It’s funny, I didn’t set out to become a climate scientist. Growing up in Denver, my earliest memories are of the mountains – the Front Range standing like a jagged purple promise on the horizon. But I also remember the “brown cloud,” that ugly smear of pollution that would sometimes swallow the skyline. That contrast stuck with me. It was this visceral, daily reminder that the beautiful world I loved was… fragile.
That feeling propelled me through a B.S. in Environmental Science at CU Boulder and then a Ph.D. in Atmospheric Science at Stanford. For over fifteen years, I’ve been in the trenches of climate science – from modeling arctic sea ice melt at the National Center for Atmospheric Research to working on policy-focused projects at the Environmental Defense Fund. I’ve had the immense privilege of being a contributing author on the Fifth National Climate Assessment, which was both humbling and terrifying. You get to see the whole picture, the full tapestry of data, and realize the clock is ticking loudly.
My Vitals:
- Name: Dr. Anya Sharma
- Age: 42
- Born: Denver, Colorado, USA
- Education: Ph.D., Atmospheric Science – Stanford University | B.S., Environmental Science – University of Colorado Boulder
- Key Experience: Environmental Defense Fund (Senior Scientist) | National Center for Atmospheric Research (Postdoctoral Fellow)
But let’s be real – data points and research papers can feel sterile. They don’t always capture the human story, the anxiety, or the hope. That’s why I started writing. My goal isn’t to preach or to fear-monger. It’s to be a translator. To take the dense, complex science and make it accessible, understandable, and maybe even a little less intimidating. It’s a mission – not just a job.
My commitment to you is to always be grounded in evidence and to communicate with radical honesty (and yes, that sometimes means admitting what we don’t yet know). The challenges we face are immense, but so is our capacity for innovation and change. I truly believe that.
When I’m not knee-deep in climate models or writing, you’ll probably find me hiking the trails around the Bay Area with my very energetic rescue dog, or trying-and often failing-to keep my collection of succulents alive. It’s my own small way of staying connected to the very thing I’m working to protect.