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About AGCI

Since its foundation, the Aspen Global Change Institute has been working to facilitate critical scientific discussions on subjects in Earth systems science. Under the direction of its first scientific advisory board, AGCI held its first summer session in 1990. Since that first meeting, AGCI has held over 50 such workshops, gathering more than 1,000 scientists from 35 countries over that time. In addition to furthering research on a specific topic, these workshops benefit the broader community, as scientists who attend the meetings become ambassadors for interdisciplinary science, subsequently helping to break down disciplinary barriers and promoting relevant scientific engagement with the public.

Our Team

  • James Arnott
    Executive Director

    Dr. James Arnott is the Executive Director of the Aspen Global Change Institute. James has more than a decade of experience working on climate change mitigation and adaptation with a focus on connecting scientific knowledge with decision-making. At AGCI, James guides the Institute’s programming and administration, which includes interdisciplinary research, policy advisory, and science education initiatives. In addition, James conducts original research on science policy and sustainability science with a focus on how collaborative research methods can increase the production of actionable science. In 2017, James co-founded the Mountain West Climate Services Partnership to help expand access to tools and services for adaptation to climate change in the Mountain West region. In 2011, James received the McCloy Fellowship in Environmental Policy from the American Council on Germany. James received a PhD in Environment & Sustainability from the University of Michigan and a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Economics from Principia College. View James’ CV and GoogleScholar profile. Contact James at jamesa@agci.org or on Twitter, @jcarnott.

  • John Katzenberger
    Senior Fellow

    John Katzenberger is Co­-founder of the Aspen Global Change Institute. He is currently serving as a Senior Fellow with AGCI. His primary interests are in interdisciplinary research in the broad fields of Earth System Science and global environmental change and their application in society, particularly educational outreach. John has served as the principal investigator for numerous research and educational grants. Federal agency sponsors of his work include NASA, NOAA, NSF, USDA, EPA, and DOE. In 2014 he was elected as an American Association for the Advancement of Science Fellow “for distinguished contributions to interdisciplinary research on global environmental change and for support of researchers, educators and practitioners working to make this knowledge societally relevant.” Contact John: johnk (at) agci (dot) org.

  • Emily Jack-Scott
    Program Director

    Emily Jack-Scott joined AGCI in 2015 from a professional background in forest science, forestry, arboriculture, and urban greening. Her primary responsibilities include AGCI's interdisciplinary scientific workshops and the Energy Project at AGCI. She holds a Master's in Forest Science (MFS) and a B.A. in Environmental Studies from Yale University. Contact Emily: ejs (at) agci (dot) org.

  • Elise Osenga
    Community Science Manager

    Elise Osenga joined AGCI in 2013. Guided by her interests in ecosystem processes and the interface between science and public action, Elise's current projects include managing AGCI's soil moisture monitoring network, assisting with ACES's Forest Health Index, coordinating with research fellows, and educational outreach. Elise's background includes field work, environmental education, public communication, and non-profit operations. She acts as contributing editor for Proteus Science Communication and maintains a Certified Interpretive Guide standing with the National Association of Interpretation. Elise holds a B.A. in Biology and English from St. Olaf College and an M.A. in Conservation Biology from Miami University, Ohio. Contact Elise: eliseo (at) agci (dot) org.

  • Julie Vano
    Research Director

    Julie’s research interests include hydrology, water resource management, science policy, climate change impacts, and system dynamics. Her current work aims to better connect climate science and the applications community and use these connections to develop innovative ways to address climate impacts on local water resources. She holds an MS in Land Resources from the University of Wisconsin and a PhD in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Washington. Contact Julie: jvano (at) agci.org

  • Alyson Wright
    Finance Director

    Alyson Wright is the Finance Director at Aspen Global Change Institute. She is responsible for managing internal financial and accounting systems, structuring AGCI's policies and procedures, and overseeing organizational compliance. She has experience managing non-profits and small businesses and is active with startup communities and initiatives to support women in technology. Alyson has done research for several award-winning authors assisting with their books on battery technology and world religions, among other topics. Contact Alyson: awright (at) agci (dot) org.

  • Michael Munroe
    Videographer
    Munroe MultiMedia

    Michael Munroe, of Munroe MultiMedia, has recorded almost every AGCI scientific workshop since the very first meeting in 1990. When he is not at AGCI, he is an Educational Media Coordinator at the University of Florida. He has over 30 Years of Television and Video Production Experience. Learn more about his work at http://munroemultimedia.com/.

  • Todd Sanford
    AGCI Senior Research Fellow

    Todd Sanford is a climate scientist with expertise in atmospheric chemistry and climate system physics. He holds a PhD in physical chemistry from the University of Colorado. Todd has been engaged with AGCI since 2016.

  • Missy Stults
    AGCI Senior Fellow of Practice
    The Climate Resilience Fund

    Dr. Missy Stults is the Sustainability and Innovations Manager for the City of Ann Arbor. In this role, she works with all city operations, residents, businesses, the University of Michigan, nonprofits, and others to make Ann Arbor one of the most sustainable and equitable cities in America. Prior to joining the City, Missy worked with cities and tribal communities to advance their climate and sustainability goals and as a consultant to philanthropic organizations, helping them integrate resilience thinking into their investment portfolios. Prior to this Missy was the Climate Director for a nonprofit called ICLEI-USA where she worked with hundreds of U.S. cities on climate-related activities. Missy has a PhD in urban resilience from the University of Michigan, a Masters in Climate and Society from Columbia University, and undergraduate degrees in Marine Biology and Environmental Science from the University of New England.

Board of Directors

Dr. Rosamond L. Naylor
Board President
Director, Program on Food Security and the Environment
Prof., Department of Environmental Earth System Science
Stanford University

Dr. Ken Caldeira
Chairman of the Board
Department of Global Ecology
Carnegie Institution for Science

Dr. Jennifer Burney
Associate Professor, School of Global Policy & Strategy
University of California, San Diego

Dr. Marty Hoffert
Professor of Physics (Emeritus)
New York University

Mr. John Katzenberger
Co-founder and President Emeritus
Aspen Global Change Institute

Mr. Michael Stranahan
Secretary and Treasurer

Advisory Board

Dr. Jill Baron
Ecosystem Ecologist, U.S. Geological Survey
Senior Research Ecologist, Colorado State University

Dr. Rick Chappell
AGCI Co-founder
Professor of Physics (Emeritus)
Vanderbilt University

Dr. Lisa Dilling
Director, Western Water Assessment
Prof., Environmental Studies
University of Colorado, Boulder

Dr. Katharine Mach
Senior Research Scientist, Department of Earth System Science
Stanford University

Dr. Angeline Pendergrass
Project Scientist I, Climate and Global Dynamics Laboratory
National Center for Atmospheric Research

Dr. Imtiaz Rangwala
Western Water Assessment
Research Scientist, Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES)
University of Colorado, Boulder

Dr. Vaclav Smil, FRSC
Distinguished Professor
University of Manitoba

Dr. Donald J. Wuebbles
Harry E. Preble Endowed Professor
Department of Atmospheric Sciences
University of Illinois