My scientific expertise is in global change ecology. My passion is bringing scientists together across disciplines to conduct actionable science—research that informs and motivates the adoption of robust, evidence-based policies. My work addresses multiple topics at the nexus of climate science and policy—from the role of forests in climate mitigation, to the climate responsibilities of the fossil fuel industry, to the responsible governance of solar geoengineering research.
Before joining Woodwell Climate, I served as the longtime Director of Science and Policy and Chief Climate Scientist at the Union of Concerned Scientists. There, I led major climate research initiatives, guided science, equity, and innovation fellowships, and served as senior liaison between the scientific community, policymakers, funders, and the media. I was a lead author of the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), and on the IPCC Special Report on Land Use, Land-Use Change and Forestry. I find teaching deeply rewarding and have held faculty positions over the years at Stanford University, the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, and the University of Maryland.
In addition to my work at Woodwell Climate, I now teach climate science and policy at Harvard University and advise several institutions, including the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine on their climate initiatives. Scientists, I firmly believe, have a responsibility to not only conduct research, but to communicate their findings and advocate for research and evidence to inform the adoption of science-based policies. If climate change wasn’t such a pressing concern, I would return to doing curiosity-driven field research in one of my favorite ecosystems, tropical forests.
