Kevin Schaefer is a Research Scientist currently focused on land-atmosphere interactions, particularly the impacts of climate change on permafrost dynamics at the National Snow and Ice Data Center. They have led significant research initiatives using biophysical models to understand carbon fluxes from thawing permafrost and have developed new techniques for remote sensing measurements in these regions. Kevin's previous roles include serving as a Senior Scientist and Research Scientist at Weather Stream and Orbital Micro Systems, respectively, and as a PhD Candidate at Colorado State University, where they studied the influence of climate on terrestrial CO2 fluxes. They have also contributed to policy and management as a NASA representative and Program Manager, defining technical goals for Earth observation systems. Kevin holds a PhD and Master's degree in Atmospheric Sciences and a Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering.