Peter Stempel

About

Peter Stempel is an associate professor in the Department of Landscape Architecture at Penn State University. His research focuses on realizing the transformative potential of realistic visualization for hazard and risk communication and public engagement. His work links physical models such as hydrodynamic and wind models to qualitative data gathered from stakeholders and visualizations. He is part of interdisciplinary teams working on projects for the National Park Service and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Center of Excellence for Coastal Resilience. This applied work is complemented by social science research aimed at improving visualization practices and developing new paradigms for the use of realistic visualizations. Stempel’s diverse career includes experience as a sculptor, architect, activist, and non-profit leader conducting public engagement, primarily in the rural southwest United States. He holds a Ph.D. in Marine Affairs from the University of Rhode Island and a B.F.A. and B.Arch. from the Rhode Island School of Design. His teaching draws on these broad experiences, and he is developing inclusive curricula in water-related resilience. He trains designers to collaborate effectively with scientists, policymakers, and stakeholders to address complex societal issues such as climate adaptation. With over 25 years of design teaching experience, he is committed to innovative, asset-based pedagogies that recognize and build on the unique skills of every…

Research topics

• Sociology
• Environmental resource management
• Environmental planning
• Political Science
• Geography
• Ecology
• Environmental science
• Computer Science
• Geology
• Business

Selected publications

• Challenges to climate change adaptation in coastal small towns: Examples from Ghana, Uruguay, Finland, Denmark, and Alaska

  Ocean & Coastal Management · 2021 · 50 citations

  Senior authorCorresponding

  The ability of a coastal settlement to adapt to climate change is largely dependent upon access to a range of resources, which many coastal towns and small cities lack. Coastal small towns of less than 10,000 are therefore at a significant disadvantage compared to larger settlements when it comes to adaptation. One way to begin to overcome this disadvantage is to compare coastal small towns in order to identify efficiencies and support knowledge sharing. In this article we present and analyse fi…

  PublisherDOI

• Social and environmental vulnerability to flooding: Investigating cross-scale hypotheses

  Applied Geography · 2023 · 47 citations

  PublisherDOI

• Assessing the morphodynamic response of a New England beach-barrier system to an artificial reef

  Coastal Engineering · 2023 · 14 citations

  Senior authorCorresponding
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Is It Scientific? Viewer Perceptions of Storm Surge Visualizations

  Cartographica The International Journal for Geographic Information and Geovisualization · 2021-06-01 · 5 citations

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  Les scientifiques et les gestionnaires des risques côtiers utilisent des visualisations semi-réalistes des ondes de tempêtes liées aux modèles hydrodynamiques afin de faire en sorte que les effets projetés suscitent l’intérêt et soient accessibles. Ces visualisations ne s’inscrivent pas convenablement dans les cadres de référence établis pour visualiser les risques, étant donné qu’elles ajoutent des détails de représentation et peuvent suggérer davantage de certitude qu’elles ne le devraient qua…

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• The Hazard Consequence Prediction System: A Participatory Action Research Approach to Enhance Emergency Management

  Journal of Homeland Security and Emergency Management · 2021-09-16 · 4 citations

  articleOpen access

  Emergency managers (EMs) need nuanced data that contextualize the local-scale risks and impacts posed by major storm events (e.g. hurricanes and nor'easters). Traditional tools available to EMs, such as weather forecasts or storm surge predictions, do not provide actionable data regarding specific local concerns, such as access by emergency vehicles and potential communication disruptions. However, new storm models now have sufficient resolution to make informed emergency management at the local…

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Isaac Ginis

  University of Rhode Island

  17 shared

• Austin Becker

  University of Rhode Island

  14 shared

• Deborah Crowley

  University of Rhode Island

  8 shared

• Roland J. Duhaime

  Louisiana Department of Natural Resources

  8 shared

• Annette R. Grilli

  University of Rhode Island

  7 shared

• Stéphan T. Grilli

  University of Rhode Island

  7 shared

• Chris Damon

  University of Rhode Island

  6 shared

• Pamela Rubinoff

  4 shared

Education

• PhD, Marine Affairs

  University of Rhode Island

  2018

• BFA/BARCH, Architecture

  Rhode Island School of Design

  1993

Awards & honors

• University of Rhode Island Graduate Research Scholarship Exc…

Similar researchers at Pennsylvania State University

• Martin Hollandh-26
• Charles Andrew "Andy" Coleh-17
• Chingwen Chengh-10