Sciences and Exploration Directorate

Lauren C Andrews

(Rsch AST, Earth Sciences Remote Sens)

Lauren C Andrews's Contact Card & Information.
Email: lauren.c.andrews@nasa.gov
Phone: 301.614.5117
Org Code: 610.1
Address:
NASA/GSFC
Mail Code 610.1
Greenbelt, MD 20771
Employer:
NASA

Brief Bio


Dr. Andrews is a glaciologist with the Global Modeling and Assimilation Office (GMAO) at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). Her research focuses on understanding the role of the cryosphere in the Earth system, including how glacial meltwater can alter the dynamic response of ice sheets and glaciers and how the representation of cryospheric processes, including snow and sea ice, can impact seasonal forecasting and climate projections. Dr. Andrews leads the PolarMERRA Reanalysis Project, a joint effort between GMAO and GSFC Cryospheric Sciences Laboratory, to produce a polar-focused, high-resolution atmospheric reanalysis and is a Deputy PI of Snow4Flow, a NASA Earth Ventures Suborbital-4 mission designed to measure, model, and project Northern Hemisphere ice mass and mass change.


Education


2015     Doctor of Philosophy
Jackson School of Geosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas
Dissertation: Spatial and temporal evolution of the glacial hydrologic system of the Western Greenland Ice Sheet: Observational and remote sensing results
Advisor: Dr. Ginny A. Catania

2007     Bachelor of Arts with honors
Geology, Carleton College, Northfield, Minnesota
Thesis: A geochemical analysis of aluminum hydroxides and iron oxides, Little Backbone Creek, Shasta County, California
Advisor: Dr. Bereket Haileab
 

Current Projects


Snow4Flow, NASA Earth Ventures Suborbital-4 Mission


PolarMERRA Reanalysis Project


Toward ice sheet surface data assimilation: Employing satellite observations and machine learning to improve model representation of ice sheet surface melt


Greenland ice sheet model calibrations using ensemble-based data assimilation


Spatiotemporal analysis of extreme event characteristics using S2S forecasts to inform hydrometeorological hazard assessment


Subseasonal to Seasonal Forecasts in High Mountain Asia: Improving forecast skill for water resources and hazard management

Positions/Employment


Research Physical Scientist

Global Modeling and Assimilation Office (610.1) - NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

2017 - Present


NASA Postdoctoral Fellow

Cryospheric Sciences Laboratory - NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

2016 - 2017


Research Scientist Associate V

University of Texas Institute for Geophysics - University of Texas at Austin

2015 - 2016


Teaching and Graduate Research Assistant

Jackson School of Geosciences - University of Texas at Austin

2009 - 2015


Staff Geologist

VESTRA Resources, Inc. - Redding, California

2007 - 2009


Geology Laboratory Teaching Assistant

Carleton College - Northfield, Minnesota

2006 - 2007

Publications


Refereed

2024. "Connecting Global Modes of Variability to Climate in High Mountain Asia ." Atmosphere 15(2) 142 [https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos15020142] [Journal Article/Letter]

2023. "Seasonal forecasting skill for the High Mountain Asia region in the Goddard Earth Observing System." Earth System Dynamics 14 (1): 147-171 [10.5194/esd-14-147-2023] [Journal Article/Letter]

2022. "Modeling the Influence of Moulin Shape on Subglacial Hydrology." Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface 127 (8): [10.1029/2022jf006674] [Journal Article/Letter]

2022. "Controls on Greenland moulin geometry and evolution from the Moulin Shape model." The Cryosphere 16 (6): 2421-2448 [10.5194/tc-16-2421-2022] [Journal Article/Letter]

2021. "Supraglacial River Forcing of Subglacial Water Storage and Diurnal Ice Sheet Motion." Geophysical Research Letters 48 (7): [10.1029/2020gl091418] [Journal Article/Letter]

2021. "Challenges in predicting Greenland supraglacial lake drainages at the regional scale." The Cryosphere 15 (3): 1455-1483 [10.5194/tc-15-1455-2021] [Journal Article/Letter]

2020. "Anomalous circulation in July 2019 resulting in mass loss on the Greenland ice sheet." Geophysical Research Letters 47 (17): [10.1029/2020GL087263] [Journal Article/Letter]

2020. "GEOS-S2S Version 2: The GMAO high resolution coupled model and assimilation system for seasonal prediction." Journal of Geophysical Research 125 (5): [10.1029/2019JD031767] [Journal Article/Letter]

2019. "Long‐Term Support of an Active Subglacial Hydrologic System in Southeast Greenland by Firn Aquifers." Geophysical Research Letters 46 4772-4781 [10.1029/2019GL082786] [Journal Article/Letter]

2018. "Seasonal Evolution of the Subglacial Hydrologic System Modified by Supraglacial Lake Drainage in Western Greenland." Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface 123 (6): 1479-1496 [10.1029/2017jf004585] [Journal Article/Letter]

2018. "Widespread Moulin Formation During Supraglacial Lake Drainages in Greenland." Geophysical Research Letters 45 (2): 778-788 [10.1002/2017gl075659] [Journal Article/Letter]

2017. "Assessment of NASA airborne laser altimetry data using ground-based GPS data near Summit Station, Greenland." The Cryosphere 11 (2): 681-692 [10.5194/tc-11-681-2017] [Journal Article/Letter]

2016. "Greenland subglacial drainage evolution regulated by weakly-connected regions of the bed." Nature Communications 7 Article number: 1390 [10.1038/ncomms13903] [Journal Article/Letter]

2015. "Heat sources within the Greenland Ice Sheet: dissipation, temperate paleo-firn and cryo-hydrologic warming." The Cryosphere 9 (1): 245-253 [10.5194/tc-9-245-2015] [Journal Article/Letter]

2014. "Direct observations of evolving subglacial drainage beneath the Greenland Ice Sheet." Nature 514 (7520): 80–83 [10.1038/nature13796] [Journal Article/Letter]

2014. "Caterpillar-like ice motion in the ablation zone of the Greenland ice sheet." Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface 119 (10): 2258-2271 [10.1002/2013jf003067] [Journal Article/Letter]

2014. "Sustained high basal motion of the Greenland ice sheet revealed by borehole deformation." Journal of Glaciology 60 (222): 647-660 [10.3189/2014JoG13J196] [Journal Article/Letter]

2014. "Sustained seismic tremors and icequakes detected in the ablation zone of the Greenland ice sheet." Journal of Glaciology 60 (221): 563-575 [10.3189/2014jog13j210] [Journal Article/Letter]

2013. "A ten-year record of supraglacial lake evolution and rapid drainage in West Greenland using an automated processing algorithm for multispectral imagery." The Cryosphere 7 (6): 1869-1877 [10.5194/tc-7-1869-2013] [Journal Article/Letter]

2011. "Links between acceleration, melting, and supraglacial lake drainage of the western Greenland Ice Sheet." Journal of Geophysical Research 116 (F4): F04035 [10.1029/2010jf001934] [Journal Article/Letter]

Non-Refereed

2019. "Methane beneath Greenland’s ice sheet is being released." Nature 565 (7737): 31-32 [10.1038/d41586-018-07762-7] [Journal Article/Letter]

Other Professional Information


INVITED PRESENTATIONS

2024    Ice + Climate Seminar, Department of Engineering, Dartmouth College

Ice Sheet Representation in an Earth System Model (and why you might care)

2023    NSF HDR Institute for Harnessing Data and Model Revolution in the Polar Regions. University of Maryland, Baltimore County

PolarMERRA: An effort to improve polar processes in NASA’s next-gen reanalyses

2022    Geomatics for Earth & Climate Sciences, University of Maine

Combining satellites and models: Understanding cryospheric processes and more

2021    Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee Collaborations Webinar

Ice Sheet and Glacier meltwater routing in GEOS

2021    University of Maine Geomatics for Earth & Climate Sciences

Combining satellites and models: Understanding cryospheric processes and more

2020    NASA Changes in the Arctic Boreal System Quarterly Updates

Arctic and Boreal Model Development in GEOS

2020    NASA Goddard Director’s Seminar

Linking Atmospheric Circulation Patterns and Ice Sheet Mass Loss Using Modeling and Observations

2020    GMAO Seminar Series on Earth System Science

Polar atmospheric patterns and their role in Greenland Ice Sheet mass loss & dynamics

2019    Bromery Lecture Series, John’s Hopkins University Earth and Planetary Sciences Department

The role of meltwater in Greenland Ice Sheet Dynamics

2017    Ice + Climate Seminar, Department of Earth Science, Dartmouth College

Subglacial drainage evolution beneath the Greenland Ice Sheet

2016    Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Wisconsin Madison

Subglacial evolution beneath the Greenland Ice Sheet regulated by weakly connected regions of the bed

2016    Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Wisconsin Madison

Spatiotemporal variation in ice velocity and subglacial hydrology in the ablation zone of the Western Greenland Ice Sheet

2014    Jackson School of Geosciences, University of Texas at Austin

Spatiotemporal evolution of the subglacial hydrologic system beneath the Greenland Ice Sheet

2014    Center for Inquiry, Austin

  Monitoring the Greenland Ice Sheet: Why and how we study its plumbing

2014    Austin Gem and Mineral Society

  Physical controls on outlet glacier variability in Central Western Greenland

 

SELECTED CONFERENCE PARTICIPATION (presenting author only)

Andrews, L. C., & Cullather, R. I. (2024), Supporting Arctic research, engagement, and policy with GMAO’s next generation reanalysis and prediction systems, Abstract presented at the 2024 Navigating the New Arctic Community Meeting, National Science Foundation, Washington D. Cc, 5-7 Mar.

Andrews, L. C., Cullather, R. I., Parker, C. L., Stevens, C. M. (2024), Regional impacts of ice sheet surface representation improvements in an Earth system model, Abstract C53A-03 presented at 2023 AGU Fall Meeting, 11-15 Dec.

Andrews, L. C., Cullather, R., Parker, C., Simon, E., Medley, B., Boisvert, L., et al. (2022), PolarMERRA: A Polar-Focused Global Reanalysis Project for Scientific and Stakeholder Needs, Abstract 53 presented at AMS Collective Madison Meeting, AMS, Madison, Wisconsin, 8-12 Aug.

Andrews, L. C. (2021), The Role of Basal Meltwater in the Seasonality of Outlet Glacier Flow in Greenland, Abstract (invited) C23A-04 presented at 2021 AGU Fall Meeting, 13-17 Dec.

Andrews, L. C., Cullather, R., Parker, C., Simon, E., Medley, B., Boisvert, L., et al. (2021),

PolarMERRA: A Polar-Focused Global Reanalysis Project for Scientific and Stakeholder Needs, Abstract C35D-0902 presented at 2021 AGU Fall Meeting, 13-17 Dec.

Andrews, L. C., Poinar, K., & Trunz, C. (2020), Modeling moulin evolution on the Greenland Ice Sheet, Abstract presented at 2020 Program for Arctic Regional Climate Assessment, 20 Feb.

Andrews, L. C., Cullather, R. I., Nowicki, S. M., & Carton, J. A. (2019), Numerical Reanalyses as a Gateway to Arctic Synthesis, Abstract presented at Arctic Futures 2050, 4-6 Sept.

Andrews, L. C., & Poinar, K. (2019), A Physical Model of Moulin Formation and Evolution, Abstract presented at the International Glaciological Society Symposium on Glacial Erosion and Sedimentation, 12-17 May.

Andrews, L. C., & Poinar, K. (2019), A Physical Model of Moulin Formation and Evolution on the Greenland Ice Sheet, Abstract C12A-04 presented at 2019 AGU Fall Meeting, 9-13 Dec.

Andrews, L. C., & Poinar, K. (2019), Physically based and stochastic models for Greenland moulin Formation, longevity, and spatial distribution, Abstract presented at the Program for Arctic Regional Climate Assessment, 27-29 Jan.

Andrews, L. C., Cullather, R., & Molod, A. (2018), The role of atmospheric teleconnections and local forcings in predicting Greenland Ice Sheet surface mass loss, Abstract GC53A-06 presented at 2018 AGU Fall Meeting, 10-14 Dec.

Andrews, L. C., Dow, C. F., Poinar, K., & Nowicki, S. (2017), Subglacial efficiency and storage modified by the temporal pattern of high-elevation meltwater input, Abstract C22A-03 presented at 2017 AGU Fall Meeting, 11-15 Dec.

Andrews, L. C., Poinar, K., & Neumann, T. A. (2017), Using remote sensing to constrain regional changes in summer ice motion and subglacial evolution in western Greenland, Abstract 10126 resented at European Geosciences Union General Assembly 2017, 8-13 April.

Andrews, L. C., Hoffman, M. J., Neumann, T. A., Catania, G. A., Lüthi, M. P., & Hawley, R. L. (2016), Regional Patterns of stress transfer in the ablation zone of the western Greenland Ice Sheet, Abstract C41D-0706 presented at 2016 Fall Meeting, 12-16 Dec.

Andrews, L. C., Catania, G. A., Hoffman, M. J., Lüthi, M. P., Hawley, R. L. & Neumann, T. A. (2015), Reconciling subglacial drainage patterns on the Western Greenland Ice Sheet, Abstract C51B-0705 presented at 2015 Fall Meeting, AGU, 15-18 Dec.

Andrews, L. C., Catania, G. A., Hoffman, M. J., Morriss, B. F., Hawley, R. L., Lüthi, M. P., Ryser, C., Gulley, J. D., & Neumann, T. A. (2015), Supraglacial and subglacial hydrologic variability in the Pâkitsoq Region, Western Greenland, presented at Program for Arctic Regional Climate Assessment Annual Meeting, 26 Jan.

Andrews, L. C., Hoffman, M. J., Catania, G. A., Gulley, J. D., Lüthi, M. P., Ryser, C., Hawley, R. L., Neumann T. A. (2014), Direct observations of evolving subglacial drainage beneath the Greenland Ice Sheet, Abstract 70A0936 presented at International Symposium on Contribution of Glaciers and Ice Sheets to Sea Level Change, 26-30 May.

Andrews, L. C., Catania, G. A., Hoffman, M. J., Hawley, R. L., Lüthi, M. P., & Neumann, T. A. (2012), Subglacial channel evolution observed in Western Greenland from moulin water level and GPS-derived surface velocities, Abstract C43C-0620 presented at 2012 Fall Meeting, 3-7 Dec.

Andrews, L. C., Catania, G. A., Hawley, R. L., Hoffman, M. J., Morriss, B. F., Ryser, C., Lüthi, M. P., Funk, M., & Neumann, T. A. (2011), Spatiotemporal heterogeneity of meltwater deliver to the bed of the Greenland Ice Sheet, Abstract C13C-02, presented at 2011 Fall Meeting, 5-9 Dec.

Andrews, L. C., Catania, G. A., Buttles, J. L., Andrews, A. G., & Markowski, M. S. (2010), A physical model of ice sheet response to changes in subglacial hydrology, Abstract C21B-0543 presented at 2010 Fall Meeting, 13-17 Dec.

 

GENERAL INTEREST PUBLICATIONS (non-refereed) & PRESENTATIONS

Cullather, R., Andrews, L. C., Coy, L., Pawson, S. & Partyka, G. (2022). An Atmospheric Blocking Event Shatters Temperature Records in East Antarctica. GMAO Science Snapshots. https://gmao.gsfc.nasa.gov/research/science_snapshots/2022/atmos_blocking_event_antarctic.php

 

Contributor (2022) to Late Season Melting in Greenland. NASA Earth Observatory Image of the Day.

https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/150324/late-season-melting-in-greenland 

 

Andrews, L. C. (2021). Greenland’s Melt in Context. United Nations Climate Change Conference NASA Hyperwall presentation.

 

Cullather, R., Andrews, L. C. (2021). Greenland Ice Sheet Melt Events: A Variety Pack. GMAO Science Snapshots.

https://gmao.gsfc.nasa.gov/research/science_snapshots/2021/Greenland_ice_melt 2021.php

 

Contributor (2021) to Unusual Snowfall in Greenland. NASA Earth Observatory Image of the Day.

https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/148826/unusual-snowfall-in-greenland

 

Contributor (2021) to Rain and Warmth Trigger More Melting in Greenland. NASA Earth

https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/148720/rain-and-warmth-trigger-more-melting-in-greenland

 

Andrews, L. C., Cullather, R. (2019). Historic Greenland Melt Event Follows European Heatwave. GMAO Science Snapshots.

https://gmao.gsfc.nasa.gov/research/science_snapshots/2019/Greenland_ice_melt.php


Professional Service


2023 – present   Lecturer and organizing committee, Greenland Ice Sheet Ocean Science  (GRISO) network Summer School 2024, Nuuk, Greenland

2023 – present   Associate Editor, AGU Journal of Geophysical Research – Earth Surface

2022 – 2023    Contributor, Societal Benefit Area Team, 2023 National Earth Observation Assessment

2015-17, 23-24   Co-Chair, AGU Annual Meeting Cryospheric Sciences Session (various topics)

 

Member, IARPC Arctic Modeling and Glaciers & Sea Level Communities of Practice

 

Reviewer, Annals of Glaciology, The Cryosphere, Frontiers in Earth Sciences, Geomorphology, Geophysical Research Letters, Geoscientific Model Development, IPCC Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate, Journal of Geophysical Research – Earth Surface, Journal of Glaciology, Nature, Nature Communications, Nature Earth & Environment, Remote Sensing

 


Awards


2021   NASA Group Award, Earth Information System   

2020   NASA Quality Step Increase for Outstanding Performance

2016   Editors’ Citation for Excellence in Refereeing, AGU Journal of Geophysical Research – Earth Surface

2016   NASA Postdoctoral Fellowship, NASA GSFC

2015   Best PhD Technical Presentation, Jackson School of Geosciences, UT Austin


 

Professional Societies


American Geophysical Union

2009 - Present


International Glaciological Society

2012 - Present


Earth Sciences Women's Network

2016 - Present