🌐United Nations Climate Policy Session
Invited to brief UN officials on sunlight reflection methods (SRM), sharing expert perspectives on emerging climate intervention technologies, tradeoffs, and uncertainties in a closed-door policy session.
I view science policy as a two-way street: scientists bring evidence and recommendations, and policymakers bring constraints, values, and tradeoffs. My role is to help bridge those worlds, whether that means answering questions about sunlight reflection methods (SRM), explaining agricultural risks, or simply listening and turning those concerns into research questions. My goal is to help prevent the worst impacts of climate change, and I know science alone isn't enough to get us there. That's why I pair my research with active policy engagement—urging policymakers to expand and accelerate the known solutions and educating them on emerging ones.
Policy Highlights & Major Actions
From UN and Canadian government briefings to congressional visits, these are some of the key moments where my research has directly influenced climate and science policy discussions.
🍁Canadian Government Briefing
Presented research findings and policy-relevant insights on SRM and food security to 300+ officials from Global Affairs Canada. Translating technical model results into clear implications for real-world decisions.
🏛️AGU Local Science Partner
Serving as an American Geophysical Union (AGU) Local Science Partner to regularly engage with U.S. federal legislators, including two congressional visits to advocate for strong science funding and evidence-based climate policy.
Photo of the Capitol building during a Dec 2024 congressional visit
Expert Briefings
🎙️ Bringing climate intervention and agricultural risks directly into rooms where decisions are made.
I’ve briefed both national and international policymakers on the science of climate intervention, especially how stratospheric aerosol injections (SAI) could interact with food security and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
- Virtual briefing to 300+ officials from Global Affairs Canada about geoengineering agricultural risks and tradeoffs.
- Invited to brief international policymakers on SRM and its implications for SDGs.
Why this matters: SRM and other interventions are moving from abstract ideas into real-world
policy conversations. Clear, honest, and caveat-rich briefings help avoid both hype and dismissal.
Speaking on a Global Affairs Canada panel on the modern challenges of climate engineering.
Engaging with Congress
🏛️ Bringing science directly to the people who shape policy
As an AGU Local Science Partner, I regularly reach out to my federal legislators to advocate for strong science funding and evidence-based climate policy.
- Two in-person congressional visits to discuss federal science funding and climate research needs.
- Participated in AGU’s Spring Congressional Visit Workshop, with mock meetings and messaging practice.
Ongoing engagement includes:
- Responding to AGU’s Science Policy Action Center alerts with calls and emails.
- Following American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and AGU policy updates to track key legislation.
- Coordinating with other early-career scientists to amplify shared priorities.
Meeting with staff from Senator Budd’s office during one of my congressional visits.
Building Civic & Policy Skills
🧭 Learning how everyday people — including scientists — can influence systems from the inside out.
I invest in structured training on how government actually works, and how to engage it constructively as a citizen and scientist.
- Leadership certificate in No-Blame Problem Solving and practical governance skills.
- Workshops on science policy, science communication, and media engagement through AGU, AAAS, and Rutgers University.
Core themes across these trainings:
- Mapping local power structures and decision points.
- Designing actionable, nonpartisan policy asks.
- Communicating uncertainty without undermining urgency.
Cherry Blossoms in D.C.
Captured during my Congressional Visit — perfect timing with peak bloom.