Complex graphs, political cartoons and everything in between were part of Marion resident Dr. Jennifer Francis' presentation on climate change on Saturday, Jan 18.

The room at the Wareham Free Library was filled with many inquiring minds.

“This group had more questions than normal I would say. It was a really engaged group,” said Francis.

The presentation focused on how climate change impacts weather, and was hosted by the Wareham Land Trust. Francis' presentation focused on research connecting the rise of carbon dioxide levels in the Earth's atmosphere to the melting of ice caps and weather patterns.

The main focus of weather patterns involved the changes in the jet stream, becoming more wavy and slower. This means weather moves slower, making dry areas drier and wet areas wetter.

Francis, a research professor at Rutgers University, based her research using data from the last 30 years, as satellite imaging has become stronger in that time span.

“I hope everyone got something out of it,” Francis said.

Francis said holding presentations like this is important because it allows experts to make a complex -- but important -- subject accessible.

The presentation “reaches people more directly and more personally because I’m from the area,” Francis said. “It also gives them an opportunity to ask questions, which they would not be able to do if they just read it.”

As Francis mentioned, the audience raised many questions. Wareham resident Tom McShea was among the few skeptics, and raised numerous questions.
“From my point of view, as a geologist, I look at four and a half billion years. This earth has been covered with ice and it’s been hot as can be,” McShea said. “I just wanted to hear the other side. The debate is there.”

“I don’t think [climate change] matters. What’s going to happen is going to happen,” McShea added.

Francis embraces skeptics being in the audience.

“I’m glad he was here,” said Francis. “You can always talk to the choir, but that doesn’t get you very far.”

Kevin Bartsch of the Wareham Land Trust said felt that there were many inquisitive questions posed, making the event a success.

“We try to do a presentation like this every month,” Bartsch said. “We try to pick topics that would be interesting to the community, and find an appropriate speaker.”

Francis gave a similar speech at the Sippican Women’s club in 2012. There, Wareham resident Richard Wheeler reached out to Francis to do a presentation in Wareham.

Francis became interested in her field of study while growing up in Marion, sailing and soaking up her father’s interest in weather.

“When I was little, if there was anything interesting like a big storm… we’d go and see the boats breaking loose in the harbor,” said Francis. “I just started having an early fascination with weather and sailing.”

After figuring out that dentistry – her father’s profession -- was not for her, her love of weather was rekindled during a 5-year sailing expedition which took her and her husband around the world.

From there, Francis went back to college for meteorology, later “got hooked on research,” earning her PhD.

“Caring about the natural world is the fundamental baseline for caring about” climate change, Francis said.