Drought

Michael Hayes is an applied climate scientist in the School of Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. His research and outreach efforts concentrate on drought risk management strategies, as well as assisting society to understand and prepare for climate variability and extremes. Hayes served as director of the National Drought Mitigation Center from 2007 to 2016. In that capacity, he studied drought monitoring, impact assessment and planning methodologies; and he assisted local, state, tribal, and federal officials with drought planning and mitigation. Hayes has conducted drought workshops and conferences around the world and is a widely published researcher. Updated 12/7/23

Mark Svoboda, climatologist and professor, is the Director of the National Drought Mitigation Center. He has been with the NDMC since it was established in 1995, and has been one of the U.S. Drought Monitor authors since it was established in 1999. Svoboda serves on the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) Implementation Team and co-chairs the NIDIS Portal Development Team. As of January 2010, Svoboda was serving on the American Meteorological Society’s Applied Climate Committee for a three-year term and is helping lead the effort on updating AMS’s Statement on Drought. Before joining the NDMC in June 1995, Svoboda worked for two years with the Midwest National Technical Center of the USDA-Soil Conservation Service in Lincoln as a GIS/Climate Specialist. He served as regional coordinator for the center’s Global Positioning Systems program, and worked extensively on agro-climatic modeling. Updated 12/7/23

Deborah Bathke is Interim State Climatologist, Research Associate Professor in the School of Natural Resources, and Education Coordinator at the National Drought Mitigation Center. Bathke joined the NDMC in 2008 and has decades of experience in climatology, drought monitoring and mitigation, and atmospheric sciences. She holds degrees from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and The Ohio State University.

Brian Fuchs joined the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in 2005. Before coming to the NDMC, he worked for five years for the High Plains Regional Climate Center as a regional climatologist. Brian worked extensively with weather/climate and on development of the ACIS (Applied Climate Information System) and applied data products during this time. Brian’s responsibilities with the NDMC include working as a climatologist for the center, with various duties related to this position. Brian participates with other NDMC staff in the production of the U.S. Drought Monitor, and he serves as a media contact for climate- and drought-related topics.