Accomplishing NCAR’s mission of producing science in service to society requires rigorous, integrated science investigating the physical, engineering and social dimensions of resource use and weather and climate risks.
RAL scientists leverage expertise in diverse social science methodologies to investigate the social dimensions of weather and climate risks, and the use and management of climate-sensitive resources, using tools grounded in economics, political science, sociology, anthropology, and geography, among other disciplines.
This work involves applying quantitative and qualitative social science methodologies that follow the scientific method:
RAL’s cross-disciplinary integrated science fosters improved understanding of how physical, social and engineered systems interact, and supports informed decision-making at multiple scales. For example: