Associate Professor Travis Kraus is part of an interdisciplinary team who has been awarded a $6 million dollar National Science Foundation grant to conduct "data advanced research and education to improve weather intelligence and localized climate change assessment and resilience in agricultural-based communities". The lead researcher is Jun Wang, chair of the UI Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering and a James E. Ashton professor in the College of Engineering. The research involves placing 500 UI-invented sensors across Iowa to collect climate data with the aim to "help rural communities manage and predict severe weather and climate change."

Travis, who is additionally Director of the Iowa Initiative for Sustainable Communities (IISC) is a PI on this four-year grant. He will utilize his vast experience working with communities to facilitate forming connections between the scientists and the cities and towns where weather sensors will be placed. Further details about the grant are available in this news story.