Wind erosion in the North
American Southwest threatens human health, infrastructure, rangelands, and
agricultural productivity, causing billions of dollars in damages each year. To
better understand and address this challenge, Sam is collaborating with researchers
at New Mexico State University, the United States Department of Agriculture
Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS), and the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities
Development Command Army Research Laboratory (DEVCOM ARL) to measure dust
emissions from wind storms using state-of-the-art meteorological facilities.
His research focuses on dust generated by convective thunderstorms, commonly
known as haboobs, which are thought to be an important but poorly understood
source of airborne dust. By quantifying the contribution of these events, Sam
aims to improve wind erosion and dust forecasting models and strengthen our
understanding of how weather and land management practices influence dust
emissions. This work will help land managers and policymakers better anticipate
environmental risks and support sustainable management of dryland ecosystems in
a changing climate.
Project Deliverable
Coming soon!
STUDENT RESEARCHER
Sam Jurado – Western Resource Fellow | Samuel Jurado is a PhD candidate in Environmental Sciences at the Yale School of the Environment, where he works as an environmental physicist specializing in wind erosion and dust dynamics. His research investigates the mechanisms of dust emission and the downstream impacts on human communities, with fieldwork based at the Jornada Experimental Range in
Southern New Mexico. Prior to Yale, Samuel earned a B.S. in Earth and Atmospheric Sciences with a concentration in Climatology from Cornell University, and went on to research land-atmosphere interactions at Harvard Forest. A native of El Paso, Texas, Samuel's work is rooted in a personal understanding of how wind, dust, and arid landscapes shape daily life in the
borderlands communities of the American Southwest. Blog
