Heather Lazrus

National Center for Atmospheric Research

Heather Lazrus is an environmental anthropologist and a project scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder, Colorado. Lazrus obtained a PhD in Anthropology from the University of Washington in 2009. She co-directs the Rising Voices Center for Indigenous and Earth Sciences at NCAR which centers Indigenous knowledge systems in the Earth sciences for more innovative responses to extreme weather and climate change. In her research, she uses the theories and methods in the anthropological toolkit to investigate the cultural mechanisms through which all weather and climate risks are perceived, experienced, and addressed. Lazrus focuses on the interface between extreme weather and climate change and works closely with colleagues from diverse disciplines. Her research contributes to improving the utility of weather forecasts and warnings, reducing social vulnerability to atmospheric and related hazards, and understanding community and cultural adaptations to climate change.