Dr. Lejo Flores obtained his Ph.D. in hydrology from MIT. He teaches geoscience at Boise State University. Flores is the current chair of the Consortium of Universities for the Advancement of Hydrologic Science, Inc. Board of Directors, and an author for the Fifth National Climate Assessment’s chapter on complex and multi sector systems.

Dr. Flores joined ETS Idaho for two sessions. The first was Climate Change 101. He centered the talk around how energy moves through our earth systems—and used microwave burritos to explain how greenhouse gasses impact our energy balance! Flores made complex equations accessible, and provided a systems-thinking lens for showing why our planet is heating. The second session moved from global to local climate change as we explored one of the main ways Idaho will experience climate change: drought. Flores helped participants define drought through a design thinking exercise. From higher electric bills to lower snowpacks, Idaho will feel drought in many parts of society. Finally, Flores explored some of the ways NASA monitors drought in the West.