Juliette Rooney-Varga

Juliette Nicole Rooney-Varga, Ph.D.

Professor, Director - Climate Change Initiative

Pronouns
She/her/hers
College
Kennedy College of Sciences
Department
Environmental Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Climate Change Initiative (CCI), Rist Institute for Sustainability and Energy
Phone
978-934-4715
Fax
978-934-3069
Office
Olney Hall - 102D

Expertise

Climate change, sustainability, clean energy transition, system dynamics.

Research Interests

Climate change and sustainability science, interactive system dynamics simulators and translating complex data into tools that motivate evidence-based climate action.

Education

  • Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.): Microbiology, (1997), University of New Hampshire - New Hampshire
  • Master of Science (M.S.): Natural Resources, (1994), Cornell University - Ithaca, NY
  • Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) : Biology, (1991), Colby College - Waterville, Maine

Biosketch

Juliette Rooney-Varga is a professor of Environmental Science at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, where she directs the Climate Change Initiative and co-directs the Rist Institute for Sustainability and Energy. Her work focuses on translating climate change and sustainability science into actionable societal understanding. By developing and implementing dynamic modeling and interactive simulators, she enables students, citizens and leaders across government, business and academia to experience and learn about climate and energy systems firsthand. Her contributions to the field were recognized with the 2026 Jay W. Forrester Award from the System Dynamics Society. 

She holds a Ph.D. from the University of New Hampshire, an M.S. from Cornell University and a B.A. from Colby College.



Recent Media Coverage

Selected Awards and Honors

  • Selected Awards and Honors: 2026 Jay Wright Forrester Award, System Dynamics Society, Awarded for the best contribution to the field of System Dynamics globally during the preceding five-year period. 
  • 2026 Teaching Excellence Award, Environmental, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Kennedy College of Sciences, UMass Lowell. 
  • 2025 System Dynamics Applications Award recipient, as part of the team that developed and implemented the En-ROADS climate solutions simulator. System Dynamics Society. 
  • 2019 Awarded Donahue Fellowship for Ethics, UMass Lowell. 
  • 2019 UMass Lowell Pillar of Excellence for Innovative Research and Entrepreneurship awarded to the Climate Change Initiative Steering Committee, which I direct. 
  • 2018 Recognized by the University Network as a leader in Sustainability Research: Women Killin' It in Sustainability Research. 
  • 2017 People’s Choice Best Paper, Alliance for Research on Corporate Sustainability (ARCS) Annual Conference 
  • 2015 Commonwealth Citation for Outstanding Performance awarded to the UMass Lowell Climate Action Plan Steering Committee, on which I serve. 
  • 2015 The White House Climate Education and Literacy Initiative recognized two initiatives I contributed to as key national accomplishments (the National Forum on Climate and Energy Education hosted by WGBH, where I was an invited speaker and the World Climate Project, which is a collaborative project with Climate Interactive). 
  • 2015 Faculty Award for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning in the Sciences, UMass Lowell 
  • 2013 UMass Lowell Recognition for Excellence in Teaching 2005 Sigma Xi Northeast Regional Young Investigator Award

Selected Publications

  • Hines, M. E., R. S. Evans, B. R. Sharak Genthner, S. G. Willis, S. Friedman, J. N. Rooney-Varga and R. Devereux (1999). "Molecular phylogenetic and biogeochemical studies of sulfate-reducing bacteria in the rhizosphere of Spartina alterniflora." Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 65(5): 2209-2216 Rooney-Varga, J. N., R. T. Anderson, J. L. Fraga, D. Ringelberg and D. R. Lovley (1999). "Microbial communities associated with anaerobic benzene degradation in a petroleum-contaminated aquifer." Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 65(7): 3056-3063
  • Ferrier, M., J. L. Martin and J. N. Rooney-Varga (2002). "Stimulation of Alexandrium fundyense growth by bacterial assemblages from the Bay of Fundy." J. Appl. Microbiol. 92: 1-12 Connor, T., J. N. Rooney-Varga, R. R. Gamache and M. E. Hines (2003). "An inversion algorithm for the detection of methane over the wetlands by open-path FTIR in various atmospheric conditions." Atmos. Oceanic Optics 16: 237-243
  • Savin, M. C., J. L. Martin, M. LeGresley, M. Giewat and J. Rooney-Varga (2004). "Plankton diversity in the Bay of Fundy as measured by morphological and molecular methods." Microb Ecol 48(1): 51-65.10.1007/s00248-003-1033-8
  • Jasti, S., M. E. Sieracki, N. J. Poulton, M. W. Giewat and J. N. Rooney-Varga (2005). "Phylogenetic diversity and specificity of bacteria closely associated with Alexandrium spp. and other phytoplankton." Appl Environ Microbiol 71(7): 3483-3494
  • Rooney-Varga, J. N., M. W. Giewat, M. C. Savin, S. Sood, M. LeGresley and J. L. Martin (2005). "Links between phytoplankton and bacterial community dynamics in a coastal marine environment." Microb Ecol 49(1): 163-175
  • Zhang, X., K. Brussee, C. Coutinho and J. Rooney-Varga (2006). "Chemical Stress Induced by Copper: Examination of a Biofilm System." Wat. Sci. and Tech. 54(9): 191-199
  • Hasegawa, Y., J. L. Martin, M. W. Giewat and J. N. Rooney-Varga (2007). "Microbial community diversity in the phycosphere of natural populations of the toxic alga, Alexandrium fundyense." Environ Microbiol 9(12): 3108-3121
  • Rooney-Varga, J. N., M. W. Giewat, K. N. Duddleston, J. P. Chanton and M. E. Hines (2007). "Links between archaeal community structure, vegetation type and methanogenic pathway in Alaskan peatlands." FEMS Microbiol. Ecol. 60: 240-251
  • Hines, M. E., K. N. Duddleston, J. N. Rooney-Varga, D. Fields and J. P. Chanton (2008). "Uncoupling of acetate degradation from methane formation in Alaskan wetlands: Connections to vegetation distribution." Global Biogeochem. Cycles 22(2): GB2017.10.1029/2006gb002903 
  • Goyal, D., X. J. Zhang and J. N. Rooney-Varga (2010). "Impacts of single-walled carbon nanotubes on microbial community structure in activated sludge." Lett Appl Microbiol 51(4): 428-435.LAM2913 [pii] 10.1111/j.1472-765X.2010.02913.x
  • Li, W. K., R. A. Andersen, D. J. Gifford, L. S. Incze, J. L. Martin, C. H. Pilskaln, J. N. Rooney-Varga, M. E. Sieracki, W. H. Wilson and N. H. Wolff (2011). "Planktonic microbes in the Gulf of Maine area." PLoS One 6(6): e20981.10.1371/journal.pone.0020981
  • Dunaj, S. J., J. J. Vallino, M. E. Hines, M. Gay, C. Kobyljanec and J. N. Rooney-Varga (2012). "Relationships between soil organic matter, nutrients, bacterial community structure, and the performance of microbial fuel cells." Environ Sci Technol 46(3): 1914-1922.10.1021/es2032532
  • Rooney-Varga, J. N., A. A. Brisk, E. Adams, M. Shuldman and K. Rath (2014). "Student media production to meet challenges in climate change science Education." J. Geosci. Ed. 62(4): 598-608.10.5408/13-050.1
  • Sterman, J., T. Franck, T. Fiddaman, A. Jones, S. McCauley, P. Rice, E. Sawin, L. Siegel and J. N. Rooney-Varga (2014). "WORLD CLIMATE: A Role-Play Simulation of Climate Negotiations." Simul Gaming.10.1177/1046878113514935
  • Smith, L. K., J. N. Rooney-Varga, A. U. Gold, D. Oonk and D. Morrison (2016). Media Literacy as a Pathway to Bridge the Digital and STEM Divides: Interest Driven Media Projects for Teachers in the Trenches. Improving K-12 STEM Education Outcomes through Technological Integration. M. Urban and D. Falvo, Information Science Reference (an Imprint of IGI Global): 23-43.
  • Ledley, T. S., J. N. Rooney-Varga and F. Niepold (2017). Addressing Climate Change Through Education. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Environmental Science. Oxford, UK, Oxford University Press.
  • Rooney-Varga, J. N., J. D. Sterman, E. Fracassi, T. Franck, F. Kapmeier, V. Kurker, E. Johnston, A. P. Jones and K. Rath (2018). "Combining role-play with interactive simulation to motivate informed climate action: Evidence from the World Climate simulation." PLOS ONE 13(8): e0202877.10.1371/journal.pone.0202877
  • Sterman, J. D., L. Siegel and J. N. Rooney-Varga (2018). "Does replacing coal with wood lower CO2 emissions? Dynamic lifecycle analysis of wood bioenergy." Environ Res Lett 13(1): 015007
  • Sterman, J. D., L. Siegel and J. N. Rooney-Varga (2018). "Reply to comment on ‘Does replacing coal with wood lower CO2 emissions? Dynamic lifecycle analysis of wood bioenergy’." Environ Res Lett 13(12): 128003.10.1088/1748-9326/aaf354 
  • Rooney-Varga, J. N., E. Fracassi, T. Franck, F. Kapmeier, C. McCarthy, K. S. McNeal, N. Norfles, K. Rath and J. D. Sterman (2021). A Simulation Game that Motivates People to Act on Climate. World Scientific Encyclopedia of Climate Change: Case Studies of Climate Risk, Action, and Opportunity. J. W. Dash, World Scientific. 3. 
  • Rooney-Varga, J. N., M. Hensel, C. McCarthy, K. McNeal, N. Norfles, K. Rath, A. H. Schnell and J. D. Sterman (2021). "Building Consensus for Ambitious Climate Action Through the World Climate Simulation." Earth's Future 9(12): e2021EF002283.
  • Sterman, J., W. Moomaw, J. N. Rooney-Varga and L. Siegel (2022). "Does wood bioenergy help or harm the climate?" Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists 78(3): 128-138.10.1080/00963402.2022.2062933 
  • Hensel, M., J. Bryan, C. McCarthy, K. S. McNeal, N. Norfles, K. Rath and J. N. Rooney-Varga (2023). "Participatory approaches enhance a sense of urgency and collective efficacy about climate change: Qualitative evidence from the world climate simulation." J Geosci Ed 71(2): 177-191.10.1080/10899995.2022.2066927
  • Rooney-Varga, J. N., F. Kapmeier, C. Henderson and D. N. Ford (2024). "Community-based propagation to scale up educational innovations in sustainability." Nature Sustainability.10.1038/s41893-024-01446-z
  • Rooney-Varga, J. N., R. L. Coleman, A. P. Jones, F. Kapmeier, P. Newsome, K. Noiseux, B. Patten, K. Rath and J. D. Sterman (2025). "Interactive role-play with climate policy simulation can motivate evidence-based climate action." Communications Earth & Environment 6(1): 769.10.1038/s43247-025-02744-w
  • Rooney-Varga, J. N., L. Cheney, R. L. Coleman, A. P. Jones, F. Kapmeier, P. Newsome, K. Noiseux, B. Patten, K. Rath and J. D. Sterman (2026). "Interactive simulation with En-ROADS spurs climate action among decision-makers." npj Climate Action 5(1): 36.10.1038/s44168-026-00348-4

Selected Presentations

  • Interactive simulation to create our climate and energy future - TTI/Vanguard, March 2022 - Boston, MA
  • UBS Americas Sustainable Finance Conference - ESG Data: Data in Investment Context – Academic vs Pragmatic Approach - UBS Investment Bank, October 19, 2021 - New York City
  • Evaluating the Solutions: What Integrated Assessment Models Tell Us - American Meteorological Society Annual Meeting, January 15, 2020 - Boston, MA
  • Interactive Simulations and Systems Thinking to Broaden Pathways into the Geosciences - National Science Foundation Geopaths PI Meeting, April 24, 2019 - Alexandria, VA
  • What is your path to a sustainable future? - Enel Green Power North America, Inc., October 15, 2019 - Andover, MA
  • Changing the Odds: Transformative Games to Address Climate Change, October 2012 - Boston, MA
  • Multisolving climate change, public health and wellbeing: A framework for bringing win-win solutions into your classroom - CLEAN (Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness Network) Webinar, May 7, 2019
  • Interactive simulations to enhance student learning, motivation and leadership - The Council for Opportunity in Education National Conference, September 14, 2018 - New York City, NY
  • The World Climate Simulation - United Nations Youth Assembly, February 16, 2018 - New York City, NY
  • What does climate and sustainability leadership look like? An interactive simulation and discussion about UMass Lowell, our communities and our future - January 11, 2018 - UMass Lowell, Lowell, MA
  • With John Sterman, Does replacing coal with wood lower CO2 emissions? Dynamic lifecycle analysis of wood bioenergy - Woods Hole Research Center, October 30, 2017 - Falmouth, MA
  • Bring NSF-Funded Projects and Potential to your Students: The Geo-Interactive Project - Council for Opportunity in Education, September 15, 2017 - Washington, D.C.
  • Invited Keynote Presentation, Embracing a Climate-Resilient Future - New England Water Environment Annual Conference, July 12, 2017 - Lowell, MA
  • Negotiating a Global Climate Agreement Using the C-ROADS Climate Policy Simulator - Army War College, June 23, 2017 - Carlisle, PA
  • Connecting the Dots: Climate Change, UMass Lowell and You - UMass Lowell Freshman Opening Weekend, September 2012 - Lowell, MA
  • Green Campus Trailblazers Keynote Presentation - Massachusetts Sustainability Conference, April 2012 - Boston, MA
  • Engaging universities, schools and our broader communities in climate change education - Massachusetts Sustainable Communities Conference, April 2012 - Boston, MA
  • UMass Lowell Goes Green Event, March 2012 - Lowell, MA
  • Relationships between soil organic matter, nutrients, bacterial community structure and the performance of microbial fuel cells", January 2012 - Woods Hole, MA
  • Microbial fuel cells: What makes them go? - UMass School of Marine Sciences Annual Research Symposium, January 2012 - Boston, MA
  • Climate Change Education: Student Media Production to Educate, Engage and Inspire, 2011
  • - NSF-Sponsored Carbon Smarts Conference, October 2011 - University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell MA
  • - iCODE (Internet Community of Design Engineers), 2009 - Lowell, MA
  • Exploring the phycosphere: Links between bacteria and toxic algae in the Gulf of Maine, April 2008 - Amherst, MA
  • Interactions between bacteria and toxic algae: a new way to understand and control harmful algal blooms?, February 2005 - Storrs, CT
  • Bacteria-Phytoplankton Interactions - Census of Marine Life Meeting, 2004 - Boothbay Harbor, ME
  • Marine Microbial Diversity: Links Between Phytoplankton and Bacteria, January 2004
  • Microbial Diversity in the Ocean: New Forms of Life and Ecological Interactions, October 2003 - Lowell, Massachusetts
  • Interactions Between Marine Bacteria and the Toxic Alga, Alexandrium fundyense, March 2002 - North Dartmouth, MA
  • - American Geophysical Union General Meeting, 2001 - Boston MA
  • Microbial Communities Associated with Anaerobic Degradation of Benzene - American Geophysical Union Meeting, June 2001
  • Bacteria-Alexandrium Interactions: Stimulation of Growth and Putative Paralytic Shellfish Toxin Production by Marine Bacteria, January 2001 - Durham, NH
  • Development and Application of a Course Web Site for Principles of Ecology Lecture and Laboratory courses, April 2000 - Lowell, MA
  • Influences of Bacterial Assemblages from the Bay of Fundy on Alexandrium fundyense, January 2000 - Durham, NH
  • Bacterial Community Dynamics and Interactions with Alexandrium spp. in the Gulf of Maine, June 1999
  • Biodegradation of Benzene and Toluene Under Fe(III)-Reducing Conditions, February 1999 - Lowell, MA
  • - American Society for Microbiology General Meeting, 1998
  • Microbial Communities Associated with Anaerobic Benzene Degradation in Petroleum-Contaminated Aquifers, November 1998 - Boston, MA
  • Association of Geobacteraceae spp. with Benzene and Toluene Degradation in an Anoxic Petroleum-Contaminated Aquifer - American Society for Microbiology General Meeting, May 1998
  • Development and Application of Functional Gene Probes to Study Microbial Processes In Situ, December 1997 - Amherst, MA
  • A Molecular Phylogenetic Approach to Studying Sulfate-Reducing Bacteria in a Salt Marsh Sediment, April 1997 - Cambridge, MA
  • "Phylogenetic Diversity and Community Structure of Sulfate-Reducing Bacteria in a Salt Marsh Sediment", October 1996
  • "Population Dynamics of Uncultivated Sulfate-Reducing Bacteria in a Salt Marsh Sediment, August 1996 - Amherst, MA

Selected Contracts, Fellowships, Grants and Sponsored Research

  • 2026-2027 Rooney-Varga, J. N. (PI), M. Barlow (Co-PI), A. Louhghalam (Co-PI), T. Franck (Co-PI). Liberty Mutual Insurance Company. Climate and energy transition risks to power grid resilience. (Private company). $200,000 
  • 2024-2027 Rooney-Varga, J.N. (PI), M. Barlow (Co-PI), A. Louhghalam (Co-PI), J. Winbourne (Co-PI); T.C. Chakraborty (Co-PI). U.S. Department of Energy. “Massachusetts Gateway Cities Resilience Center” (Federal). $1M 
  • 2023-2025 Rooney-Vraga, J.N. (Co-PI), A. Perliger (PI); UMass Lowell. “Understanding how Extreme Weather Events Impact and Communities’ Social Resiliency and Human Security.” (Internal UMass Lowell grant). $15,000 
  • 2023-2026 Rooney-Varga, J.N. (PI); Massachusetts Clean Energy Center. “Mobilizing social diffusion to accelerate participation in decarbonization programs in environmental justice communities.” (State). $149,753 
  • 2022-2025 Rooney-Varga, J. N. (Co-PI), M. Kenney (PI), Roehrig, G. (Co-PI); National Science Foundation. “Employing Peer Mentoring to Empower Youth to Become 21st Century Energy Leaders.” (Terminated by federal government in April 2025). $1,270,517 
  • 2021-2025 Rooney-Varga, J.N. (Co-PI); B. Patten (PI). Sequoia Foundation. “The Climate Pathways Project.” (Private). $436,000 
  • 2022-2023 Principal Investigator. National Science Foundation. “SCC-CIVIC-PG Track A: Accelerating diffusion of energy efficiency programs in under-represented communities through social networks.” $49,611 
  • 2018-2022 Co-PI; National Science Foundation. “iStronG (Inclusive, Strong and Green): A student-centered systems thinking, place-based and technology driven curriculum.” $1,217,770
  • Collaborative Research: SIMS: SustainabIlity with DynaMic Systems: A community-based development and propagation model to promote system dynamics for sustainability (2018), Grant - NSF-IUSE
    Sobkowicz Kline, M.J., Rooney-Varga, J.N., Barlow, M.
  • IUSE: Systems in Sustainability: Transforming undergraduate education across disciplines through systems thinking and dynamic modeling in sustainability (2019), Sponsored Research - National Science Foundation
    Rooney-Varga, J.N.
  • GP:IMPACT: Interactive Simulations and Systems Thinking to Broaden Pathways into the Geosciences (2017), Sponsored Research - National Science Foundation
    Rooney-Varga, J.N.
  • Transforming Mental Models of Climate Change Through Simulations, Games and Systems Thinking. (2013), Sponsored Research - National Science Foundation
    Rooney-Varga, J.N. (Principal)
  • Climate Change Education: Science, Solutions and Education in an Age of Media (2010), Sponsored Research - National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Rooney-Varga, J.N. (Principal)
  • Investigation of Microbial Fuel Cell Performance (2010), Grant - Sigma Xi
    Rooney-Varga, J.N. (Principal)
  • Bacterial Diversity in Soil-Based Microbial Fuel Cells. (2010), Sponsored Research - Trophos Energy Inc.
    Rooney-Varga, J.N.
  • Investigation of Microbial Fuel Cell Performance Project (2010), Grant -
    Rooney-Varga, J.N. (Principal)
  • Impact of Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) on the Activity and Microbial Communities of Activated Sludge Used in Wastewater Treatment. (2009), Sponsored Research - UMass Water Resources Research Center
  • Characterization of the microbial community in the particle-rich, marine benthic nepheloid layer (BNL). (2008), Sponsored Research - UMass School of Marine Sciences
  • Microeukaryote diversity in the Gulf of Maine: Under-explored microbial diversity in a well-studied coastal marine ecosystem. (2007), Grant - International Census of Marine Microbes
  • Impact of Nanoparticles on the Activated Sludge Process: Effects on Microbial Com (2009), Grant - GEOLOGICAL SURVEY USGS
    Rooney-Varga, J.N. (Principal)
  • The Impact of Nanomaterials on Microbial Processes and Community Dynamics in Wastewater Reactors. (2007), Sponsored Research - University of Massachusetts Lowell Committee of Federated Centers and Institutes
  • Specificity of bacterial interactions with the red tide alga, Alexandrium fundyense: Can marine bacteria be used to specifically control harmful algal blooms? (2006), Sponsored Research - University of Massachusetts Lowell Committee of Federated Centers and Institutes
  • Technical Consultant, "Microbiological water quality in sensory deprivation tanks at Driftaway Spa." (2006), Contract - Driftaway Spa, Inc.
  • Bacteria-Phytoplankton Interactions: The Influence of Marine Bacteria on Alexandrium spp. Blooms in the Gulf of Maine. (2001), Sponsored Research - National Science Foundation
  • Microbial Community Dynamics in Arctic Peatlands. (2003), Sponsored Research - University of Massachusetts Lowell Committee of Federated Centers and Institutes
  • Collaborative Research: Acetate biogeochemistry in Northern Wetlands: Implications for Methane Formation During Climate Change. (2001), Sponsored Research - National Science Foundation
  • Research Experience for Undergraduates: Acetate Biogeochemistry in Northern Wetlands: Implications for Methane Formation During Climate Change (2001), Sponsored Research - National Science Foundation
  • Bacterial Community Diversity and Interactions with Alexandriumspp spp. In the Gulf of Maine. (2000), Grant - Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  • Bacterial Inhibition of a Toxic Dinoflagellate (Alexandrium fundyense) That Causes Red Tides in the Gulf of Maine. (2000), Grant - University of Massachusetts Lowell
  • Influence of Marine Bacteria on Growth and Toxin Production by Alexandrium sp. str. CB301. (2000), Sponsored Research - University of Massachusetts Lowell Office of Collaborative Research
  • Relationships between Bacterial Communities (1999), Grant - UMass-National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration CMER Program
  • Effects of Natural Anti-Microbial Compounds on Biodegradation of Textiles and Plastics Effects of Natural Anti-Microbial Compounds on Biodegradation of Textiles and Plastics. (1998), Contract - Burlington Scientific, Inc.
  • The Role of Bacteria in the Population Dynamics of Alexandrium spp. in the Gulf of Maine. (1998), Grant - UMass Lowell
  • An In Situ Hybridization Study of a Rhizobacterial Community. (1995), Grant - National Science Foundation