Caily joined the NDMC in August 2021. She is currently serving as a Graduate Research Assistant and is pursuing a Ph.D. in Natural Resource Science with a specialization in Human Dimensions at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Her interests include incorporating both climatological and human-related variables to understand the impact drought has on different communities and the perceptions of drought risk.
Prior to joining the NDMC, Caily was a Graduate Research Assistant for the SERVIR Program, a joint initiative between NASA and USAID that partners with organizations around the world to provide satellite-based Earth observation tools, techniques and data to help solve complex environmental problems. At SERVIR, she was part of the Hindu Kush Himalaya team in the Science Coordination Office where she worked closely with colleagues at the International Centre of Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) based in Kathmandu, Nepal. During this time, Caily developed a customized composite drought index, using Earth observations for Pakistan that could be used to enhance preexisting drought early warning systems.
Caily holds a bachelor’s degree from Auburn University in Environmental Science and a master’s degree from the University of Alabama in Huntsville in Earth System Science.