Hello! I'm Ilissa.

I am a Sr. Climate Scientist and Barbra Streisand Chair of Environmental Studies at Environmental Defense Fund, where I pursue climate science research and provide scientific guidance for climate change communication and policy.

My research uses models to understand how different human activities contribute to climate change and how different actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions can benefit the climate. I am committed to communicating science to non-experts using plain language and powerful visuals, and a few years ago represented the U.S. in an international science communications contest.

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, and black carbon. 

+ Ocko et al., Acting rapidly to deploy readily available methane mitigation measures by sector can immediately slow global warming, Environ. Res. Lett. (2021)

+ Ocko and Hamburg, Climate Impacts of Hydropower: Enormous Differences among Facilities and over Time, Environ. Sci. Tech. (2019)

+ Ivanovich et al., Climate benefits of proposed carbon dioxide mitigation strategies for international shipping and aviation, Atmos. Chem. Phys. (2019)

+ Ocko et al., Unmask temporal trade-offs in climate policy debates, Science (2017)

+ Complements to carbon: Opportunities for near-term action on non-CO2 climate forcers, Princeton (2011)

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., Rapid and reliable assessment of methane impacts on climate, Atmos. Chem. Phys., (2018)

+ 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. 

 + Ocko and Ginoux, Comparing multiple model-derived aerosol optical properties to spatially collocated ground-based and satellite measurements, Atmos. Chem. Phys. (2017)

 + Ocko et al., Sensitivity of scattering and absorbing aerosol direct radiative forcing to physical climate factors, J. Geophys. Res. (2012)

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 write numerous blog posts and maintain 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 maintain an Instagram account where I post 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 at schools, 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

HOBBIES

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.