Dr. F. Martin Ralph is the director of the Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes at University of California San Diego/Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Among his multiple contributions in synoptic and mesoscale meteorology, he is a driving force of the science of Atmospheric Rivers, including their physical and dynamical aspects, observations, modeling and impacts.

Dr. Adam Smith is lead scientist for NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information’s (NCEI’s) U.S. Billion-dollar Weather and Climate Disasters. Over the last decade, he has led research, developed new data partnerships, and gained national and international experience merging environmental and social-science data into research tools for studying the impacts and costs of natural disasters.

Dr. Favier Vincent is Lecturer at the University of Grenoble Alps, and member of the Institut des Géosciences de l’Environnement at Grenoble. His work focuses on measurement and regional modeling of the Antarctic surface energy and mass balance. His work has helped demonstrate the crucial role of atmospheric rivers on extreme precipitation and melting in Antarctica.

Dr. Emanuele Bevacqua is a Research Scientist at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ (Germany). He studies the impact of extreme events, including long-lasting precipitation events, compound flooding in low-lying coastal areas and meteorological droughts in combination with heatwaves. Also interested in climate model evaluation, regional modelling, and storylines.

As the Yuba Water Agency’s Director of Resource Planning, John James oversees the agency’s programs, projects and institutional partnerships related to flood risk reduction, water supply reliability and forecast-informed reservoir operations. His work also supports the agency’s hydroelectric and power systems operations. The Yuba River is one of California’s most historic and special rivers.