Rachel Dryden
MSc StudentMy research interests span the broad realm of human-environment interactions, specifically in the midst of natural disasters and anthropogenic climate change. My master’s thesis will investigate to what extent global floodplains are shifting due to climate change and identify at-risk populations and ecosystems in a spatial context. The study will incorporate global inundation maps, population density maps, climate change models, and crop data to inform floodplain agriculture and attempt to quantify changing flood extents on a global scale.
Background
Born in a small town in the Midwest, I moved to Montreal’s vibrant metropolis to pursue a Master’s of Science degree in Geography at McGill University. My research interests span the broad realm of human-environment interactions, specifically in the midst of natural disasters and anthropogenic climate change. My master’s thesis will investigate to what extent global floodplains are shifting due to climate change and identify at-risk populations and ecosystems in a spatial context. The study will incorporate global inundation maps, population density maps, climate change models, and crop data to inform floodplain agriculture and attempt to quantify changing flood extents on a global scale. Preliminary results may inform estimates of shifting floodplains based on future climate projections.