David Rounce
Director, CERCA
Associate Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering
David Rounce joined the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at Carnegie Mellon University in Fall 2020. He received his BS in civil engineering in 2010 from Villanova University and his master’s degree in environmental and water resources engineering in 2012 and Ph.D. in civil engineering in 2016 from the University of Texas at Austin. He conducted postdoctoral research in the Glaciers Group at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
Rounce’s research seeks to quantify the response of glaciers, water resources, and hazards to climate change to inform adaptation and mitigation efforts at local, regional, and global scales. His work uses computational models informed by remote sensing and grounded in fieldwork to produce actionable information.
Improving global access to data for climate change
Mountain Glacier Mass Change
Constraining the future evolution of glaciers in Alaska
Developing an energy balance model for glaciers in Alaska
Studying glaciers to help improve coastal communities
Urban storm water modeling for present and future
Faculty Insights
The Response of Glaciers, Water Resources, and Hazards to Climate Change
Education
2016 Ph.D., Civil Engineering, University of Texas at Austin
2012 MS, Environmental and Water Resources Engineering, University of Texas at Austin
2010 BS, Civil Engineering, Villanova University
Research Interests
Media mentions
Center for Engineering Resilience and Climate Adaptation
CERCA showcases climate resilience leadership at the National Adaptation Forum
CERCA showcased its leadership in climate resilience through student research, collaboration, and community-focused adaptation initiatives at the 2026 National Adaptation Forum.
CMU Engineering
Green infrastructure for Pittsburgh and beyond
Civil and environmental engineering researchers are partnering with local communities across Allegheny County to develop practical strategies for deploying green infrastructure and strengthening the region’s resilience against extreme weather.
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Seeing glaciers more clearly
A new remote sensing technique uses satellite radar data to deliver unprecedented insights into Alaska’s glacier melt, offering a clearer picture of their future.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Samaras and Rounce give insight on managing Pittsburgh's extreme weather
Scott Institute Director Costa Samaras and CEE’s David Rounce discuss how severe weather patterns in Pittsburgh require immediate action to protect local communities.
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Glaciers disappear by the thousands, history melts with them
A new international study projects loss for individual glaciers and warns of “peak glacier extinction,” finding that up to 4,000 glaciers could vanish each year.
The American Geophysical Union
Rounce receives early career award
CEE’s David Rounce has been selected by the American Geophysical Union as a recipient of the 2025 Cryosphere Early Career Award, which recognizes early career contributions to Cryospheric Sciences and Technology.
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Resilient infrastructure can’t wait
A new study provides decision-makers with strategies to build infrastructure that can withstand the increased rainfall that is projected under climate change in the interim of precedented federal guidance.
CMU Engineering
Climate policy can save half of the world’s glaciers
A study published in Science finds that twice as much of the world’s glacier mass could be preserved by meeting the 1.5°C threshold set by the Paris Agreement.
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Forecasting glacial floods to protect communities
Climate change has exacerbated glacier outburst floods, posing a growing threat to nearby communities like Juneau, Alaska. Researchers are developing robust models to better understand and predict glacial flooding and how it will evolve in the future.
CMU Engineering
Rounce receives early-career research fellowship
David Rounce was chosen for a research fellowship to study the effects of climate change and sea-level rise, and to develop coastal adaptation strategies in the Gulf of Mexico.
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Rounce receives inaugural Firn Award
CEE Assistant Professor David Rounce received the International Glaciology Society’s inaugural Firn Award for his pioneering research on debris-covered glaciers and glacier evolution modeling.
Civil and Environmental Engineering
CEE at COP28: energy justice and glacier projections
At the 28th annual United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28), CEE professors Destenie Nock and David Rounce discussed topics such as energy efficiency, climate mitigation, mountain glaciers, and global temperature rise.