Dr. Dave Reidmiller is the inaugural Director of the Climate Center at the Gulf of Maine Research Institute (GMRI) where he works to raise awareness of how climate change affects people throughout the Gulf of Maine region—and what they can do about it.

He recently served as a climate advisor on the Biden-Harris Presidential Transition. Prior to joining GMRI, Dave served in a variety of senior positions for the federal government, including as Director of the Fourth National Climate Assessment in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, straddling both the Obama and Trump Administrations. As the Chief Climate Scientist at the State Department, he led U.S. engagement in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and served as the country's lead science and technology negotiator for the Paris Agreement. Dr. Reidmiller also served as a Fellow in the U.S. Senate advising on energy and natural resource matters, and as a Fellow at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine where he advanced climate and polar research. Dave has given over 100 public talks about climate change and published more than 20 peer-reviewed science articles covering everything from intercontinental transport of air pollution to how climate models should inform the policymaking process 

At GMRI, Dave and his team are building capacity in rural coastal communities to understand how sea level rise affects life on the waterfront, while exploring the consequences of different response options in community-led exercises. They're also working directly with fishing communities throughout the region to explore a variety of adaptation actions to insulate against climate risks and capitalize on newly emergent opportunities. When asked why he decided to get involved and support the Tidal Shift project, Dr. Reidmiller responded by saying, "Climate change can be exceedingly difficult for folks to wrap their head around. While it touches pretty much every aspect of life in every corner of the world, climate change–by definition–is a slow onset problem; it’s hard to show someone a picture of climate change. But great art calls up a feeling of immediacy – it makes the intangible, tangible." He went on to say, "Art is the answer to many of the challenges related to communicating climate change. And the generation of people participating in this project are the folks who are going to have to deal with the most dire impacts from climate change.  They’re the ones who will live, work, and innovate on a warmer planet. So, I’m excited and eager to see how these talented artists perceive and reflect climate change—and, in the process, learn more about its impact." 

Dave grew up in Rochester, New York, and attended Colgate University as an undergraduate to study chemistry. Wanting to better understand the natural world and how humanity can impact it, Dave pursued graduate studies in the Department of Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Washington. During his time in Seattle, Dave became increasingly drawn to the nexus of science and policy, ultimately paving the path for a post-graduate life serving to bridge the technical and policy worlds as they relate to climate change — ensuring the best available science is used appropriately to inform near- and long-term decisions facing communities. Dave and his partner, Katie, moved to South Portland with their dog, Atticus, last August. When not working, they enjoy sitting on their front stoop feeling really lucky that they finally have outdoor space—and are able to call a place as glorious as Maine, home.