The NC CASC Rapid Climate Assessment Program (RCAP) aims to create a series of Rapid Climate Assessments (RCAs) which are a synthesis of science information that can be used as a baseline for further research and a foundation for future stakeholder engagement. These RCAs include key elements of collaborative climate adaptation science, including co-production by stakeholders and researchers, status and vulnerability assessments, and identification of challenges and solutions for the given topic.

Each RCA project is led by a team that includes NC CASC research scientists and graduate research assistants (GRAs). The Summer 2025 RCAP topics and teams are: 

• Risk Assessment for Canyons of the Ancients National Monument in Colorado: Chilton Tippin (NC CASC Graduate Research Assistant), Christy Miller Hesed (NC CASC Co-Lead), Kyra Clark-Wolf (NC CASC Co-Lead), Vincent MacMillan (BLM), Ray O'Neil (BLM)
• Ute Mountain Ute Climate Adaptation Menu for Navigating Invasive Species: Patrick McKenzie (NC CASC Graduate Research Assistant), Brian Miller (USGS/ NC CASC), Stefan Tangen (USGS/ NC CASC), Heather Yocum (NC CASC Lead)
• Unraveling the Consequences of Climate Change on the Bison Presence and Sustainability Across the Continent: Danyan Leng (NC CASC Graduate Research Assistant), Jeff Martin (SDSU), Alex Shupinski (SDSU), Imtiaz Rangwala (NC CASC Lead),
• Increasing Resilience to Invasive Species and Climate Change in Sagebrush Ecosystems: Elizabeth Woolner (NC CASC Graduate Research Assistant), Chelsea Nagy (NC RISCC), Imtiaz Rangwala (NC CASC Co-Lead), Kyra Clark-Wolf (NC CASC Co-Lead)
• Assessing Alpine Greening in NPS Units and FWS Refuges: Miles Moore (NC CASC Graduate Research Assistant), Meagan Oldfather (USGS/ NC CASC), Alison Post (Earth Lab at University of Colorado Boulder)
• Synthesis of Atmospheric CO2 Effects in the North Central Region: Yuying Ren (NC CASC Graduate Research Assistant), Kyra Clark-Wolf (NC CASC Lead), Imtiaz Rangwala (NC CASC), Chelsea Nagy (NC RISCC)