Martha Shulski

Martha Shulski

  • Contact Information
  • My Story
  • Publications & Presentations
  • Background
  • Interests
  • Grants
  • Advising
  • Courses Taught
  • Outreach

Title Director, Nebraska State Climate Office; State Climatologist; Applied Climatologist
Address 153b North Hardin Hall
3310 Holdrege Street
Lincoln NE
68583-0931
Phone 402-472-6711
FAX 402-472-2946
E-mail mshulski3@unl.edu
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Hello, I'm Martha Shulski, an associate professor of applied climate science in the School of Natural Resources. I serve as the Director of the Nebraska State Climate Office and State Climatologist for Nebraska. At the State Climate Office, our goal is to deliver science-based weather and climate information to inform decisions. I joined the faculty at UNL in August 2009.

My research interests are in the areas of climate variability and change and climate impacts. This involves understanding the causes and drivers of variability (on various time and space scales) and how this variability influences historical trends. Of great importance is also how these changes impact our society and environment. Many of the projects I have been involved with are interdisciplinary - bringing together researchers from various specialties to study an issue - and climate is a critical component to most all environmental issues. I also have a strong interest in understanding information needs and often work closely with users of weather and climate information to deliver decision support tools.

An integral component of the State Climate Office is the Nebraska Mesonet. The Mesonet is a statewide automated network that observes the weather and climate conditions. This network began in 1981 with five stations and now we are fortunate to have nearly 70 across Nebraska.

Each fall I teach NRES 104 - Climate in Crisis. It is an introductory survey of our changing climate. We discuss the drivers of change, look into the data, talk about the complexities of and feedbacks in the climate system, and investigate solutions for adaptation and mitigation.

Selected Publications

Conant, R., Kluck, D., Anderson, M., Badger, A., Boustead, B. M., Derner, J., Farris, L., Hayes, M. J., Livneh, B., McNeeley, S., Peck, D., Shulski, M., Small, V. (2018). U.S. National Climate Assessment: Northern Great Plains.
Conant, R., Kluck, D., Anderson, M., Badger, A., Boustead, B., Derner, J., Farris, L., Hayes, M. J., Livneh, B., McNeeley, S., Peck, D., Shulski, M., Small, V. (2018). Northern Great Plains. In Reidmiller, D.R., C.W. Avery, D.R. Easterling, K.E. Kunkel, K.L.M. Lewis, T.K. Maycock, and B.C. Stewart (Ed.), Impacts, Risk, and Adaptation in the United States: Fourth National Climate Assessment (vol. II). Washington, D.C.: U.S. Global Climate Change Research Program.
Hu, Q., Tang, Z., Shulski, M., Umphlett, N., Abdel Monem, T., Uhlarik, F. (2018). An examination of Midwestern US cities’ preparedness for climate change and extreme hazards. Natural Hazards.
Shulski, M., Cooper, S., Roebke, G., Dutcher, A. (2018). The Nebraska Mesonet: : Technical overview of an automated state weather network. Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology.
Aegerter, C., Wang, J., Ge, S., Irmak, S., Oglesby, R. J., Wardlow, B., Yang, H., You, J., Shulski, M. (2017). Mesoscale modeling of the meteorological impacts of irrigation during the 2012 central plains drought. Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology, 56, 1259-1283. Online
Shulski, M., Wang, T., Franz, T., You, J., Shulski, M., Ray, C. (2017). Evaluating Controls of Soil Properties and Climatic Conditions on the Use of an Exponential Filter for Converting Near Surface to Root Zone Soil Moisture Contents. Journal of Hydrology, 548, 683-696. Online
Wang, T., Franz, T., Li, M., Shulski, M., Ray, C. (2017). Evaluating climate and soil effects on regional soil moisture spatial variability using EOFs. Water Resources Research, 53(5), 4022-4035. Online
Wilhite, D., Morrow, K., Shulski, M. (2017). Changes in Arctic Climate and Central U.S. Weather Patterns: Is There a Link? Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society. Online
Wang, T., Franz, T., Yue, W., Szilagyi, J., Zlotnik, V., You, J., Shulski, M., Young, A. 2016. Feasibility analysis of using inverse modeling for estimating natural groundwater recharge from a large-scale soil moisture monitoring network. Journal of Hydrology. 533: 250-265. Online
Zhang, J., Liu, F., Tao, W., Krieger, J., Shulski, M., Zhang, X. 2016. Mesoscale Climatology and Variation of Surface Winds over the Chukchi–Beaufort Coastal Areas. Journal of Climate. 29:721-2739. Online
Boustead, B., Hilberg, S., Shulski, M., Hubbard, K. (2015). The Accumulated Winter Season Severity Index (AWSSI). Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology. 54, 1693-1712. Online
Dai, S., Shulski, M., Hubbard, K., Takle, G. (2015). A spatiotemporal analysis of Midwest US temperature and precipitation trends during the growing season from 1980 to 2013. International Journal of Climatology. 36: 517-525. Online
Prokopy, L., Hart, C., Massey, R., Widhalm, M., Andresen, J., Angel, J., Blewett, T., Doering, O., Elmore, R., Gramig, B., Guinan, P., Hall, B., Jain, A., Knutson, C., Lemos, M., Morton, L., Niyogi, D., Power, R., Shulski, M., Song, Y., Takle, E., Todey, D., Klink, J. (2015). Improving Team Communication for Enhanced Delivery of Agro-Climate Decision Support Tools. Agricultural Systems, 138, 31-37.
Shulski, M., Baule, W., Stiles, C., Umphlett, N. A. 2015. A Historical Perspective on Nebraska’s Variable and Changing Climate. Great Plains Research, 25(2):109-120. Online
Shulski, M., Stiles, C., Umphlett, N. (2015). Investigation of Nebraska’s variable and changing climate: A Historical Perspective. Great Plains Research, 25(2), 109-120.
Shulski, M., Stiles, C., Umphlett, N. 2015. A Historical Perspective on Nebraska’s Variable and Changing Climate. Great Plains Research. 25(2):109-120. Online
Shulski, M.D., W. Baule, C. Stiles, and N. Umphlett, 2015: A Historical Perspective on Nebraska's Variable and Changing Climate. Great Plains Research 25(2), 109-120. Online
Stiles, C., Umphlett, N., Rattling Leaf, Sr., J., Shulski, M., Kluck, D., Hayes, M. J., McNutt, C. 2015. Improving Climate Resiliency in Tribal Communities: Partnering for Change in the Missouri River Basin. Water Resources IMPACT. 17(4):15-17.
Wang, T., Franz, T., Zlotnik, V., You, J., Shulski, M. (2015). Investigating soil controls on soil moisture spatial variability: numerical simulations and field observations. Journal of Hydrology. 524: 576-586. Online
You, J., Hubbard, K., Shulski, M., Svoboda, M., Hayes, M. J. (2015). Development of a Long-Term (1884-2006) Serially Complete Dataset of U.S. Temperatures and Precipitation for climate services. J. Service Climatology, American Association of State Climatologists, 8(1), 1-23.
Baule, W. J., Shulski, M. (2014). Climatology and trends of wind speed in the Beaufort/Chukchi Sea coastal region from 1979 – 2009. International Journal of Climatology. 34: 2819-2833. Online
Coop, A., Hubbard, K., Shulski, M., You, J., Marx, D. (2014). Spatial accuracy of climate networks: a case study in Nebraska. J. Applied Meteorology Climatology, 53(8), 1932-1942. Online
Lussenden, H., Umphlett, N., Shulski, M., Ebert, D. (2014). Winter wind chill climatology for the High Plains region. Journal of Service Climatology. 7: 1-21.
Shulski, M., You, J., Krieger, J., Baule, W., Zhang, J., Zhang, X., Horowitz, W. (2014). Quality Assessment of Meteorological Data for the Beaufort and Chukchi Sea Coastal Region using Automated Routines. Arctic. 67: 104-112.
Takle, E. S., Anderson, C. J., Andresen, J., Angel, J., Elmore, R., Gramig, B. M., Guinan, P., Hilberg, S., Kluck, D., Massey, R., Niyogi, D., Schneider, J., Shulski, M., Todey, D., Widhalm, M. (2014). Climate forecasts for corn producer decision-making. Earth Interactions. 18: 5. Online
Shulski, M.D., N. A. Umphlett, T.B. Pathak, and K.G. Hubbard. 2013. Climate Change: What does it mean for Nebraska? NebGuide G2208 Online
Bieniek, P., Bhatt, U., Thoman, R., Angeloff, H., Partain, J., Papineau, J., Fritsch, F., Holloway, E., Walsh, J., Daly, C., Shulski, M., Hufford, G., Hill, D., Calos, S., Gens, R. (2012). Climate Divisions for Alaska Based on Objective Methods. Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology, 51, 1276-1289. Online
Pathak, T.B., K.G. Hubbard, and M. Shulski. 2012. Soil Temperature: A guide for planting agronomic and horticulture crops in Nebraska. Nub Guide: G2122. Online
Saito, K., Yamaguchi, S., Iwata, H., Harazona, Y., Kosugi, K., Lenhing, M., Shulski, M. (2012). Climatic physical snowpack properties for large-scale modeling examined by observations and a physical model. Polar Science, 6, 79-95. Online
Wendler G., M. Shulski, and B. Moore, 2010. Changes in the climate of the Alaskan North Slope and the ice concentration of the adjacent Beaufort Sea. Theoretical and Applied Climatology, 99, 67-74. Online
Klein D. and M. Shulski, 2009. Lichen recovery following heavy grazing by reindeer delayed by climate warming. Ambio,38 (1), 11-16.
Shulski M. and H.M. Mogil, 2009. Alaska's Weather and Climate. Weatherwise, Jan/Feb, 2009.
Shulski M., J. Walsh, E. Stevens, and R. Thoman, 2009. Diagnosis of extended cold season temperature anomalies in Alaska. Monthly Weather Review, 138 (2), 453-462. Online
Shulski M. and G. Wendler, 2007. The Climate of Alaska, University of Alaska Press, 216 pp.
Damoah R., N. Spichtinger, R. Servranckx, M. Fromm, E. Eloranta, I. Razenkov, P. James, M. Shulski, C. Forster, and A. Stohl, 2006. Transport modeling of a pyro-convection event in Alaska. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 6:173-185.
Wendler G., M. Shulski, and B. Hartmann, 2005. Potential climatic effects of cirrus contrails for the subarctic setting of Fairbanks, Alaska. Theoretical and Applied Climatology, 81:149-159. Online
Shulski, M.D., E.A. Walter-Shea, K.G. Hubbard, G.Y. Yuen, G. Horst. 2004. Penetration of Photosynthetically Active & Ultraviolet Radiation into Alfala & Tall Fescue Canopies. Agronomy Journal 96:1562-1571.
Shulski M., and M.W. Seeley, 2004. Application of snowfall and wind statistics to snow transport modeling for snowdrift control in Minnesota. Journal of Applied Meteorology, 43:1711-1721. Online
Shulski M., A. Prechtel, R. Thoman, and T. Fathauer, 2003 - 2009. Weatherwatch: Alaskan Weather. Weatherwise, Bi-monthly.
Yuen G.Y., C.C. Jochum, L.J. Giesler, M. Durr, E.A. Walter-Shea, and K.G. Hubbard. 2002. UV-B biodosimetry in turfgrass canopies. Crop Science, 42:859-868.

Educational Background

  • BS - North Carolina State University, Meteorology (1996)
  • MS - Univeristy of Nebraska-Lincoln, Agricultural Meteorology (1998)
  • PhD - University of Minnesota, Soil Science and Climatology (2002)

SNR Program Area(s)

  • Applied Climate and Spatial Science

Affiliations (index)

Professional Organizations

Notable Websites

Areas of Interest

  • Climate variability and change
  • Climate impacts
  • Climate monitoring and assessment
  • High latitude climatology
  • Weather
  • Microclimate

Currently this page only displays grants that were awarded on 1/1/2009 to the present. If a grant was awarded prior to 1/1/2009 and is still active, it will not be displayed on this page.

Grant Title Nebraska Mesonet (Additional Funding)
Starting Date 7/1/2019
Principal Investigators
Martha Shulski
Ending Date 6/30/2020
Funding Level $75,000.00
Funding Source NE Dept of Natural Resources

 
Grant Title Emergency Preparedness Team for Weather- and Climate-Related Events: A Safer Nebraska
Starting Date 7/1/2019
Principal Investigators
Martha Shulski
Ending Date 6/30/2020
Funding Level $5,000.00
Funding Source UN Collaboration Initiative Team

 
Grant Title Nebraska Mesonet (Additional Funding)
Starting Date 7/1/2018
Principal Investigators
Martha Shulski
Ending Date 6/30/2018
Funding Level $75,000.00
Funding Source Nebraska Department of Natural Resources

 
Grant Title Nebraska Mesonet (Additional Funding)
Starting Date 9/15/2017
Principal Investigators
Martha Shulski
Ending Date 6/30/2018
Funding Level $75,000.00
Funding Source Nebraska Department of Natural Resources

 
Grant Title Increasing the Capacity for Municipal Climate Adaptation Planning in the Lower Missouri River Basin States
Starting Date 7/1/2016
Principal Investigators
Martha Shulski
Co-PIs
Tarik Abdel-Monem
Zhenghong Tang
Natalie Umphlett
Ending Date 6/30/2017
Funding Level $97,889.00
Funding Source National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

 
Grant Title Nebraska Mesonet (Additional Funding)
Starting Date 7/1/2016
Principal Investigators
Martha Shulski
Co-PIs
Ending Date 6/30/2017
Funding Level $150,000.00
Funding Source Nebraska Department of Natural Resources

 
Grant Title Regional Climate Services Support in the High Plains Region (additional funding)
Starting Date 3/13/2016
Principal Investigators
Martha Shulski
Co-PIs
Natalie Umphlett
Ending Date 7/31/2016
Funding Level $244,783.00
Funding Source National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

 
Grant Title Regional Climate Services Support in the High Plains Region (additional funding)
Starting Date 7/31/2015
Principal Investigators
Martha Shulski
Co-PIs
Brian Fuchs
Mike Hayes
Ending Date 7/31/2016
Funding Level $162,572.00
Funding Source National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

 
Grant Title Nebraska Mesonet
Starting Date 7/1/2015
Principal Investigators
Martha Shulski
Ending Date 6/30/2015
Funding Level $150,000.00
Funding Source Nebraska Department of Natural Resources

 
Grant Title Regional Climate Services Support in the High Plains Region (additional funding)
Starting Date 7/31/2015
Principal Investigators
Martha Shulski
Ending Date 7/31/2016
Funding Level $393,782.00
Funding Source National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

 
Grant Title NOAA High Plains Regional Climate Center (additional funding)
Starting Date 10/1/2014
Principal Investigators
Martha Shulski
Ending Date 3/31/2015
Funding Level $319,283.00
Funding Source National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

 
Grant Title Regional Climate Support Services in the High Plains Region (additional funding)
Starting Date 8/1/2015
Principal Investigators
Martha Shulski
Ending Date 7/31/2016
Funding Level $393,782.00
Funding Source National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

 
Grant Title Transforming Climate Variability and Change Information for Cereal Crop Producers (additional funding)
Starting Date 4/15/2011
Principal Investigators
Cody Knutson
Co-PIs
Martha Shulski
Ending Date 4/14/2016
Funding Level $21,182.00
Funding Source Purdue University

 
Grant Title Regional Climate Services Support in the High Plains Region (additional funding)
Starting Date 4/1/2015
Principal Investigators
Martha Shulski
Ending Date 7/31/2015
Funding Level $212,855.00
Funding Source National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

 
Grant Title Technical Services Support for Five Weather Stations in the Green River Basin in Wyoming
Starting Date 9/1/2014
Principal Investigators
Martha Shulski
Ending Date 12/31/2016
Funding Level $33,112.00
Funding Source Wyoming State Engineer's Office

 
Grant Title NOAA High Plains Regional Climate Center (additional funding)
Starting Date 10/1/2013
Principal Investigators
Martha Shulski
Co-PIs
Brian Fuchs
Mark Svoboda
Ending Date 3/31/2015
Funding Level $129,050.00
Funding Source National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

 
Grant Title NOAA High Plains Regional Climate Center (additional funding)
Starting Date 10/1/2013
Principal Investigators
Martha Shulski
Ending Date 3/31/2015
Funding Level $309,989.00
Funding Source National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

 
Grant Title Climate Information for Cereal Crop Production (additional funding)
Starting Date 4/15/2011
Principal Investigators
Cody Knutson
Co-PIs
Martha Shulski
Ending Date 4/4/2015
Funding Level $36,795.00
Funding Source Purdue University

 
Grant Title Automated Weather Data Network
Starting Date 7/1/2013
Principal Investigators
Martha Shulski
Ending Date 6/30/2015
Funding Level $300,000.00
Funding Source Nebraska Department of Natural Resources

 
Grant Title NOAA High Plains Regional Climate Center
Starting Date 10/1/2013
Principal Investigators
Martha Shulski
Ending Date 3/31/2015
Funding Level $459,951.00
Funding Source US Department of Commerce - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

 
Grant Title Regional Climate Services Support in the High Plains Region (additional funding)
Starting Date 5/1/2013
Principal Investigators
Martha Shulski
Co-PIs
Ken Hubbard
Jinsheng You
Ending Date 9/30/2013
Funding Level $260,055.00
Funding Source National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

 
Grant Title Regional Climate Services Support in the High Plains Region (additional funding)
Starting Date 3/28/2013
Principal Investigators
Martha Shulski
Co-PIs
Ken Hubbard
Jinsheng You
Ending Date 4/30/2013
Funding Level $52,011.00
Funding Source National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

 
Grant Title Transforming Climate Variability and Change Information for Cereal Crop Producers (additional funding)
Starting Date 4/15/2011
Principal Investigators
Cody Knutson
Co-PIs
Martha Shulski
Ending Date 4/14/2014
Funding Level $63,315.00
Funding Source Purdue University

 
Grant Title National Drought Mitigation Center Drought Risk Atlas
Starting Date 8/1/2012
Principal Investigators
Mark Svoboda
Co-PIs
Brian Fuchs
Mike Hayes
Martha Shulski
Ending Date 7/31/2014
Funding Level $127,186.00
Funding Source National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

 
Grant Title High Plains Reg Climate Center (additional funding)
Starting Date 8/1/2012
Principal Investigators
Martha Shulski
Co-PIs
Ken Hubbard
Jinsheng You
Ending Date 7/31/2013
Funding Level $866,148.00
Funding Source US Department of Commerce - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

 
Grant Title High Plains Regional Climate Center: ACIS Tool (additional funding)
Starting Date 6/1/2012
Principal Investigators
Martha Shulski
Co-PIs
Ken Hubbard
Jinsheng You
Ending Date 3/31/2013
Funding Level $35,404.00
Funding Source US Department of Commerce - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

 
Grant Title Regional Climate Services Support (additional funding)
Starting Date 3/31/2012
Principal Investigators
Martha Shulski
Co-PIs
Ken Hubbard
Jinsheng You
Mark Svoboda
Ending Date 3/31/2013
Funding Level $624,138.00
Funding Source National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

 
Grant Title Transforming Climate Variability and Change Information for Cereal Crop Producers (additional funding)
Starting Date 4/15/2011
Principal Investigators
Cody Knutson
Co-PIs
Martha Shulski
Ending Date 4/14/2013
Funding Level $80,187.00
Funding Source US Department of Agriculture

 
Grant Title NOAA High Plains Regional Climate Center (additional funding)
Starting Date 7/1/2010
Principal Investigators
Martha Shulski
Co-PIs
Ken Hubbard
Jinsheng You
Ending Date 3/31/2013
Funding Level $64,088.00
Funding Source National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

 
Grant Title NOAA High Plains Regional Climate Center
Starting Date 12/31/2011
Principal Investigators
Martha Shulski
Co-PIs
Deb Bathke
Mike Hayes
Mark Svoboda
Ending Date 3/31/2013
Funding Level $829,888.00
Funding Source National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

 
Grant Title University of Alaska - Fairbanks Mesoscale Meteorology Modeling (additional funding)
Starting Date 11/5/2009
Principal Investigators
Martha Shulski
Ending Date 12/31/2012
Funding Level $39,702.00
Funding Source University of Alaska-Fairbanks

 
Grant Title Transforming Climate Variability
Starting Date 4/15/2011
Principal Investigators
Cody Knutson
Co-PIs
Martha Shulski
Ending Date 4/14/2012
Funding Level $82,989.00
Funding Source Purdue University

 
Grant Title High Plains Regional Climate Center (additional funding)
Starting Date 4/1/2011
Principal Investigators
Martha Shulski
Co-PIs
Ken Hubbard
Jinsheng You
Ending Date 3/31/2013
Funding Level $51,009.00
Funding Source National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

 
Grant Title Climate for Cereal Crops
Starting Date 2/1/2011
Principal Investigators
Cody Knutson
Co-PIs
Martha Shulski
Ending Date 1/31/2016
Funding Level $283,835.00
Funding Source US Department of Agriculture - AFRI

 
Grant Title Useful to Usable Transforming Climate Variability and Change Information for Cereal Crop Producers
Starting Date 2/1/2011
Principal Investigators
Cody Knutson
Co-PIs
Martha Shulski
Ending Date 1/31/2016
Funding Level $283,835.00
Funding Source Purdue University

 
Grant Title Mesoscale Meteorology Modeling (additional funding)
Starting Date 11/5/2009
Principal Investigators
Martha Shulski
Ending Date 12/31/2010
Funding Level $36,414.00
Funding Source University of Alaska-Fairbanks

 
Grant Title High Plains Regional Climate Center (additional funding)
Starting Date 7/1/2010
Principal Investigators
Martha Shulski
Co-PIs
Ken Hubbard
Jinsheng You
Ending Date 3/31/2013
Funding Level $556,490.00
Funding Source National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

 
Grant Title Beaufort/Chukchi Seas Mesoscale Meteorology Modeling Study
Starting Date 11/5/2009
Principal Investigators
Martha Shulski
Ending Date 12/31/2009
Funding Level $26,046.00
Funding Source University of Alaska-Fairbanks

 

Undergraduate Majors Bachelor of Science in
  • Environmental Studies
Graduate Program(s)

Master of Science in Natural Resource Sciences


including specializations in
  • Bio-Atmospheric Interactions
  • Climate Assessment & Impacts

Doctor of Philosophy in Natural Resource Sciences


including specializations in
  • Bio-Atmospheric Interactions
  • Climate Assessment & Impacts

Courses Taught
Course Number Course Title Fall Even Years Fall Odd Years Spring Even Years Spring Odd Years Summer Session Cross Listing
NRES 104 Climate in Crisis X X None