Curriculum Vitae

Education

University of Alaska Fairbanks, Ph.D. Atmospheric Sciences, August 2012

University of Alaska Fairbanks, M.S. Atmospheric Sciences, December 2007

Valparaiso University, B.S. Meteorology, May 2005

Appointments

2023-present, Research Associate Professor, International Arctic Research Center, UAF

2017-2023, Research Assistant Professor, International Arctic Research Center, UAF

2015-2017, Research Associate, International Arctic Research Center, UAF

2012-2015, Postdoctoral Fellow, International Arctic Research Center, UAF

2010-2012, Research Assistant, Geophysical Institute, UAF

2008-2010, Graduate Fellowship, University of Alaska Fairbanks

Spring 2008, Teaching Assistant, University of Alaska Fairbanks

2005-2007, Research Assistant, Alaska Climate Research Center, UAF

Summer 2005, Great Lakes Summer Fellowship Program, CILER/NOAA GLERL, Ann Arbor, MI

Awards

Outstanding Poster Award, 2011 WCRP Open Science Conference

2008 Graduate Fellowship, University of Alaska Fairbanks

2005 Great Lakes Summer Student Fellowship Program

Peer-Reviewed Publications

Also checkout my  Google Scholar Page

Bieniek P, and J Walsh (2017) Atmospheric circulation patterns associated with monthly and daily temperature and precipitation extremes in Alaska. Int J Climatol, doi:10.1002/joc.4994.

Basu S, P Bieniek, and A Deoras (2017) An investigation of reduced western disturbance activity over Northwest India in November-December 2015 compared to 2014-A case study. Asia-Pacific Journal of Atmospheric Sciences 53:75-83.

Walsh J, P Bieniek, B Brettschneider, E Euskirchen, R Lader, and R Thoman (2017) The Exceptionally Warm Winter of 2015/16 in Alaska. J Climate 30:2069-2088.

Partain J, S Alden, U Bhatt, P Bieniek, B Brettschneider, R Lader, P Olsson, T Rupp, H Strader, R Thoman, J Walsh, A York, and R Ziel (2016) An assessment of the role of anthropogenic climate change in the Alaska fire season of 2015. Bul Amer Meteo Soc (special issue on Explaining the Extreme Events of 2015) S14-S18.

Hayaska H, H Tanaka, and P Bieniek (2016) Synoptic-scale fire weather conditions in Alaska. Polar Sci 10:217-226.

Lader R, U Bhatt, J Walsh, T Rupp, and P Bieniek (2016) 2-m temperature and precipitation from atmospheric reanalysis evaluated for Alaska. J Appl Meteor Climatol 55:901-922.

Bieniek P, U Bhatt, J Walsh, S Rupp, J Zhang, J Krieger, and R Lader (2016) Dynamical downscaling of ERA-Interim temperature and precipitation for Alaska. J Appl Meteor Climatol 55:635-654.

Bieniek P, U Bhatt, D Walker, M Raynolds, J Comiso, H Epstein, J Pinzon, C Tucker, H Tran, N Molders, W Ermold, J Zhang, and M Steele (2015) The role of climate drivers in the seasonality of Alaska coastal tundra vegetation change. Earth Interact 19:1-29.

Bieniek P, J Walsh, R Thoman, and U Bhatt (2014) Using climate divisions to analyze variations and trends in Alaska temperature and precipitation. J of Climate 27:2800-2818.

Epstein H, U Bhatt, M Raynolds, D Walker, P Bieniek, C Tucker, J Pinzon, H Zeng, G Jia, K Guay, and S Goetz, 2014: Tundra Greenness [in Arctic Report Card 2014], http://www.arctic.noaa.gov/reportcard.

Bhatt U, D Walker, M Raynolds, P Bieniek, H Epstein, J Comiso, J Pinzon, C Tucker, and I Polyakov (2013) Recent Declines in Warming and Arctic Vegetation Greening Trends over Pan-Arctic Tundra. Remote Sensing (Special NDVI3g Issue), 5:4229-4254, doi:10.3390/rs5094229.

Epstein, H, U Bhatt, D Walker, M Raynolds, P Bieniek, J Comiso, J Pinzon, C Tucker, I Polyakov, G Jia, H Zeng, B Forbes, M Macias-Fauria, L Xu, R Myneni, G Frost, G Shaver, M Bret-Harte, M Mack, and A Rocha, 2013: Vegetation [in Arctic Report Card 2013], http://www.arctic.noaa.gov/reportcard.

D Walker, U Bhatt, H Epstein, P Bieniek, J Comiso, G Frost, J Pinzon, M Raynolds, and C Tucker (2012) [The Arctic] Changing Arctic Tundra Vegetation Biomass and Greenness - [in "State of the Climate in 2011"]. Bull Amer Meteor Soc, 93:S138-S139.

Bieniek P, U Bhatt, R Thoman, H Angeloff, J Partain, J Papineau, F Fritsch, E Holloway, J Walsh, C Daly, M Shulski, G Hufford, D Hill, S Calos, and R Gens (2012) Climate divisions for Alaska based on objective methods. J Appl Meteor Climatol 51:1276-1289.

Bieniek P, U Bhatt, L Rundquist, S Lindsey, X Zhang, and R Thoman (2011) Large-Scale climate controls of Interior Alaska river ice breakup. J Climate 24:286-297.

Lofgren B, and P Bieniek (2008) Large-scale 700 hPa height patterns associated with cyclone passage and strong winds on Lake Erie. J Great Lakes Res. 34:36-53.

Other Publications

Bieniek P, D Walker, M Raynolds, J Comiso, H Epstein, J Pinzon, C Tucker, R Thoman, H Tran, N Molders, M Steele, J Zhang, and W Ermold (2016) Climate drivers linked to changing Alaska coastal tundra vegetation productivity. Bul Amer Meteo Soc 97:904-906.

Bieniek P (2012) Assessing river ice breakup date, coastal tundra vegetation and climate divisions in the context of Alaska climate variability. Ph.D. Dissertation, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 140 pp.

Bieniek P, M Shulski, and G Wendler (2008) Conference Summary: Climate and Predictability of Alaskan Wildfires. Bul Amer Meteo Soc 89:296.

Bieniek P (2007) Climate and predictability of Alaska wildfires. M.S. Thesis, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 84 pp.

Publications In Preparation

Talbot J, U Bhatt, D Newman, R Wackerbauer, R Sanches, I Polyakov, H Angeloff, R Thoman, and P Bieniek (2012) Use of Hurst Analysis and Renyi Entropy to detect and characterize PDO impacts on climate variability in Alaska. (in preparation for Journal Climate).

Selected Conference Presentations

Bieniek P (Oral), U Bhatt, J Walsh, T Rupp, J Zhang, J Krieger, R Lader (2015) Dynamical downscaling of ERA-Interim temperature and precipitation for Alaska. AWS, 11-12 May 2015, Anchorage, AK.

Bieniek P (Poster), U Bhatt, J Walsh, T Rupp, J Zhang, J Krieger (2014) Dynamical downscaling of regional climate for Alaska. AGU Fall Meeting, 15-19 December 2015, San Francisco, CA.

Bieniek P (Oral), U Bhatt, J Walsh, T Rupp, J Zhang, J Krieger (2014) Providing improved climate products for Alaska through dynamical downscaling. Climate, Conservation and Community in Alaska and Northwest Canada, 4-5 November 2015, Anchorage, AK.

Bieniek P (Oral), U Bhatt, J Walsh, T Rupp, J Zhang, J Krieger (2014) Dynamical downscaling for Alaska, AFS and AWRA Annual Meeting, 23-24 October 2014, Juneau, AK.

Bieniek P (Oral), J Walsh (2013) Atmospheric circulation patterns associated with extreme events in Alaska. AGU Fall Meeting, 9-13 December 2013, San Francisco, CA.

Bieniek P (Poster), J Walsh, and R Thoman (2013) Historical climatology of the Alaska climate divisions. AMS 12th Conference on Polar Meteorology and Oceanography, 29 April-1 May 2013, Seattle, WA.

Bieniek P (Oral; 2013) Potential applications of climate divisions in western Alaska. Western Alaska Interdisciplinary Science Conference and Forum, 20-22 March 2013, Nome, AK.

Bieniek P (Oral), J Walsh (2013) Historical climatology of the Alaska climate divisions. Alaska Weather Symposium, 12-13 March 2013, Fairbanks, AK.

Bieniek P (Poster), U Bhatt, D Walker, M Raynolds, J Comiso, H Epstein, J Pinzon, C Tucker, R Thoman, H Tran, N Molders, W Ermold, J Zhang, M Steele (2012) Alaska coastal tundra vegetation's links to climate. AGU Fall Meeting, 3-7 December 2012, San Francisco, CA.

Bieniek P (Poster), U Bhatt, R Thoman, H Angeloff, J Partain, J Papineau, F Fritsch, E Holloway, J Walsh, C Daly, M Shulski, G Hufford, D Hill, S Calos, and R Gens (2012) Climate divisions for Alaska based on objective methods. Climate Diagnostics and Prediction Workshop, 22-25 October 2012, Fort Collins, CO.

Bieniek P (Oral), U Bhatt, M Raynolds, J Comiso, H Epstein, R Gens, J Pinzon, and C Tucker (2011) Alaska Tundra Vegetation Trends and Their Links to the Large-Scale Climate. AGU Fall Meeting, 5-9 December 2011, San Francisco, CA.

Bhatt U, P Bieniek (Poster), R Thoman, H Angeloff, J Partain, J Papineau, F Fritsch, E Holloway, J Walsh, C Daley, M Shulski, G Hufford, D Hill, S Calos, R Gens (2011) Updated climate divisions for Alaska. WCRP OSC, 24-28 October 2011, Denver, CO.

Bieniek P (Poster), U Bhatt, L Rundquist, S Lindsey, X Zhang, and R Thoman (2011) Large-Scale Climate Controls of Interior Alaska River Ice Breakup. WCRP OSC, 24-28 October 2011, Denver, CO.

Bhatt U, D Walker, M Raynolds, P Bieniek (Poster), H Epstein, J Comiso, J Pinzon, and C Tucker (2011) Understanding recent Arctic tundra vegetation changes. WCRP OSC, 24-28 October 2011, Denver, CO.

Bieniek P (Poster), U Bhatt, M Raynolds, J Comiso, H Epstein, R Gens, J Pinzon, and C Tucker (2010) Alaska Tundra Vegetation Trends and Their Links to the Large-Scale Climate. AGU Fall Meeting, 13-17 December 2010, San Francisco, CA.

Bieniek P, U Bhatt (Poster), L Rundquist, S Lindsey, X Zhang, and R Thoman (2010) Large-Scale Climate Controls of Interior Alaska River Ice Breakup. State of the Arctic Conference, 16-19 March 2010, Miami, FL.

Bieniek P (Poster), and U Bhatt (2009) Interior Alaska Rivers and Their Connection to Climate. Alaska Weather Symposium, 10-12 March 2009, Fairbanks, AK.

Bieniek P (Poster), and U Bhatt (2009) Interior Alaska Rivers and Their Connection to Climate. Lessons from Continuity and Change in the Fourth International Polar Year, 4-7 March 2009, Fairbanks, AK.

Bieniek P (Poster), and U Bhatt (2008) River Ice in Interior Alaska: Link With Large-Scale Climate. AAAS, 15-17 September 2008, Fairbanks, AK.

Bieniek P (Oral), M Shulski, and G Wendler (2007) Climate and Predictability of Alaskan Wildfires. AMS Seventh Symposium on Fire and Forest Meteorology, 22-26 October 2007, Bar Harbor ME.

Bieniek P (Poster), M Shulski, and G Wendler (2007) Preseason Predictability of Alaskan Wildfires. 7th International Conference on Global Change: Connection to the Arctic, 19-20 February 2007, Fairbanks AK.

Other Experience

Yup’ik Science Calista Elders Collaboration. Incorporating traditional knowledge and observations in science. Meeting in January 2011 moderated anthropologist Ann Fienup-Riordan. Discussed local observations of changes in the timing of river ice breakup. In January 2012 we met again to discuss the local knowledge and observations of changes in tundra greenness in southwest Alaska.

Geophysical Institute 2007 Science Teacher Education Program (STEP) instructional assistant. Assisted with weather/climate lessons. Two one-week sessions in Summer 2007.

ATM 101, Weather and Climate of Alaska, substitute instructor. Gave classroom lectures for one week in March 2008 and March 2010. Two 90-minute lectures and lab.

ATM 620, Climate Journal Club, substitute instructor. Held class discussion on March 19, 2010. One-hour class.

KUAC FM Radio On-Air volunteer. Host various live music programs, pledge drives and run automated NPR programs. 2006-present.