The Program: “Climate Change and National Security.”

Climate change is resulting in well- documented environmental impacts that, in turn, drive societal impacts with implications for national and global security. Addressing these security issues, and the underlying drivers of climate change, requires a broad scope of activities and advances. This presentation will explore the foundational role situational awareness will play in supporting these activities, and specifically in successfully applying the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)’s conceptual climate risk framework to actions designed to address the climate crisis.

Robert Leland As Director of the Climate Change Security Center at Sandia National Laboratories, Robert Leland leads climate strategy development across the Labs; directs the Earth Sciences Research Foundation; and oversees laboratory and field work in New Mexico, Texas, and Alaska. The Center includes Sandia’s Renewable Energy and Earth Sciences research groups. Rob also serves as Program Area Director for the Renewable and Fossil Energy Program within Sandia’s Energy and Homeland Security Portfolio, and lead for Office of Science programs in climate and geosciences.

Rob previously served as Sandia’s Vice President for Science and Technology and Chief Technology Officer. He led the Labs’ research organization, overseeing research strategy, Laboratory Directed Research and Development, public and private research partnerships, tech transfer, and research compliance.

In 2017, Rob entered the National Renewable Energy Laboratory as Associate Lab Director for Scientific Computing and Energy Analysis and focused on accelerating the transformation of the nation’s energy infrastructure through systems analysis and advanced computing. Rob returned to nation’s energy infrastructure through systems analysis and advanced computing. Rob returned to Sandia in 2021.

Rob has a PhD in applied mathematics from Oxford University and a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Michigan State University.