Occupation
Atmospheric Scientist and Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science and Director of the Climate Science Center at Texas Tech University.
Education
- B.S in physics and astronomy – University of Toronto
- M.S. and Ph.D. in atmospheric science – University of Illinois
Why Katherine Hayhoe, Ph.D. Is Involved
“Climate change is a very political science and being in political science gives me the freedom to study not just the science of the issue but how we are talking about, how we are providing the information to the people. Nowadays, if you don’t factor climate change into decisions we are going to end up with the wrong answer.”
Bio
Katharine Hayhoe studies climate change, one of the most pressing issues facing the planet today. An expert reviewer for the Nobel Peace Prize-winning Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, her life’s work has been dedicated to discovering and communicating the realities of a changing climate to those who will be affected most by it.
As an associate professor in the Department of Political Science and director of the Climate Science Center at Texas Tech University, part of the Department of Interior’s South-Central Climate Science Center, Katharine develops new ways to quantify the potential impacts of human activities at the regional scale.
Climate Careers
Big Data Specialist
Computer and information research scientists invent and design new approaches to computing technology and find innovative uses for existing technology. They study and solve complex problems in computing for business, science, medicine, and other fields.
Environmental Law
Environmental Law is “A variety of protections with the goal of protecting the environment. Environmental law is a “belt-and-suspenders” collection of laws that work together and often overlap in areas.”
Environmental Scientist
Environmental scientists and specialists use their knowledge of the natural sciences to protect the environment and human health. They may clean up polluted areas, advise policy makers, or work with industry to reduce waste.
Climatologist or Atmospheric Scientist
Atmospheric scientists study the weather and climate and how it affects human activity and the earth in general. They may develop forecasts, collect and compile data from the field, assist in the development of new data collection instruments, or advise clients on risks or opportunities caused by weather events and climate change.
Glaciologist
Glaciology is the study of snow and ice and their physical properties. More specifically, glaciologists analyze the formation, movement, and effects of the different kinds of glaciers, for example alpine and arctic glaciers, ice caps, ice sheets, and ice shelves.
Renewable Energy Engineer
The promise of sustainable power depends on our ability to harness renewable resources like wind, sunlight, biofuels, geothermal heat and rivers. The technology needed to harness these natural energy is continually improving, but the demand for workers who can lead us toward a sustainable energy future has far exceeded the supply.