Jeff Chambers

Research Bio

Jeffrey Q. Chambers is a Professor of Geography at UC Berkeley, and a Faculty Scientist in the Climate & Ecosystem Sciences Division at Berkeley Lab. His research is focused on terrestrial ecosystem ecology, forests and climate change, disturbance and recovery processes, and land-atmosphere interactions. Methods employed to address research questions include ecological and physiological field measurements, remote sensing analyses, and simulation modeling to codify knowledge and develop regional projections. He has more than 25 years of forest research experience, including current activities in Puerto Rico, Panama, the Brazilian Amazon, and California.

Research Expertise and Interest

forests, climate change, trees, tropical forests, remote sensing, Drought, hurricanes, fires

In the News

Featured in the Media

Please note: The views and opinions expressed in these articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or positions of UC Berkeley.
October 10, 2025

Jeff Chambers and colleagues have published a critical finding in the journal Nature, demonstrating how the world's most extensive tropical forest is facing a new and deadly climate regime. 

April 29, 2019
Ezra David Romero
Geography professor Jeffrey Chambers has modeled a computer program to help California quickly detect wildfires. He was inspired by real-time data -- including satellite photographs taken of the state every five minutes -- during the devastating Camp Fire last November, and decided it was just a matter of developing an app that could use the tools available to quickly spot fires and alert emergency responders. "We need some kind of a statewide way of coordinating this and these technological capabilities are an important part of helping to make that happen," he says. For more on this, see our press release at Berkeley News.

Teaching

Courses taught during the three most recent terms
2026 Spring
  • Earth System Remote Sensing  [GEOG 185]  

  • Supervised Independent Study  [GEOG 199]  

  • Directed Dissertation Research  [GEOG 296]  

  • Individual Research  [GEOG 299]  

  • Honors Course  [GEOG H195A]  

  • Honors Course  [GEOG H195B]  

2025 Fall
  • Biogeography  [ESPM C125]  

  • Supervised Independent Study  [GEOG 199]  

  • Directed Dissertation Research  [GEOG 296]  

  • Individual Research  [GEOG 299]  

  • Individual Study for Master's Students  [GEOG 601]  

  • Individual Study for Doctoral Students  [GEOG 602]  

  • Biogeography  [GEOG C148]  

  • Honors Course  [GEOG H195A]  

  • Biogeography  [INTEGBI C166]  

2025 Summer
  • Directed Dissertation Research  [GEOG 296]  

  • Directed Dissertation Research  [GEOG N296]  

  • Individual Research  [GEOG N299]  

2025 Spring
  • Earth System Remote Sensing  [GEOG 185]  

  • Supervised Independent Study  [GEOG 199]  

  • Directed Dissertation Research  [GEOG 296]  

  • Individual Research  [GEOG 299]  

  • Honors Course  [GEOG H195A]  

  • Honors Course  [GEOG H195B]