the western United States.

March 2024: Successfully defended my Ph.D. dissertation, entitled "Dry lightning in the western United States: Meteorological conditions, wildfire ignition, air quality impacts, and future projections."

March 2024: New co-authored paper entitled "Enhanced solar and wind potential during widespread temperature extremes across the U.S. interconnected energy grids" is published in Environmental Research Letters.

January 2024: Two oral presentations at 104th AMS Annual Meeting in Baltimore, MD, on my research into using neural networks for lightning prediction and into the role of atmospheric circulation contributing to the June 2023 Mexico-Texas heat wave.

December 2023: Two poster presentations at AGU Fall Meeting in San Francisco, CA, on my research into using neural networks for lightning prediction and into the role of atmospheric circulation contributing to the June 2023 Mexico-Texas heat wave.

November 2023: Oral presentation at the 17th Annual Graduate Climate Conference in Woods Hole, MA, on my research into using neural networks for lightning prediction.

October 2023: New co-authored paper entitled "Climate change is narrowing and shifting prescribed fire windows in western United States" is published in Communications Earth & Environment. 

September 2023: Began training for Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) Science Communication Fellowship (until December 2023).  

August 2023: New first-author paper entitled "Lightning-Ignited Wildfires in the Western United States: Ignition Precipitation and Associated Environmental Conditions" is published in Geophysical Research Letters.

July 2023: Completed week-long training on using the Community Earth System Model, held in-person at the National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado. 

May 2023: New co-authored paper entitled "Meteorological Analysis of the Pacific Northwest June 2021 Heatwave" is published in Monthly Weather Review. 

March 2023: Received the 2023 Ph.D. Student Achievement Award in the Sciences from Washington State University, given to one student across the WSU system. 

February 2023: Placed 3rd at Washington State University - Vancouver "3 Minute Thesis" competition for talk entitled "Thunder Doesn't Only Happen When It's Raining."

January 2023: Contributing author to Sixth Oregon Climate Assessment published this month. Authored sections on lightning-caused wildfires and smoke impacts. 

January 2023: Two oral presentations at 103rd AMS Annual Meeting in Denver, Colorado, on my research into California dry lightning outbreaks and western US air pollution episodes.

December 2022: Oral presentation at AGU Fall Meeting in Chicago, IL, on my research into precipitation amounts during lightning-caused wildfires (won OSPA award).

October 2022: Invited panelist at NIDIS Drought & Human Health Workshop in Portland, OR, presenting my research into co-occurring PM2.5 and ozone air pollution episodes.

August 2022: New first-author paper entitled "Meteorological and geographical factors associated with dry lightning in central and northern California" is published in Environmental Research: Climate.

April 2022: Invited speaker at the Western States Air Resources Council (WESTAR) Spring Business Meeting in Park City, UT, presenting my research into co-occurring PM2.5 and ozone air pollution episodes.

April 2022: New co-authored paper entitled "Climate change increases risk of extreme rainfall following wildfire in the western United States" is published in Science Advances. 

January 2022: New first-author paper entitled "Increasing co-occurrence of fine particulate matter and ground-level ozone extremes in the western United States" is published in Science Advances.