About
CACS is an institutional investment that harnesses myriad expertise, research acumen, and strong partnerships between university academic units and research institutes to focus on climate solutions that require cross-sector collaboration for successful development and implementation. CACS facilitates opportunities for cross-campus research targeted at developing solutions to climate challenges.
About the Director
CACS Director Trent Ford is a climate scientist and the Illinois State Climatologist at the Illinois State Water Survey, part of the Prairie Research Institute. Ford and his team work with researchers, communities, industries, and all levels of government agencies on issues related to climate change in the Midwest and beyond. Through this outreach and engagement, Ford began to see a growing need for climate information and consulting. CACS was developed to fill this need by facilitating interdisciplinary research at the University of Illinois and supporting education programs that equip students with the necessary knowledge and skills to address the most pressing issues created or worsened by climate change. Ford’s vision for CACS is to develop collaboration and partnerships across the University of Illinois departments, institutes, and partners to ensure U. of I. is a global leader in climate solutions development and implementation now and into the future.
Ford has been the Illinois State Climatologist since 2019; he is an expert in climate and climate change and its interactions and impacts, especially as they relate to water. Trent leads climate monitoring and data collection and provision for Illinois. He and his team provide information online, through traditional and social media, and by speaking to interested groups statewide.
A native of Roanoke, Illinois, Ford earned a bachelor’s in geography from Illinois State University before completing his master’s and Ph.D. at Texas A&M University. Before joining the Illinois State Water Survey, Ford was an assistant professor in the Department of Geography & Environmental Resources at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale.