Senior Data Scientist
Senior Data Scientist

Biography

Chris Vernon is a senior data scientist at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory who focuses on strategy and research to integrate and explore multi-sector dynamics in multi-model systems. He specializes in providing science-relevant solutions using combinations of machine learning, artificial intelligence, natural language processing, geospatial sciences, graph-based systems, and software engineering. Chris is passionate about mentoring and ensuring others have opportunities to reach their highest potential.

Learn more about Chris's work on GitHub and Google Scholar.

Research Interest

  • Integrated modeling to explore multi-sector, multiscale dynamics in human–Earth systems
  • Building science-relevant artificial intelligence enabled systems 
  • Interpretable machine learning
  • Geospatial algorithm development
  • Graph-based strategic planning and insight extraction
  • Exploratory modeling
  • Building and evangelizing open software capabilities
  • Geospatial Information Sciences and Technology (GIST)
  • Software development
  • Workflow optimization
  • Team leadership

Disciplines and Skills

  • Python and lots of other programming languages
  • Natural Language Processing
  • Machine learning
  • Artificial intelligence 
  • Graph-based systems
  • Database management systems
  • High-performance computing
  • Workflow optimization
  • Leading teams of developers and scientists

Education

  • MS in geospatial information science and technology, North Carolina State University, 2014
  • Graduate Certificate in Geographic Information Systems, Portland State University, Portland, OR. 2012
  • BS in environmental science, University of Tennessee Chattanooga, 2010
  • AA in business, Western International University, 2007

Affiliations and Professional Service

  • Associate Editor-in-Chief of the Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, and Machine Learning submission track for the Journal of Open Source Software
  • MultiSector Dynamics Community of Practice facilitation team member
  • Community Surface Dynamics Modeling System human dimensions focus research group member
  • MSD-LIVE scientific steering group member
  • American Geophysical Union member
  • Open Modeling Foundation voting member
  • International Congress on Environmental Modelling and Software (iEMS)

Awards and Recognitions

  • 2012 EERE Project Team of the Year Award, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
  • 2011 Outstanding Performance Award, Energy and Environment Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
  • 2010 University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s Outstanding Senior Award
  • 2009 Department of Energy’s Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internship (SULI) Program

Publications

2025

  • Akdemir K., K. Mongird, J. Kern, K. Oikonomou, N. Voisin, C.D. Burleyson, and J.S. Rice, et al. 2025. "Investigating the effects of cooperative transmission expansion planning on grid performance during heat waves with varying spatial scales." Applied Energy 378, no. Part A:Art No. 124825. PNNL-SA-201280. doi:10.1016/j.apenergy.2024.124825
  • Gurgel A., K. Narayan, J.M. Reilly, X. Gao, C.R. Vernon, J.F. Morris, and C. Schlosser, et al. 2025. "Future spatially explicit patterns of land transitions in the United States with multiple stressors." Earth's Future 13, no. 6:e2024EF005016. PNNL-SA-200100. doi:10.1029/2024EF005016

2024

  • Gupta R., C.R. Vernon, T.B. Thurber, D. Gold, Z. Hirsch, A. Hadjimichael, and P. Reed. 2024. "statemodify: a Python framework to facilitate 1 accessible exploratory modeling for discovering 2 drought vulnerabilities." Journal of Open Source Software 9, no. 96:6325. PNNL-SA-194000. doi:10.21105/joss.06325
  • Hadjimichael A., P. Reed, J.D. Quinn, C.R. Vernon, and T.B. Thurber. 2024. "Scenario storyline discovery for planning in multi-actor human-natural systems confronting change." Earth's Future 12, no. 9:Art. No. e2023EF004252. PNNL-SA-192858. doi:10.1029/2023EF004252
  • Hirsch Z., H.B. Zeff, R. Gupta, C.R. Vernon, P. Reed, and G. Characklis. 2024. "Two-Way Option Contracts That Facilitate Adaptive Water Reallocation in the Western United States." Earth's Future 12, no. 11:Art. No. e2024EF004434. PNNL-SA-192641. doi:10.1029/2024EF004434
  • McManamay R., A. Raad, C.R. Vernon, T.B. Thurber, J. Gao, S. Powers, and B. O'Neill. 2024. "Divergent Urban Land Trajectories Under Alternative Population Projections within the Shared Socioeconomic Pathways." Environmental Research Letters. PNNL-SA-191851. doi:10.1088/1748-9326/ad2eec
  • McManamay R., C., M. Chen, I.F. Thompson, Z. Khan, and K. Narayan. 2024. "Dynamic urban land extensification is projected to lead to imbalances in the global land-carbon equilibrium." Communications Earth & Environment 5. PNNL-SA-185952. doi:10.1038/s43247-024-01231-y
  • Snyder A.C., K.R. Dorheim, C. Tebaldi, and C.R. Vernon. 2024. "STITCHES: a Python package to amalgamate existing Earth system model output into new scenario realizations." Journal of Open Source Software 9, no. 97:5525. PNNL-SA-179443. doi:10.21105/joss.05525
  • Sweet-Breu L., E.L. Rexer, C.R. Vernon, M. Allen-Dumas, and S. Krawczyk. 2024. "NATURF: A Package for Generating Urban Parameters for Numerical Weather Modeling." Journal of Open Source Software 9, no. 98:Art. No. 6712. PNNL-SA-194812. doi:10.21105/joss.06712
  • Thompson I.F., C.R. Vernon, and Z. Khan. 2024. "Tethys: A Spatiotemporal Downscaling Model for Global Water Demand." Journal of Open Source Software 9, no. 97:5855. PNNL-SA-186281. doi:10.21105/joss.05855
  • Zhao M., T.B. Wild, N.T. Graham, S.H. Kim, M.T. Binsted, A. Chowdhury, and S. Msangi, et al. 2024. "GCAM–GLORY v1.0: representing global reservoir water storage in a multi-sector human–Earth system model." Geoscientific Model Development 17. PNNL-SA-190476. doi:10.5194/gmd-17-5587-2024
  • Zhao X., M. Chepeliev, P.L. Patel, M.A. Wise, K.V. Calvin, K. Narayan, and C.R. Vernon. 2024. "gcamfaostat: An R package to prepare, process, and synthesize FAOSTAT data for global agroeconomic and multisector dynamic modeling." Journal of Open Source Software 9, no. 96:Art. No. 6388. PNNL-SA-192383. doi:10.21105/joss.06388
  • Zhao M., Z. Khan, K.R. Dorheim, and C.R. Vernon. 2024. "helios: An R package to process heating and cooling degrees for GCAM." Journal of Open Source Software 9, no. 94:Art. No. 6033. PNNL-SA-188047. doi:10.21105/joss.06033

2023

  • Abeshu G.W., F. Tian, T.B. Wild, M. Zhao, S.W. Turner, A. Chowdhury, and C.R. Vernon, et al. 2023. "Enhancing the representation of water management in global hydrological models." Geoscientific Model Development 16, no. 18:5449‚Äì5472. PNNL-SA-189980. doi:10.5194/gmd-16-5449-2023
  • Ahsan H., Z. Khan, A.C. Snyder, P. Kyle, and C.R. Vernon. 2023. "Osiris: An R package to process climate impacts on agricultural yields for the Global Change Analysis Model." Journal of Open Source Software 8, no. 85:5226. PNNL-SA-185763. doi:10.21105/joss.05226
  • Hejazi M., S. Santos Da Silva, F. Miralles-Wilhelm, S.H. Kim, P. Kyle, Y. Liu, and C.R. Vernon, et al. 2023. "Impacts of water scarcity on agricultural production and electricity generation in the Middle East and North Africa." Frontiers in Environmental Science 11. PNNL-SA-190423. doi:10.3389/fenvs.2023.1082930
  • Khan Z., I.F. Thompson, C.R. Vernon, N.T. Graham, T. Wild, and M. Chen. 2023. "Global monthly sectoral water use for 2010-2100 at 0.5° resolution across alternative futures." Scientific Data 10. PNNL-SA-174645. doi:10.1038/s41597-023-02086-2
  • Vernon C.R., K. Mongird, K.D. Nelson, and J.S. Rice. 2023. Harmonized geospatial data to support infrastructure siting feasibility planning for energy system transitions. Scientific Data 10. PNNL-SA-170203. doi:10.1038/s41597-023-02694-y
  • Yan H., N. Sun, H.A. Eldardiry, T.B. Thurber, P. Reed, K. Malek, and R. Gupta, et al. 2023. "Characterizing uncertainty in Community Land Model version 5 hydrological applications in the United States." Scientific Data 10. PNNL-SA-177243. doi:10.1038/s41597-023-02049-7

2022

  • Di Vittorio A.V., K. Narayan, P.L. Patel, K.V. Calvin, and C.R. Vernon. 2022. "Doubling protected land area may be inefficient at preserving the extent of undeveloped land and could cause substantial regional shifts in land use." Global Change Biology Bioenergy. PNNL-SA-176670. doi:10.1111/gcbb.13016
  • Dolan F.C., J.R. Lamontagne, K.V. Calvin, A.C. Snyder, K. Narayan, A.V. Di Vittorio, and C.R. Vernon. 2022. "Modeling the economic and environmental impacts of land scarcity under deep uncertainty." Earth's Future 10, no. 2:e2021EF002466. PNNL-SA-167527. doi:10.1029/2021EF002466
  • Khan Z., M. Zhao, C.R. Vernon, T. Wild, and B.N. Yarlagadda. 2022. "rmap: An R package to plot and compare tabular data on customizable maps across scenarios and time." Journal of Open Source Software 7, no. 77:4015. PNNL-SA-168873. doi:10.21105/joss.04015
  • McGrath C.R., C.D. Burleyson, Z. Khan, A. Rahman, T.B. Thurber, C.R. Vernon, and N. Voisin, et al. 2022. "tell: A Python package to model future total electricity loads." Journal of Open Source Software 7, no. 79:4472. PNNL-SA-173932. doi:10.21105/joss.04472
  • McManamay R.A., C. Brinkley, C.R. Vernon, S. Raj, and J.S. Rice. 2022. "Urban land teleconnections in the United States: a graphical network approach." Computers, Environment and Urban Systems 95. PNNL-SA-163659. doi:10.1016/j.compenvurbsys.2022.101822
  • Sampedro Martinez de Estivariz J., Z. Khan, C.R. Vernon, S.J. Smith, S.T. Waldhoff, and R. Van Dingenen:. 2022. "rfasst: An R tool to estimate air pollution impacts on health and agriculture." Journal of Open Source Software 7, no. 69:Art. no. 3820. PNNL-SA-163482. doi:10.21105/joss.03820

2021

  • Khan Z., T.B. Wild, G.C. Iyer, M.I. Hejazi, and C.R. Vernon. 2021. "The future evolution of energy-water-agriculture interconnectivity across the U.S." Environmental Research Letters 16, no. 6:065010. PNNL-SA-159533. doi:10.1088/1748-9326/ac046c
  • Li X., Y. Zhou, M.I. Hejazi, M.A. Wise, C.R. Vernon, G.C. Iyer, and W. Chen. 2021. "Global urban growth between 1870 and 2100 from integrated high resolution mapped data and urban dynamic modeling." Communications Earth & Environment 2. PNNL-SA-158560. doi:10.1038/s43247-021-00273-w
  • McManamay R.A., C.R. Vernon, and H.I. Jager. 2021. "Global Biodiversity Implications of Alternative Electrification Strategies Under the Shared Socioeconomic Pathways." Biological Conservation 260. PNNL-SA-161542. doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2021.109234
  • Narayan K., C.R. Vernon, S.T. Waldhoff, J.A. Edmonds, and R. Cui. 2021. "ambrosia: An R package for calculating and analyzing food demand that is responsive to changing incomes and prices." Journal of Open Source Software 6, no. 59:2890. PNNL-SA-157944. doi:10.21105/joss.02890
  • Nelson K.D., S. Turner, C.R. Vernon, and J.S. Rice. 2021. "gamut: A Geospatial R Package to Analyze Multisectoral Urban Teleconnections." Journal of Open Source Software 6, no. 66:Art. No. 3383. PNNL-SA-161635. doi:10.21105/joss.03383
  • Santos Da Silva S.R., G.C. Iyer, T.B. Wild, M. Hejazi, C.R. Vernon, M.T. Binsted, and F. Miralles-Wilhelm. 2021. "The implications of uncertain renewable resource potentials for global wind and solar electricity projections." Environmental Research Letters 16, no. 12:Art. No. 124060. PNNL-SA-162946. doi:10.1088/1748-9326/ac3c6b
  • Santos Da Silva S., M.I. Hejazi, G.C. Iyer, T. Wild, M.T. Binsted, F. Miralles-Wilhelm, and P.L. Patel, et al. 2021. "Power sector investment implications of climate impacts on renewable resources in Latin America and the Caribbean." Nature Communications 12, no. 1:Article No. 1276. PNNL-SA-154178. doi:10.1038/s41467-021-21502-y
  • Smith A.D., B.G. Stuermer, T.B. Thurber, and C.R. Vernon. 2021. "diyepw: A Python package for Do-It-Yourself EnergyPlus weather file generation." Journal of Open Source Software 6, no. 64:3313. PNNL-SA-161402. doi:10.21105/joss.03313
  • Thurber T.B., C.R. Vernon, N. Sun, S. Turner, J.J. Yoon, and N. Voisin. 2021. "mosartwmpy: A Python implementation of the MOSART-WM coupled hydrologic routing and water management model." Journal of Open Source Software 6, no. 62:3221. PNNL-SA-161232. doi:10.21105/joss.03221
  • Turner S., J.S. Rice, K.D. Nelson, C.R. Vernon, R. McManamay, K. Dickson, and L. Marston. 2021. "Comparison of potential drinking water source contamination across one hundred U.S. cities." Nature Communications 12. PNNL-SA-160268. doi:10.1038/s41467-021-27509-9
  • Vernon C.R., J.S. Rice, N. Zuljevic, K. Mongird, K.D. Nelson, G.C. Iyer, and N. Voisin, et al. 2021. "cerf: A Python package to evaluate the feasibility and costs of power plant siting for alternative futures." Journal of Open Source Software 6, no. 65:Art. No. 3601. PNNL-SA-164611. doi:10.21105/joss.03601
  • Wild T.B., Z. Khan, M. Zhao, M.P. Suriano, J.C. Lacal Bereslawski, P. Roberts, and J. Casado, et al. 2021. "The Implications of Global Change for the Co-Evolution of Argentina’s Integrated Energy-Water-Land Systems." Earth's Future 9, no. 8:Article No. e2020EF001970. PNNL-SA-165243. doi:10.1029/2020EF001970
  • Zhao M., M.T. Binsted, T.B. Wild, Z. Khan, B.N. Yarlagadda, G.C. Iyer, and C.R. Vernon, et al. 2021. "plutus: An R package to calculate electricity investments and stranded assets from the Global Change Analysis Model (GCAM)." Journal of Open Source Software 6, no. 65:3212. PNNL-SA-162209. doi:10.21105/joss.03212

2020

  • Chen M., C.R. Vernon, N.T. Graham, M.I. Hejazi, M. Huang, Y. Cheng, and K.V. Calvin. 2020. "Global land use for 2015-2100 at 0.05° resolution under diverse socioeconomic and climate scenarios." Scientific Data 7, no. 1:320. PNNL-SA-155943. doi:10.1038/s41597-020-00669-x
  • Di Vittorio A., C.R. Vernon, and S. Shu. 2020. "Moirai Version 3: A Data Processing System to Generate Recent Historical Land Inputs for Global Modeling Applications at Various Scales." Journal of Open Research Software 8, no. 1:1. PNNL-SA-142149. doi:10.5334/jors.266
  • Evanoff J.E., C.R. Vernon, S.T. Waldhoff, A.C. Snyder, and C.A. Hartin. 2020. "hectorui: A web-based interactive scenario builder and visualization application for the Hector climate model." Journal of Open Source Software 5, no. 56:Article No. 2782. PNNL-SA-156861. doi:10.21105/joss.02782
  • Graham N.T., M.I. Hejazi, M. Chen, E. Davies, J.A. Edmonds, S.H. Kim, and S. Turner, et al. 2020. "Humans drive future water scarcity changes across all Shared Socioeconomic Pathways." Environmental Research Letters 15, no. 1:Article No. 014007. PNNL-SA-151297. doi:10.1088/1748-9326/ab639b
  • Kaiser K.E., A. Flores, and C.R. Vernon. 2020. "Janus: A Python Package for Agent-Based Modeling of Land Use Change." Journal of Open Research Software 8, no. 1:15. PNNL-SA-148545. doi:10.5334/jors.306
  • Khan Z., T.B. Wild, M. Silva Carrazzone, R. Gaudioso, M. Mascari, F. Bianchi, and F. Weinstein, et al. 2020. "Integrated energy-water-land nexus planning to guide national policy: an example from Uruguay." Environmental Research Letters 15, no. 9. PNNL-SA-150376. doi:10.1088/1748-9326/ab9389
  • Khan Z., T.B. Wild, C.R. Vernon, A. Miller, M.I. Hejazi, L.E. Clarke, and F.R. Miralles-Wilhelm, et al. 2020. "Metis, A tool to harmonize and analyze multi-sectoral data and linkages at variable spatial scales." Journal of Open Research Software 8, no. 1:Article No. 292. PNNL-SA-146642. doi:10.5334/JORS.292
  • Link R.P., T. Wild, A.C. Snyder, M.I. Hejazi, and C.R. Vernon. 2020. "100 Years of Data is Not Enough to Establish Reliable Drought Thresholds." Journal of Hydrology X 7, no. X:100052. PNNL-SA-144280. doi:10.1016/j.hydroa.2020.100052
  • Liss S.A., K.R. Znotinas, J.S. Hughes, B.J. Bellgraph, C.R. Vernon, R.A. Harnish, and E.S. Fischer, et al. 2020. Evaluation of Foster Dam Juvenile Fish Passage, 2018: Final Report. PNNL-29587. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Evaluation of Foster Dam Juvenile Fish Passage, 2018: Final Report

2019

  • Chen M., C.R. Vernon, M. Huang, K.V. Calvin, and I.P. Kraucunas. 2019. "Calibration and analysis of the uncertainty in downscaling global land use and land cover projections from GCAM using Demeter (v1.0.0)." Geoscientific Model Development 12, no. 5:1753‚Äì1764. PNNL-SA-143284. doi:10.5194/gmd-12-1753-2019
  • Huang Z., M.I. Hejazi, Q. Tang, C.R. Vernon, Y. Liu, M. Chen, and K.V. Calvin. 2019. "Global agricultural green and blue water consumption under future climate and land use changes." Journal of Hydrology 574. PNNL-SA-137028. doi:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2019.04.046
  • Vernon C.R., M.I. Hejazi, S. Turner, Y. Liu, C.J. Braun, X. Li, and R.P. Link. 2019. "A Global Hydrologic Framework to Accelerate Scientific Discovery." Journal of Open Research Software 7, no. 1:Article No. 1. PNNL-SA-137438. doi:10.5334/jors.245

2018

  • Graham N.T., E. Davies, M.I. Hejazi, K.V. Calvin, S.H. Kim, L. Helinski, and F. Miralles-Wilhelm, et al. 2018. "Water Sector Assumptions for the Shared Socioeconomic Pathways in an Integrated Modeling framework." Water Resources Research 54, no. 9:6423-6440. PNNL-SA-126476. doi:10.1029/2018WR023452
  • Huang Z., M.I. Hejazi, X. Li, Q. Tang, C.R. Vernon, G. Leng, and Y. Liu, et al. 2018. "Reconstruction of global gridded monthly sectoral water withdrawals for 1971-2010 and analysis of their spatiotemporal patterns." Hydrology and Earth System Sciences 22, no. 4:2117-2133. PNNL-SA-129126. doi:10.5194/hess-22-2117-2018
  • Li X., C.R. Vernon, M.I. Hejazi, R.P. Link, Z. Huang, L. Liu, and L. Feng. 2018. "Tethys ‚Äì A Python Package for Spatial and Temporal Downscaling of Global Water Withdrawals." Journal of Open Research Software 6, no. 1:9. PNNL-SA-129638. doi:10.5334/jors.197
  • Vernon C.R., N. Zuljevic, J.S. Rice, T.E. Seiple, M. Kintner-Meyer, N. Voisin, and I.P. Kraucunas, et al. 2018. "CERF - A Geospatial Model for Assessing Future Energy Production Technology Expansion Feasibility." Journal of Open Research Software 6, no. 1:20. PNNL-SA-133523. doi:10.5334/jors.227
  • Vernon C.R., Y.L. Le Page, M. Chen, M. Huang, K.V. Calvin, I.P. Kraucunas, and C.J. Braun. 2018. "Demeter, A land use and land cover change disaggregation model." Journal of Open Research Software 6, no. 1:Article No. 15. PNNL-SA-131044. doi:10.5334/jors.208
  • Vernon C.R., J.S. Rice, N. Zuljevic, T.E. Seiple, M. Kintner-Meyer, C. Jin, and J. Olson, et al. 2018. "CERF - A Geospatial Model for Assessing Future Energy Production Technology Expansion Feasibility." Journal of Open Research Software. PNNL-SA-125186. doi:10.5334/jors.227

2017

  • Li X., C.R. Vernon, M.I. Hejazi, R.P. Link, L. Feng, Y. Liu, and L.T. Rauchenstein. 2017. "Xanthos - A Global Hydrologic Model." Journal of Open Research Software 5, no. 1:21. PNNL-SA-126584. doi:10.5334/jors.181

2015

  • Hejazi MI, N Voisin, L Liu, LM Bramer, DC Fortin, M Huang, JE Hathaway, GP Kyle, LYR Leung, H Li, Y Liu, PL Patel, TC Pulsipher, JS Rice, TK Tesfa, CR Vernon, and Y Zhou. 2015. "21st Century United States Emissions Mitigation Could Increase Water Stress more than the Climate Change it is Mitigating." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) 112, no. 34:10635-10640. PNNL-SA-105956. doi:10.1073/pnas.1421675112

2013

  • Vernon CR, EV Arntzen, MC Richmond, RA McManamay, TP Hanrahan, and CL Rakowski. 2013. GIS framework for large river geomorphic classification to aid in the evaluation of flow-ecology relationships. PNNL-22296, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA.

2011

  • Geist DR, TP Hanrahan, CR Vernon, RP Mueller. 2011. Investigation of habitat modification in the Wanapum Dam tailrace to increase quantity of fall Chinook salmon spawning habitat. PNNL, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA.
  • Ham KD, CR Vernon, and WA Haerer. 2011. Inventory and analysis of models to support ecosystem modeling analysis, Columbia River Treaty 2014/2024 program: fish. PNWD-4300, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA.
  • Ham KD, JL Downs, CA Duberstein, SS Hughes, CR Vernon, WA Haerer. 2011. Recommended approach for applying models of fish, wildlife, and cultural resources to support ecosystem modeling analysis, Columbia River Treaty 2014/2024 program. PNWD-4308, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA.
  • Hanrahan TP, and CR Vernon. 2011. Monitoring and assessment of the Grays River Gorley Springs restoration project: 2010 final report. PNNL-21028, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA.
  • Mueller RP, and CR Vernon. 2011. Evaluation of fallback and reascension of fall Chinook salmon as it relates to escapement to the Hanford Reach. PNNL, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA.

2010

  • Hanrahan TP, CR Vernon, AP Levell, EV Arntzen. 2010. Monitoring and assessment of the Grays River Gorley Springs restoration project: 2009 annual progress report. PNNL-19716, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA.