Dr. Mike Kuperberg

Dr. Mike Kuperberg is the Executive Director of the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP), on detail from the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Science, where he has managed environmental research programs. His areas of expertise include environmental toxicology, ecology, and carbon cycling. He also has a keen interest in Arctic research.

At DOE since 2003, Mike has been both a program manager and acting Division Director for basic science programs that support DOE’s missions in climate and environmental stewardship. He served as DOE’s Principal to USGCRP and DOE’s staff representative to the Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee. He led the U.S. Government reviews of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) from Working Group I and was a member of the U.S. review team for all of the other AR5 Working Group products. Within the Arctic Council’s Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program, Mike is a member of the U.S. Delegation, has served as the U.S. Head of Delegation, and co-led reports on Arctic methane and the Adaptation Actions for a Changing Climate project.

Prior to his position with the DOE, Mike spent approximately 17 years on the research faculty of Florida State University, most recently as Associate Director for Environmental Programs within the Center for Biomedical and Toxicological Research (CBTR). He received his Ph.D. in Environmental Toxicology from Florida A&M University in 1999. His doctoral dissertation topic was "Neural mechanisms of organophosphate pesticide (chlorpyrifos)-induced alterations in body temperature." He received his M.S. in Biology from Florida State University in 1986. His M.S. thesis topic was "Response of the marine macrophyte (Thalassia testudinum) to herbivory." Prior to his position at the CBTR, Mike was a Biological Scientist for the Center for Aquatic Research and Resource Management (CARRMA) at Florida State University. At the CARRMA, he was responsible for organizing and carrying out manipulative experiments and field sampling programs in coastal and aquatic systems throughout northwest Florida.