Kayla Gorman

I joined HRC in 2023 as the social scientist for the Weather Ready Nations (WRNs) project. My diverse background in a wide variety of topics, including environmental science, geography, climate change, social science methods, and interdisciplinary research all support my current work at HRC. My primary role at HRC is the contribution to the WRNs project through research, reports, and participation in workshops. The WRNs program is a multi-hazard impact based forecasting and early warning… Show more

I joined HRC in 2023 as the social scientist for the Weather Ready Nations (WRNs) project. My diverse background in a wide variety of topics, including environmental science, geography, climate change, social science methods, and interdisciplinary research all support my current work at HRC. My primary role at HRC is the contribution to the WRNs project through research, reports, and participation in workshops. The WRNs program is a multi-hazard impact based forecasting and early warning approach to build capacity at National Meteorological and Hydrologic Services (NMHS) and National Disaster Management Agencies (NDMAs). I work closely with these stakeholder groups to aid in capacity building efforts that support effective disaster management. For more information on this project, visit HRC's website: https://www.hrcwater.org/projects/ Show less

Taught both upper and lower division undergraduate courses. Course titles and descriptions include:

1. Introduction to Environmental Science/Sustainability (ENV 100/SUST 100)
This course is one of three Foundations courses in the area of Natural Sciences and Quantitative Reasoning. Understanding environmental issues requires a broad interdisciplinary background, including geology, hydrology, ecology, and sociology. These diverse fields help students understand some of the most… Show more

Taught both upper and lower division undergraduate courses. Course titles and descriptions include:

1. Introduction to Environmental Science/Sustainability (ENV 100/SUST 100)
This course is one of three Foundations courses in the area of Natural Sciences and Quantitative Reasoning. Understanding environmental issues requires a broad interdisciplinary background, including geology, hydrology, ecology, and sociology. These diverse fields help students understand some of the most important environmental issues, including sustainability, population impacts on the environment, and global climate change. The course also familiarized students with the scientific method.

2. Earth's Physical Environment (GEOG 101)
Required students to develop and apply a set of common principles that explain geographic distributions and their interdependencies as consequences of energy and material flows within the earth system. Explanations of earth-system processes embody the core concepts and principles of physical science: force, energy, work, heat and temperature, the structure of matter, the electromagnetic spectrum, and conservation principles. Students also learned about principles and their roles in our understanding of the earth's physical environment.

3. Conservation Science and Policy (GEOG 370)
This course focuses on the conservation of natural resources in an approach that integrates science and policy. This course explores the ethics and history behind environmental conservation, as well as how conservation goals are achieved through policy. This course aims to cover a broad variety of topics including protected areas, wildlife conservation, climate change, water conservation, agriculture, and conservation policy both internationally and within the United States. Lastly, this course will contributes to students' critical thinking skills, encourages them to think independently, and to connect course content with their personal interests. Show less

With the San Diego Community College District I teach courses for the Geography and Sustainability Departments. I have taught in-person classes and online classes.

Natural Disasters Lab Instructor for Department of Environmental and Ocean Sciences.

This laboratory course introduces students to skills and methods used to study natural disasters. Students will learn to identify rocks and minerals, develop map reading skills, and use these skills to study faults, coastal erosion, landslides, flooding, and other natural hazards by assessment of geologic, topographic, and hazard maps. Students also learned to interpret meteorological and climate… Show more

Natural Disasters Lab Instructor for Department of Environmental and Ocean Sciences.

This laboratory course introduces students to skills and methods used to study natural disasters. Students will learn to identify rocks and minerals, develop map reading skills, and use these skills to study faults, coastal erosion, landslides, flooding, and other natural hazards by assessment of geologic, topographic, and hazard maps. Students also learned to interpret meteorological and climate data. Natural hazards in San Diego were examined through local field trips. Show less

The purpose of the California Grizzly Research Network is to promote—through rigorous interdisciplinary research and outreach—a more informed scholarly and public conversation about the past and potential future of grizzly bears in California.

Specifically, I worked as a research assistant on a project focused on better understanding stakeholder perceptions of bears in possible grizzly relocation sites. The project utilized interviews, focus groups and q-methodology.

Led Kayak, Snorkel and Bike Tours in the La Jolla area

Physical Geography Lab Instructor for Department of Geography.