Katharine Hayhoe is an atmospheric scientist and celebrated communicator, translating complex climate science into accessible language for diverse audiences.
Katharine has worked with the UN on climate issues, reflecting her role as both a scientist and communicator. She was named a UN Champion of the Earth in 2019 in the science and innovation category.
Katharine Hayhoe joined the global conservation organization, The Nature Conservancy, as Chief Scientist in 2021. Her role involves understanding the impacts of climate change on people and the planet.
Dr. Hayhoe was brought to speak in partnership with UC Davis TERC and UNR Lake Tahoe, indicating collaborations for public speaking engagements and climate awareness.
Katharine Hayhoe partnered with Potential Energy, a nonprofit coalition of marketing and media experts, to launch a $10 million campaign focused on leveraging the influence of 'Science Moms' in combating climate change.
Katharine Hayhoe is recognized as an Oxfam Sister of the Planet, indicating her involvement with the organization's initiatives.
Hayhoe serves on the science advisory board for the Environmental Resilience Institute at Indiana University.
Hayhoe serves on the international advisory board for the Faraday Institute for Science and Religion.
Hayhoe serves on the sustainability advisory board for Netflix.
Hayhoe serves on the advisory board for the Smithsonian Natural History Museum.
Katharine Anne Scott Hayhoe, born on April 15, 1972, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, is an acclaimed atmospheric scientist, political scientist, and science communicator. Her early life included a move to Cali, Colombia, at the age of nine, where her parents served as missionaries and educators. Hayhoe began her academic journey studying physics and astronomy at the University of Toronto, earning her Bachelor of Science degree in 1994. A climate science course during her undergraduate studies shifted her academic focus, leading her to specialize in atmospheric science for her graduate degrees. She pursued her Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where her PhD thesis, advised by Donald Wuebbles, focused on evaluating regional climate downscaling techniques for the Great Lakes region.
Hayhoe has been a faculty member at Texas Tech University since 2005, where she currently holds the position of Paul Whitfield Horn Distinguished Professor and Endowed Chair in Public Policy and Public Law within the Department of Political Science. Her research has concentrated on developing and applying high-resolution climate projections to understand the future impacts of climate change on both human society and natural environments. She has contributed extensively to the scientific community, authoring over 150 peer-reviewed abstracts, journal articles, and other publications. Notable contributions include her work on the Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth National Climate Assessments for the U.S. Global Change Research Program, and a report for the National Academy of Sciences titled “Climate Stabilization Targets.” In 2021, she further expanded her influence by joining The Nature Conservancy as Chief Scientist.
Beyond her research, Dr. Hayhoe is recognized for her efforts in climate communication, making complex scientific information understandable and actionable for a broad spectrum of individuals. Her TED Talk, “The most important thing you can do to fight climate change: talk about it,” has garnered over 4 million views. She has also authored the book “Saving Us: A Climate Scientist’s Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World” and co-authored “A Climate for Change: Global Warming Facts for Faith-Based Decisions” with her husband, Andrew Farley, focusing on outreach to faith-based communities. Her communication style emphasizes shared values and empathy, a skill honed by discussing climate change with her initially skeptical husband. Her dedication to factual, relatable communication earned her recognition as one of Time magazine’s “100 Most Influential People” in 2014 and a United Nations Champion of the Earth in 2019.
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