Maureen E. Raymo

Maureen E. Raymo, G. Unger Vetlesen Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences and Co-Founding Dean Emerita of the Columbia Climate School, studies the history and causes of climate change in Earth's past, including the role of Himalayan uplift in driving global cooling and the onset of the ice ages. Her recent work has focused on reconstructing past sea level and ice volume during warm climate intervals to improve predictions of future sea level rise.

In Paris, Raymo will develop educational materials on nanoplastic pollution, drawing on three years of sampling work with colleagues at Mission Spiritus that has detected micro- and nanoplastic contamination in remote wilderness sites worldwide. She also plans to seek out specialists involved in the UN plastics treaty negotiations centered in Europe.