Meet PLOS Climate Section Editor Desiree Rose

In this blog post, we speak to Desiree Rose, PLOS Climate Section Editor for Adaptation.

Could you tell us a bit about how you ended up in your area of study?

My background is originally in nursing, and I spent several years working as an emergency department nurse in both rural and urban settings. In this role, I saw firsthand how climate impacts could significantly influence health. This experience sparked my initial interest in learning how communities are preparing for the health impacts of climate change. I was particularly drawn to the potential solutions urban planning seemed to hold for reducing this major risk. As a result, I went on to pursue graduate studies in urban and regional planning, where I became involved with a research lab that focused on climate adaptation and resilience. Here, I began exploring the relationship between climate adaptation and health.

What’s the focus of your current work, and what questions or issues are you hoping to address?

The focus of my research is situated at the intersection of climate adaptation, urban planning/policy, and public health. As climate impacts continue to increase in frequency and severity, the risk to human health grows. Climate adaptation has been identified as an effective strategy for reducing poor health outcomes associated with climate change. As such, my research seeks to shed light on perceptions, progress, and planning processes related to health-focused climate adaptation in Canadian communities.  

Why do the principles of Open Access and Open Science matter to you?

I believe it’s essential that science is accessible to everyone. Restricting the dissemination of research by confining it behind paywalls perpetuates a system that only benefits a select few, while doing a disservice to scientific progress. Open Access and Open Science are particularly relevant in the climate change context. The response to climate change requires a “whole-of-society” approach– a collaborative effort involving researchers, policymakers, and the general public. For such a collaboration to be effective, everyone must have free access to a robust body of climate research that can inform sound decision-making.

Why did you decide to join PLOS Climate as a Section Editor?

I was excited to join PLOS Climate for several reasons, particularly the journal’s dedication to Open Access publishing, strong support for Early Career Researchers, and specific focus on contributing to the climate response. As a PhD student studying climate adaptation, this role presented a valuable opportunity to deepen my engagement with my field of research, explore innovative and emerging ideas, and gain experience with the academic publishing process.

What kind of papers would you be particularly excited to see submitted to your section of PLOS Climate?

I would be particularly interested to see paper submissions that explore local-scale scale climate adaptation in rural, remote and northern communities. These perspectives are generally under-represented within climate adaptation research, leaving a large gap in the literature. Given that these communities often experience increased vulnerability to climate impacts, there remains a critical need to shed light on factors that influence progress on adaptation in these unique contexts.

Ready to submit your work to PLOS Climate‘s Adaptation section? Follow our step-by-step guide to the submission process!