David Rounce
Assistant Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering
David Rounce joined the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at Carnegie Mellon University in Fall 2020. He received his BS in civil engineering in 2010 from Villanova University and his master’s degree in environmental and water resources engineering in 2012 and Ph.D. in civil engineering in 2016 from the University of Texas at Austin. He conducted postdoctoral research in the Glaciers Group at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
Rounce’s research seeks to quantify the response of glaciers, water resources, and hazards to climate change to inform adaptation and mitigation efforts at local, regional, and global scales. His work uses computational models informed by remote sensing and grounded in fieldwork to produce actionable information.
Constraining the future evolution of glaciers in Alaska
Developing an energy balance model for glaciers in Alaska
Studying glaciers to help improve coastal communities
Urban storm water modeling for present and future
Faculty Insights
The Response of Glaciers, Water Resources, and Hazards to Climate Change
Education
2016 Ph.D., Civil Engineering, University of Texas at Austin
2012 MS, Environmental and Water Resources Engineering, University of Texas at Austin
2010 BS, Civil Engineering, Villanova University
Research Interests
Media mentions
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Forecasting glacial floods to protect communities
Climate change has exacerbated glacier outburst floods, posing a growing threat to nearby communities like Juneau, Alaska. Researchers are developing robust models to better understand and predict glacial flooding and how it will evolve in the future.
CMU Engineering
Rounce receives early-career research fellowship
David Rounce was chosen for a research fellowship to study the effects of climate change and sea-level rise, and to develop coastal adaptation strategies in the Gulf of Mexico.
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Rounce receives inaugural Firn Award
CEE Assistant Professor David Rounce received the International Glaciology Society’s inaugural Firn Award for his pioneering research on debris-covered glaciers and glacier evolution modeling.
Civil and Environmental Engineering
CEE at COP28: energy justice and glacier projections
At the 28th annual United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28), CEE professors Destenie Nock and David Rounce discussed topics such as energy efficiency, climate mitigation, mountain glaciers, and global temperature rise.