Debbie Huntzinger

About

Dr. Deb Huntzinger is a Professor of Climate Science in the School of Earth and Sustainability at Northern Arizona University, where she has been a faculty member since 2011. She leads the Carbon Accounting, Reporting and Management Lab (CARML) and is a core faculty in the Center for STEM Teaching and Learning (CSTL) and an affiliated faculty with NAU’s School of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber Systems (SICCS). She is also the creator and director of NAU’s certificate programs in greenhouse gas accounting.

Research Interests

Terrestrial Carbon Cycling

• Land-atmosphere carbon dynamics
• Terrestrial biosphere model intercomparisons
• Permafrost-carbon feedback and Arctic carbon cycling
• Biospheric contributions to atmospheric CO₂ variability

Climate Mitigation and Carbon Sequestration

• Greenhouse gas accounting methods
• Value-chain greenhouse gas emissions accounting
• The use of industrial waste by-products for CO2 sequestration
• Nature-based climate solutions

STEM Education

• Innovative, immersive digital learning environments for polar science education
• Creation of focused, skills-based online training programs for environmental professionals

Education

• Ph.D. Geological Engineering, Michigan Technological University
• M.S. Geological Engineering, Colorado School of Mines
• B.S. Geological Engineering, Michigan Technological University

Career History

Academic Positions

• Professor, Northern Arizona University (2022-present)
• Associate Professor, Northern Arizona University (2016-2022)
• Assistant Professor, Northern Arizona University (2011-2016)

Research Positions

• Post-Doctoral Associate, University of Michigan
• Post-Doctoral Associate, Michigan Technological University
• Research Scientist, Sustainable Futures Institute, Michigan Technological University

Industry Experience

• Independent Consultant, Kennecott Minerals
• Onsite Wastewater Systems Engineer, CHURCH & Associates
• Project Engineer, MKM Engineers

Current Research Focus

• Increasing the transparency, relevance, and rigor of GHG emissions quantification across the full value chain of corporations, organizations, and products.
• Creating novel, interactive digital learning environments to teach students about the Arctic, permafrost, and the global consequences of climate warming and permafrost thaw.
• Informing climate projections through improved representation of permafrost carbon dynamics in models.
• Improving understanding of the impacts of climate extreme events on the terrestrial carbon cycle, particularly in arid and semi-arid ecosystems.

Research Impact

Google Scholar

Graduate and Undergraduate Program Leadership

Dr. Huntzinger is the creator and Director of NAU’s Greenhouse Gas Accounting Certificate Programs:

• For-Credit Graduate Certificate in Greenhouse Gas Accounting
• Not-for-Credit Professional Certificate in Greenhouse Gas Accounting for working professionals
• For-Credit Undergraduate Certificate in Greenhouse Gas Management and Mitigation

She also advises graduate students in the areas of:

• Greenhouse gas emissions quantification and management
• Model evaluation of land-atmosphere carbon dynamics
• Permafrost carbon dynamics

Teaching Awards and Recognition

• President’s Distinguished Teaching Fellow

Outreach

• Dr. Huntzinger’s lab (CARML) produces the podcast series: Life in the Greenhouse, found on Spotify and Apple Podcasts
• CARML also provides GHG Accounting Services to small to medium sized businesses and organizations. Find out more here. Contact deborah.huntzinger@nau.edu for more information.