NC3 is a multi-disciplinary team dedicated to increasing climate information among Extension professionals, farmers, natural resource managers, and communities, and increasing the adoption of climate-smart practices. Looking for more information? Have questions?
Get in touch with the NC3 representative near you.
Indiana
Hans Schmitz – Extension Educator, Purdue University
Hans Schmitz received his B.S. and M.S. degrees in Agricultural Meteorology from Purdue University. He previously had roles in various counties over 14 years with Extension, before transitioning to serve as Lead Conservation Cropping Systems Agronomist for the state. His expertise lies at the nexus of soil health and climate smart agriculture. Hans lives in Cynthiana, Indiana, with his wife, Cindy, and two children. In his spare time, Hans teaches agribusiness at Vincennes University and manages the family farm, a sixth-generation grain and cattle operation.
Iowa
Dennis Todey – USDA ARS, National Laboratory for Agriculture and The Environment
Dr. Dennis Todey is the director of the USDA Midwest Climate Hub in Ames. He has a background in ag-climatology and meteorology from Iowa State University and the South Dakota School of Mines. He was formerly the state climatologist for South Dakota. The hub’s role is to develop, share and encourage implementation of improved ag-climate practices in the wide range of agriculture. The hub is a partner in the Climate Change at the New Foundation of Agriculture project with Ohio State. The hub works with a wide variety of partners (including extension) across an eight state region over most of the Corn Belt.
Kansas
Peter Tomlinson – Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist for Environmental Quality, Kansas State University
Dr. Peter Tomlinson is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Agronomy and an Extension Specialist for Environmental Quality at Kansas State University.
Michigan
Monica Jean – Field Crops Educator, Michigan State University Extension
Monica is a MSU Extension Field Crops Educator serving the Saginaw Bay watershed region. Her position covers a large variety of crop production including integrated crop and livestock systems with an emphasis in cover crop, soil health, nutrient management and cropping system research projects. She enjoys conducting practical, on-farm research and working with farmers to improve the sustainability of their farms. Monica also serves as the Michigan chair for the Midwest Cover Crop Council and the North Central Climate Collaborative. Monica received her B.S. in Biology and Chemistry from Central Michigan University and her M.S. in Animal Science from Michigan State University.
Missouri
Charlie Ellis – Field Specialist in Agricultural Systems Technology, University of Missouri Extension
Charlie is a Field Specialist in Agricultural Systems Technology at Missouri Extension in Lincoln County. Charlie’s program of work includes building relationships with producers, refine trial protocols, plot layout, data collection, in-season scouting, yield data collection and data transfer. His work is primarily working with crop producers on a individual basis to collect yield data, guidance systems and operation, data transfer and analysis, and equipment selection.
Nebraska
Tonya Haigh – Research Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska-Lincoln and National Drought Mitigation Center
Dr. Tonya Haigh is a Research Assistant Professor and the Social Science Coordinator and Project Coordinator for the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln. Dr. Haigh’s research focuses on the adaptive capacity of agricultural producers and others to cope with drought. Her research connects social science with climate science by informing the development of stakeholder-driven resources and tools. Dr. Haigh has worked with ranchers, advisors, and researchers to develop the Managing Drought Risk on the Ranch website and has provided social science expertise to the development of climate decision support tools for Corn Belt producers and specialty crop growers. Dr. Haigh’s academic and research expertise includes social theory related to climate risk management, survey development and administration, quantitative data collection and analysis, and qualitative data collection and analysis. Project management expertise includes outcome-based planning and evaluation.
North Dakota
Miranda Meehan, Extension Livestock Environmental Stewardship Specialist, North Dakota State University
Miranda is the NDSU Extension Livestock Environmental Stewardship Specialist. She earned B.S and M.S degrees in Animal and Range Science and a Ph.D. in Natural Resource Management, all from NDSU. The focus of her research and extension program is livestock and environmental interactions, specifically those related to grazing. Her current research focuses include integrated crop livestock systems, riparian ecology and reclamation. In 2020 she also took on the role as the Extension Disaster Coordinator.
Ohio
Aaron B. Wilson – Senior Research Associate, Ohio State University
Dr. Aaron Wilson is an Assistant Professor, Ag Weather and Climate Field Specialist with the Department of Extension in the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences at The Ohio State University. He is the State Climatologist of Ohio, Research PI for the Byrd Polar & Climate Research Center, and Midwest Chapter Lead Author of the upcoming Fifth National Climate Assessment. As a nearly life-long Ohioan, Aaron was inspired from a young age by the power of weather and has followed his passion with a deep commitment to the Midwest. Aaron has a diverse research background, from using state-of-the-art numerical models to solve weather- and climate-related research questions, to applied climatology and climate variability of Ohio and the Midwest. Aaron strives to help the agricultural, natural resources, and many other communities across Ohio understand the impacts of climate change and how to build resilience to its challenges.
South Dakota
Laura Edwards, State Climatologist, SDSU, NC3 Project Director
Laura Edwards is the South Dakota State Climatologist/Extension Climate Field Specialist located at the South Dakota State University Extension in Aberdeen, South Dakota. With an education and career built around climate research, Laura draws upon years of experience to develop tools, resources and information on how weather impacts decisions on the farm and ranch. She is a member of the American Meteorological Society; American Association of State Climatologists; National Association of County Agriculture Agents; South Dakota Association of Agricultural Extension Professionals; and the American Geophysical Union (AGU). Laura received her M.S. in Meteorology from the University of Maryland.