Ilissa Ocko, PhD
CLIMATE SCIENTIST, COMMUNICATOR, POLICY ADVISOR
SCIENTIST
I specialize in original, accessible, and actionable science research, focusing on the ‘other half of warming’ not driven by carbon dioxide, but by ‘climate super pollutants’ that are often neglected or misunderstood, such as methane, ozone, and hydrogen.
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COMMUNICATOR
I am passionate about communicating science to non-experts using plain language, powerful visuals, and storytelling. I am also committed to communicating science policy needs to scientists.
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POLICY ADVISOR
It is important to me that government and company policies to address climate change are based on the latest science. I focus on improving policies for neglected, misunderstood, and not well-known topics that are crucial to get right if we want to be as successful as possible in curbing climate change.
Hello! I'm Ilissa.
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I am a climate scientist turning science into action by drawing on vast experience in science, communication, and policy. I focus on the ‘other half of warming’ not driven by carbon dioxide, but by ‘climate super pollutants’ that are often neglected or misunderstood, such as methane, nitrous oxide, tropospheric ozone, black carbon, fluorinated gases, and hydrogen.
I am passionate about identifying and facilitating the most effective and pragmatic solutions to the current climate crisis. I conduct and have published several policy-relevant scientific research studies where I explore the impacts of human-emitted climate pollutants and their mitigation on climate change both during our lifetimes and for generations to come.
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Currently I am a Senior Climate Scientist at Spark Climate Solutions, helping drive progress in emerging, high-impact climate fields. Previously, I served as a Senior Advisor in the Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Climate at the U.S. Department of State, working to accelerate global actions to cut emissions of climate super pollutants. Prior to this position I was a Senior Climate Scientist and Barbra Streisand Chair of Environmental Studies at Environmental Defense Fund, leading the climate science team in pursuing original climate science research relating to short-lived climate forcers (such as methane and hydrogen) and providing guidance for climate change communication and decision-making.
I am personally committed to communicating science to non-experts using plain language and powerful visuals. I am very active in public speaking, and some highlights including winning a U.S. science communications contest, giving a TED talk on the fastest way to slow down climate change (spoiler alert: cut methane), and speaking at SXSW about clean hydrogen hopes and hypes.
RESEARCH
SOLUTIONS
Exploring
HOW TO CURB CLIMATE CHANGE
My research involves employing reduced-complexity climate models and climate metrics to determine the most effective ways to limit warming in both the near-term and long-term by reducing both short-lived and long-lived climate pollutants, including carbon dioxide, methane, hydrogen, and black carbon.
+ Ivanovich et al., Future warming from global food consumption. Nat. Clim. Chang. (2023)
+ Ocko and Hamburg, Climate consequences of hydrogen emissions, Atmos. Chem. Phys. (2022) - recipient of the ACP Paul Crutzen Publication Award
+ Sun et al., Path to net zero is critical to climate outcome, Scientific Reports (2021)
+ Ocko et al., Acting rapidly to deploy readily available methane mitigation measures by sector can immediately slow global warming, Environ. Res. Lett. (2021) - recipient of the IOP Publishing Top Cited Publication Award
+ Ocko et al., Unmask temporal trade-offs in climate policy debates, Science (2017)
IMPACTS
Understanding
HOW THE CLIMATE RESPONDS TO CLIMATE POLLUTANTS
My research focuses on exploring the thermal, hydrological, and dynamical responses to both well-mixed greenhouse gases, spatially variable tropospheric aerosols, and stratospheric aerosols.
+ Ocko et al., Contrasting climates responses to the scattering and absorbing features of anthropogenic aerosol forcings, J. Climate (2014)
CAUSES
Determining
HOW HUMAN-CAUSED CLIMATE POLLUTANTS AFFECT ENERGY BALANCE
I use observational and model-derived data to understand how aerosols and greenhouse gases impact Earth's radiative balance.
OUTREACH
WRITING
I LOVE TURNING JARGON INTO PLAIN LANGUAGE
Translating scientific jargon and information into accessible plain language is something that I do often. As a scientist working at an environmental NGO, a lot of my interactions are with non-scientists (policymakers, lawyers, members, donors, and more). I've written a number of blog posts and used to run a Twitter account that shares only "good" climate news. I have also helped develop a climate change exhibit at UCAR/NCAR.
+ Check out some blog posts
VISUALIZING
MY BIGGEST PASSION IS DESIGNING INFOGRAPHICS
I love to organize complex aspects of climate change and other scientific information into beautiful, accessible graphics as they are a powerful tool for learning and retaining information. My love for art and design coupled with my scientific knowledge makes designing infographics the perfect hobby. Several of my graphics have been published in news and magazine articles, blog posts, scientific papers, and reports, and I used to run an Instagram account where I posted graphics to promote climate and energy awareness.
+ Check out some science graphics
SPEAKING
I TRY TO INSPIRE AND ENGAGE AUDIENCES OF ALL KINDS
I am a very animated and passionate speaker, and really try to connect with my audience. I've talked to students of all ages, churches, a music festival and rap show, on TV and radio, to banks and lawfirms, and more. I also enjoy participating in science communication challenges and contests, and a few years ago won the NASA-sponsored U.S. FameLab contest (“American Idol” for scientists), representing the USA in the international competition and advancing to the finals.
+ Check out some presentations and interviews
AFFILIATIONS
EDUCATION
PhD, Princeton University
Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences
My dissertation, with Dr. V. Ramaswamy as my advisor, focused on the contrasting and complementary features of climate responses to human-caused scattering and absorbing aerosols. I used global climate models, corroborated by ground-based and satellite measurements, to isolate climate responses to individual aerosols and greenhouse gases. I was supported by the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship, and won the Emerging Alumni Scholars Award. I also received a certificate in Science, Technology, and Environmental Policy from the Woodrow Wilson School.
MA, Princeton University
Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences
I began graduate school researching aerosols in the Arctic, both how they are transported there from mid-latitudes and how they influence the energy balance. I was supported by the American Meteorological Society Industry/ Government Graduate Fellowship, and specifically, the NOAA Climate Program Office. I also earned two summer school certificates: Arctic Climate Change Certificate from University Centre in Svalbard, and Physics of the Climate System Certificate from Utrecht University.
BSE, University of Michigan
Earth System Science & Engineering
I was fortunate to have some amazing mentors and some incredible internships and research assistantships. Some of my favorite experiences include traveling to Greenland to learn about climate science, interning at the NOAA Earth System Research Lab as a Hollings Scholar (how I met my husband!), and participating in an REU at the University of Michigan Bio Station. Aside from research, I was co-president of the Society of Undergraduate Earth System Scientists and Engineers, and the Chief Meteorologist of a news show on a student-run television network.