Ilissa Ocko, Ph.D.

Dr. Ilissa Ocko is an applied climate scientist and science communicator. Her expertise is uncovering hidden opportunities to drive change by aligning scientific research and public policy. She leverages communication to bridge the gap between science and decision-making, equipping policymakers and stakeholders with the knowledge they need to take meaningful climate action. By making complex science clear, accessible, and actionable, she has captured global interest and expanded the conversation around urgent climate solutions --- especially in advancing efforts to address the 'other half of warming' not driven by carbon dioxide, but by climate super pollutants. Ilissa's award-winning research includes receiving the ACP Paul Crutzen Publication Award for an outstanding publication that advances our understanding of atmospheric chemistry and physics.  

Most recently, Ilissa was Senior Advisor to the U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate at the Department of State. Before that, she held the Barbra Streisand Chair of Environmental Studies at the Environmental Defense Fund, where she led the Climate Science Team. In 2016, she won a NASA science communications contest, representing the U.S. in the international version and advancing to the finals. In 2021, she delivered a TED Talk on "The Fastest Way to Slow Climate Change Now", which has been viewed more than 2 million times. She has also spoken at various events including SXSW, and is an avid designer of science graphics.

Ilissa holds a Ph.D. from Princeton University in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, where she received the Emerging Alumni Scholar Award and a certificate in Science, Technology, and Environmental Policy, and a B.S.E. magna cum laude from the University of Michigan in Earth System Science and Engineering.  

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