Degree Day provides observation-calibrated climate intelligence
and independent technical advisory for infrastructure and asset risk
decisions.
in physical climate science and impacts, engineering, and natural disaster policy
NOAA, Arup, Ramboll, and WSP
For over 15 years, Degree Day’s team has conducted research on climate and extreme weather impacts. We partner with businesses, engineers, utilities, asset managers, and governments to deliver original, data-driven risk insights. While climate data are central to our work, we integrate diverse information sources and expert judgment. Our hands-on, interdisciplinary approach ensures practical, focused solutions tailored to real-world challenges.
We believe that physical climate risks require expert navigation. Data alone will fail to drive meaningful action, as climate model outputs are inherently limited. That’s why we take a tailored, evidence-based approach, interweaving multiple sources of data, contextual knowledge, and expert judgement to provide organizations with a comprehensive understanding of risk and measurable risk management benefits.
We recognize that organizations face resource constraints. That’s why we are committed to clearly demonstrating the financial value of proactive risk management, ensuring our clients see measurable returns on their investments in weather and climate risk management services.
Principal Scientist
D.J. Rasmussen is the Principal Scientist of Degree Day. He has provided expert guidance and conducted cutting-edge research on the technical, strategic, and policy challenges posed by climate risks for over 15 years.
D.J. has collaborated with Fortune 500 companies, data center operators, federal and state government agencies, utilities, and transit organizations to develop tailored strategies for managing extreme weather and climate-related risks and enhancing resilience.
Previously, he held roles at multinational engineering firms and was a research fellow at Princeton University and NOAA’s Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory, a pioneering institution in atmosphere-ocean climate modeling.
His expertise is reflected in numerous technical reports and peer-reviewed research published in leading scientific journals, including Science and Nature Climate Change. He received his PhD in Applied Climate Science, Impacts, and Policy from Princeton University.
Strategic Advisor
Dave Rasmussen provides strategic business guidance to Degree Day, drawing on over four decades of experience building and leading successful engineering consulting companies. He founded Turbine Consultants, Inc. in 1984, growing it into a recognized leader in steam and gas turbine failure analysis and repair services. Under his leadership, the company appeared multiple times on the Inc. 500 list of America's fastest-growing private companies before being acquired by Mechanical Dynamics & Analysis (MD&A) in 2001, and subsequently by Hitachi Power Systems in 2005.
Mr. Rasmussen holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and an MBA from Kent State University. His expertise in engineering services, contract management, and scaling technical consulting businesses provides valuable perspective as Degree Day expands its climate risk analytics and advisory services.
Technical Advisor - IT Infrastructure
James Poplawski serves as Technical Advisor for IT Infrastructure at Degree Day, providing expertise in network architecture, cloud connectivity, and data systems. With over 20 years of experience in network engineering and infrastructure, Mr. Poplawski has designed and implemented high-performance hybrid-WAN and cloud architectures for major financial services firms and enterprise organizations, including Moody's Corporation, Invesco, OppenheimerFunds, and Fanatics.
Mr. Poplawski holds a Bachelor's degree in Information Technology from Colorado State University Global and an Associate's degree in Computer Information Systems from Nicolet College. He maintains multiple industry certifications including CCNA, CCNP, Network+, and CompTIA Project+. His guidance supports Degree Day's data infrastructure, security, and systems architecture.
