SWCASC Welcomes New Host Institution Director, Jia Hu!

The Southwest Climate Adaptation Science Center is proud to welcome Jia Hu as our new Host Institution Director! 

Jia is an Associate Professor and Associate Director in the School of Natural Resources and the Environment, and Affiliate Faculty with the Laboratory of Tree Ring Research, at the University of Arizona. Additionally, Jia serves as the Principal Investigator for the Hu Lab, where she and other researchers study global ecosystems and relationships between plants, water, soil, and climate. Prior to working with the University of Arizona, Jia held positions at Montana State University, University of Sydney, National Center for Atmospheric Research, and Colorado State University. She earned her B.A. in Integrative Biology from University of California, Berkeley, and her Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from University of Colorado. 

Jia’s research interests include climate adaptation and sustainability, ecohydrology, watershed management, and natural resources policy. She has received a number of awards and recognitions for her work, including the Outstanding Scholarly Faculty Achievement award from the School of Natural Resources and Environment at the University of Arizona in 2019.

Jia is joining the SW CASC as the Host Institution Director in January, 2023. Dr. Gregg Garfin, who has served as the Host Institution Director since 2017, is stepping back from leading the SW CASC. We want to thank Gregg for his 5+ years of significant contribution and leadership to the SW CASC, and we are excited to support Jia as she moves into this new position!