LeRoy is Professor and Chair of Management of Complex Systems, and Director of Management, Innovation Sustainability and Technology programs, at UC Merced’s School of Engineering.  He is also affiliated with the Sierra Nevada Research Institute.  LeRoy’s research interests include:  applied climatology; climate-ecosystem-wildfire interactions; statistical modeling for seasonal forecasts; paleofire reconstructions and climate-change impact assessments; resource management and policy, and risk communication. He has coordinated development of long-term wildfire projection scenarios for all five California State Climate Assessments, including the current assessment. LeRoy serves on the Climate Working Group for NOAA’s Science Advisory Board.  Prof. Westerling holds a PhD from UC San Diego and BA from UCLA.