Faith Kearns

Scientist · Author · Science Communication Expert

I am a scientist and science communication practitioner who writes and speaks about water, wildfire, disasters, and climate change. My work has been published in High Country News, New Republic, On Being, and many more outlets. My award-winning book Getting to the Heart of Science Communication is available wherever books are sold. I co-host the award-winning Water Talk podcast with Mallika Nocco and Samuel Sandoval.

Bluesky Instagram Newsletter: The Hard Stuff
Faith Kearns headshot

Areas of Expertise

💧

Water Resources

Groundwater management, drought resilience, water supply infrastructure, and the intersection of water systems with wildfire.

🔥

Wildfire & Climate

Wildfire impacts on communities and water systems, climate adaptation, disaster management, and resilience planning.

💬

Science Communication

Empathy-driven science engagement, community-based communication, emotional dimensions of environmental work, and public trust in science.

The Book

Getting to the Heart of Science Communication book cover

Getting to the Heart of Science Communication

A Guide to Effective Engagement

Available wherever books are sold. This award-winning book offers a new framework for science communication that centers empathy, engagement, and the full humanity of audiences and practitioners alike.

If you read and enjoy the book, please consider leaving a review!

"Dr. Kearns has given us much-needed tools for sharing science with empathy, engagement, and the full humanity that our audiences deserve. A brave and brilliant guide to the shifting terrain of science communication." Cynthia Barnett, University of Florida Environmental Journalist in Residence
"Getting to the Heart of Science Communication is a must-read for amateurs and professionals alike. Kearns delivers thoughtful and transformational advice on addressing power and accountability in the sciences." Asmeret Asefaw Berhe, Professor of Soil Biogeochemistry, UC Merced
"Faith Kearns captures the voices of real science communication practice—and maps where we need to go to build public trust in science, relationship by relationship. This is the book the field needs now." Bob Lalasz, CEO, Science+Story
Order the Book

Selected Writing

Popular articles on water, wildfire, climate, and the human dimensions of science.

Water Talk Podcast

Co-hosted with Mallika Nocco and Sam Sandoval, the award-winning Water Talk podcast has wrapped Season 6. Listen wherever you get podcasts.

Listen Now

In the Media

Expert commentary and interviews across major news outlets.

Washington Post
Why fire hydrants ran dry as wildfires tore through Los Angeles
National Geographic
Here's what really caused L.A. fire hydrants to run out of water
Bloomberg
LA Fire Hydrants Running Dry Poses New Danger in Combating Blazes
Wired
California's Problem Now Isn't Fire—It's Rain
LA Times
L.A.'s hydrants ran dry during the fires. Residents are still demanding solutions
Vox
An even bigger threat is looming behind California's fires
The Atlantic
Why California Can't Catch a Break
BBC
Why we need new words for life in the Anthropocene
Wired
The Los Angeles Wildfires Have Created Another Problem—Unsafe Drinking Water
Al Jazeera
Why fire hydrants and water supply failed during Los Angeles wildfires
USA Today
'A new wildfire paradigm': Why California fires are growing larger and more destructive
Axios
Why fire hydrants ran dry as wildfires ravaged Los Angeles
Heatmap
Why the L.A. Fires Are Exceptionally Hard to Fight
Heatmap
Why Misinformation About the L.A. Fires Keeps Spreading
NBC News
Conservatives blame California wildfires on Delta smelt fish, DEI and more
BBC: The World Tonight
Los Angeles wildfires most destructive in city's history
The Independent
California wildfires: How and why did fire hydrants run dry across Los Angeles?
AFP
California environmental policies misleadingly blamed for LA fires
CalMatters / LAist / CapRadio
The hydrants will run dry: Trump's LA fire claims missed the mark, study shows
Environmental Health News
Wildfires now threaten drinking water systems across the Western U.S.
Grist
Groundwater is drying out, heating up, and causing sea level rise
Arizona Republic
It's not just big alfalfa farms. La Paz residents fear groundwater grab by big cities
Guardian
American west stuck in cycle of 'heat, drought and fire', experts warn
LA Times
Is California ready for brown lawns and shorter showers?
Washington Post
Reservoirs are drying up as consequences of the Western drought worsen
Washington Post
Southwest drought is the most extreme in 1,200 years, study finds
Climate One (podcast)
Finding the Heart to Talk About Climate
Science
More than the Message
Grist
The conventional wisdom on how to talk about climate change? It's wrong.
San Francisco Chronicle
When blazes spark, 'Fire Twitter' heats up
Mother Jones
The weight of the world
Guardian
Last day in Paradise: the untold story of how a fire swallowed a town
CNN
Wildfire scientists brace for hotter, more flammable future as Paradise lies in ashes
Rolling Stone
California's climate emergency
The Tab
Here's exactly how and why fire hydrants ran out of water during the LA wildfires
Book
Lessons from the Climate Anxiety Counseling Booth (Kate Schapira)
Climate One (podcast)
Talk isn't cheap: The power of conversation
LA Times
Most Californians view state's water shortage as extremely serious, poll finds
Nevada Independent
'A subtraction problem:' A shrinking Colorado River faces sharp, sudden cuts
Kneedeep Times
Climate Adaptation: The Basics
Water Talk (podcast)
Getting to the Heart of Water Communication
Times Higher Ed
Compassionate communication key to spurring action on research results
Water Talk (podcast)
Wildfire and Water Infrastructure
Env. Professionals Radio
Building a Career in Science Communication, Listening as a Skill, and Working with Communities
UCLA
New water supply + wildfire research and policy coordination network
UC Ag and Natural Resources
UCLA, UC ANR establish water supply-wildfire research and policy coordination network
Sunday Post
Californian fires have inflamed age-old debate over water supply
Ventura County Star
Deadly, destructive fires happening to more Californians, over and over again
Grist
Lack of snowpack leaves the West hung out to dry
Desert Sun
California agriculture faces serious threats from climate change, study finds
National Geographic
See how a warmer world primed California for large fires
Heatmap
Trump's Cabinet Picks Face Confirmation Hearings This Week
We the Children (podcast)
Water Wisdom: A deep dive into wildfires and water conservation with Dr. Faith Kearns
Across the Cline (podcast)
The Hero's Lyrics
Book
So Sorry For Your Loss (Dina Gachman)
UC ANR Green Blog
Addressing the emotional toll of drought
Measure of Everyday Life
Emotion and Communication about Science
The Hill
California drought raises red flags for agriculture
Fancy Comma
11 Books to Upskill and Make More Money as a Freelance Science Writer
Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance
How Cities Can Get to the Heart of Science Communication
LA Times
A drought so bad it exposed a long-ago homicide
Resources Radio
Logging into the Deep History of Climate, with Erika Wise
America: The Jesuit Review
Review: The Pentecost of climate change
What Matters Water TV
Getting to the Heart of Science Communication
Speak Good (podcast)
Getting to the Heart of Science Communication
KQED Science
Drought-Stricken California Hasn't Mandated Statewide Water Restrictions. Here's Why
Beyond the Bench (podcast)
Getting to the Heart of Science Communication with Dr. Faith Kearns
Guardian
Wildfires tear through 1m acres in US west as 16,000 firefighters battle onslaught
KQED Morning Report
State Has Still Not Issued Drought Mandate
New Books Network (podcast)
Faith Kearns: Getting to the Heart of Science Communication
Ag Info Network
UCANR Scientist Publishes Guide to Science Communication
Science + Story (podcast)
Faith Kearns: Getting to the Heart of Science Communication
UC Ag and Natural Resources
Communicating about climate crisis and other scientific issues requires more than facts
UC Davis
Water Talk Podcast Launches Season 2: 'Drought Is Back!'
Sacramento Bee
A pandemic meets fire season: How California will fight wildfires amid coronavirus
Book
Fire in Paradise: An American Tragedy (Dani Anguino and Alastair Gee)
CNN Special Reports
Road to Change: America's Climate Crisis
Newsy
Climate change is changing how we deal with wildfires
National Geographic
How climate change primed California's power shutdown
Climate One
The Land of Dreams and Drought
Arizona Republic
Some saw deadly Camp Fire as the 'new normal.' Experts say we already know how to prevent a repeat
Western Farm Press
In California, 'enough' water is never enough
Slate
Why it's so hard to live in California
Salon
California's dry winter means much of the state is in drought again
Bay Nature
Our Favorite Bay Nature Stories of 2018
Slate
Living on the edge
Earther / Gizmodo
Don't Blame Storm Victims for This
NPR
From Almonds To Rice, Climate Change Could Slash California Crop Yields By 2050
LA Times
Study indicates that climate change will wreak havoc on California agriculture
Modern Farmer
New Study Details How Climate Change Will Affect California Agriculture
Mother Jones
New Study: Eat Your Strawberries Before Climate Change Wipes Them Out
KQED
Study: Climate Change Threatens Major Crops in California
Courthouse News Service
Report: Climate Change Could Ruin California's Farming Industry
UC ANR Blogs
Building climate change into the work of UCANR
Transformation
Socially constructed silence: Protecting policymakers from the unthinkable
Bulletin of the ESA
ESA's Evolution in Public Policy and Media Outreach from 1993 to 2013
CBC News
California drought's newest battlefront is bottled water
Ecological Society of America
Ecologists reaching out #reachingoutsci
KQED Radio
California ablaze
Oakland Tribune
Web site assesses fire danger

Publications

Peer-reviewed papers, reports, and essays spanning water, wildfire, climate, and science communication.

Water, Fire, and Finance: Investigating How To Pay for Resilient Water Supply Systems in the Face of Changing Fire Risks
UC ANR, California Institute for Water Resources, The Confluence, 2026
with G. Pierce, E. de Guzman, E. Porse, C. Salcedo, J. Gorman, and J. Islas
Water Systems' Wildfire Fighting Capacities and Expectations: Workshop Synthesis Report
UC ANR, CIWR and UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation, 2026
with G. Pierce, E. Porse, E. de Guzman, C. Salcedo, J. Gorman, and A. Hernandez
Issue brief: How often have hydrants run dry? Evidence from recent major wildfires
UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation Briefing Paper, 2026
with G. Pierce, J. Gorman, and E. de Guzman
Rethinking Water Systems in a Fire-Prone West: A Fire Chief's Approach
UC ANR, California Institute for Water Resources, The Confluence, 2025
Water supply, infrastructure, and quality performance considerations for twenty-first-century urban wildfires
Environmental Research Letters, 2025
with E. Porse, G. Pierce, E. de Guzman, C. Salcedo, and H. Hauptman
Water Systems and Wildfire: Understanding Capacities and Limitations
UC ANR, CIWR, The Confluence, 2025
with G. Pierce, E. Porse, E. de Guzman, C. Salcedo, J. Islas, and A. Hernandez
Wildfire is a growing threat to the West's water systems
High Country News / The Conversation, 2025
Do Urban Water Supply Systems Put Out Wildfires? Frequently Asked Questions
UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation, 2025
with G. Pierce, S. González, and L. Dunlap
Wildfire and water infrastructure
Water Talk podcast, 2025
with G. Pierce
Wildfire and Water Supply in California: Advancing a Research and Policy Agenda
UC ANR, CIWR and UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation Briefing Paper, 2021
with G. Pierce and P. Roquemore
Trauma, Care, and Solidarity: Addressing the Emotional Toll of Chronic Drought
Water Resources IMPACT, 2023
Getting to the Heart of Science Communication: A Guide to Engagement
Island Press, 2021 (Book)
Loss for words: Art, language, and the challenges of living on a changing planet
The Conversation, 2016
Stretching science: Why emotional intelligence is key to tackling climate change
The Conversation / New Republic, 2015
A relational approach to climate change: Working with people and conflict
In E. Fretz (ed.) Climate Change Across the Curriculum, Lexington Books, 2015
The stepping stones of integrating emotions into practicing science
On Being / Hippo Reads, 2015
The art and science of waiting
Hippo Reads, 2015
From science communication to relationship-building: Contemplative practice and community engagement in the environmental sciences
Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, 2012
Making information meaningful
Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 2010
with N. Lymn and A. Bednarek
Supporting sustainable groundwater management
California Agriculture, 2018
with D.T. Parker
California's water paradox: Why enough will never be enough
California Journal of Politics and Policy, 2016
with D.T. Parker
What would it take to end California's drought?
The Conversation / Newsweek, 2015
with D.T. Parker
California's water paradox: Why enough will never be enough
The Conversation / Newsweek / BBC, 2015
with D.T. Parker
5 key facts about the California drought—and 5 ways we're responding to it
Hippo Reads, 2014
The use of landscape pattern metrics to quantify spatial configuration in a watershed context
Landscape Ecology, 2005
with N.M. Kelly, J.L. Carter, and V.H. Resh
Relationships of field habitat measurements, visual habitat indices, and land cover to benthic macroinvertebrates in urbanized streams
American Fisheries Society, Symposium 47, 2005
with S.V. Fend and J.L. Carter
Monitoring fish habitat restoration projects
Ca. Dept. of Fish and Game, Coastal Salmonid Restoration Program, 2003
with R.R. Harris, S.D. Kocher, J. Gerstein, and others
The Relationship Between Physical Habitat and Biology in Freshwater Ecosystems
Doctoral Dissertation, ProQuest, 2003
Fisheries as experimental systems in ecology
Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America, 1998
Climate change and California agriculture
Progressive Crop Consultant, 2019
with T.B. Pathak, M.L. Maskey, J.A. Dahlberg, K.M. Bali, and D. Zaccaria
Adapting to the changing climate is mission critical for California
Bay Nature, 2019
UC Cooperative Extension takes leading role in climate change research and extension
UC Delivers, 2018
with T. Grantham, S. Kocher, and T. Pathak
Climate change trends and impacts on California agriculture: A detailed review
Agronomy, 2018
with T.B. Pathak, M.L. Maskey, J.A. Dahlberg, K.M. Bali, and D. Zaccaria
Building climate change resilience in California through UC Cooperative Extension
California Agriculture, 2017
with T. Grantham, S. Kocher, T. Pathak, and L. Roche
Building Resilience to Public Safety Power Shutoffs Through Public Education
Journal of Extension, 2025
with V. Koundinya, C. Chiarella, S. Kocher, and S. Drill
Disasters Happen: Supporting Cooperative Extension Personnel for Disaster Management in California Communities
Journal of Extension, 2020
with V. Koundinya, C. Chiarella, and S. Kocher
Disasters Happen, We Can and Will Be Prepared: Disaster Preparation and Response Guide for the UC ANR Community
UC Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources, 2020
with S. Kocher, V. Koundinya, B. Oatman, and others
Why we need to treat wildfire as a public health issue in California
The Conversation, 2019
with M.A. Moritz
How fierce fall and winter winds help fuel California fires
The Conversation, 2018
with M.A. Moritz
California fire damage to homes is less 'random' than it seems
The Conversation / CBS News / CityLab / Salon, 2017
California's massive fires reveal our illusion of control over disasters
Bay Nature, 2017
Urban-wildland fires: How California and other regions of the U.S. can learn from Australia
Environmental Research Letters, 2009
with S.L. Stephens, M.A. Adams, J. Handmer, and others
Classification of the wildland–urban interface: A comparison of pixel- and object-based classifications
Computers, Environment, and Urban Systems, 2008
with C. Cleve, M. Kelly, and M. Moritz
Fire, Ecosystems, and People: Threats and Strategies for Global Biodiversity Conservation
The Nature Conservancy, GFI Technical Report, 2007
with A. Shlisky, J. Waugh, P. Gonzalez, and others
The Fire Information Engine: A web-based toolkit for wildfire-related needs
Journal of Map and Geography Libraries, 2007
with N.C. Goldstein, B. Pedersen, and M.A. Moritz
Methods for facilitating web-based participatory research informatics
Ecological Informatics, 2007
with B. Pedersen and M. Kelly (equal contribution)
Geospatial informatics for management of a new forest disease: Sudden Oak Death
Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing, 2004
with M. Kelly and K. Tuxen
Everything happens somewhere: Using webGIS as a tool for sustainable natural resource management
Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 2003
with M. Kelly and K.A. Tuxen
Scientific opportunities created by the newly consolidated U.S. Geological Survey and National Biological Service
Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America, 1997
Human population and consumption: What are the ecological limits?
Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America, 1997

Speaking & Training

Available for talks, workshops, and training on science communication, water, wildfire, and climate.

Keynote Talks

Engaging presentations on science communication, the emotional dimensions of environmental work, and building public trust in science.

Workshops & Training

Hands-on sessions for scientists, communicators, and organizations on effective community engagement and empathy-driven communication.

Consulting

Strategic guidance on science communication, research impact writing, and translating complex science for diverse audiences.

Get in Touch

Interested in collaborating, booking a talk, or connecting? I'd love to hear from you.

fkearns@gmail.com Bluesky @fkearns Instagram @fkearns Newsletter: The Hard Stuff

Please use email for speaking and workshop requests.