04/23/2026
Courtney Cooper and colleagues' research focus on making climate science more useful, transparent, and accessible for real-world decision-making.
In “Unlocking the benefits of transparent and reusable science for climate risk management” (PNAS Perspective), she and others highlight how sharing data, models, and assumptions openly can improve trust in climate-risk research and allow others to build on existing work. As this information is increasingly used by governments, businesses, and households, transparency plays a critical role in better decision-making.
In “Survey of U.S. Adults Reveals Simpler Graph Types Improve Interpretation of Extreme Precipitation” (Weather, Climate, and Society), she examines how people interpret environmental data, finding that simpler visuals like bar graphs significantly improve understanding of flood and precipitation risks, while more complex visuals can lead to confusion.
Across both publications, her collaborative work emphasizes that science is most impactful when people can understand and use it.
