World-renowned climate scientist and author Kate Marvel, Ph.D., returns to Project Drawdown

Project Drawdown is thrilled to announce that leading climate scientist, author, and science communicator Kate Marvel, Ph.D., will be returning to Project Drawdown this spring. She previously served as a Senior Scientist on the team in 2023–24. 

Marvel recently resigned from her role at NASA in a move that was covered by Scientific American, The New York Times, Bloomberg, and others. 

In her new Senior Scientist, Climate role at Project Drawdown, Marvel will lead work focused on emergency brake climate solutions – solutions that can help “bend the curve” on future warming more quickly, by curbing emissions of methane, black carbon, and other fast-acting greenhouse gas pollutants.

“I’m unbelievably excited to return to Project Drawdown,” said Marvel. “This is a unique historical moment, in which the impacts of climate change are becoming ever more apparent, political opposition is strengthening, and yet the solutions are more clear and accessible than ever. We have a real chance to move the needle on climate action, but only if we’re able to draw upon the best available science. Science is integral to Project Drawdown’s approach, and I look forward to doing research in an environment that supports free inquiry, rigorous debate, and critical thinking.”  

Marvel is an acclaimed climate scientist and author based in Brooklyn, N.Y., who focuses on modeling how our planet is changing and understanding what could happen in the future. Prior to joining Project Drawdown, she worked at the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, Columbia University, Stanford University, the Carnegie Institution, and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. She received a Ph.D. in theoretical physics from Cambridge University. Her book Human Nature was published by Ecco/HarperCollins in 2025.

“We are thrilled that Dr. Marvel will be returning to Project Drawdown after her time at NASA. She is a world-leading climate scientist, public communicator, and author, and her talents deserve to be fully supported and unleashed – especially at this critical time,” says Project Drawdown Executive Director Jonathan Foley, Ph.D. “We are thankful to have her back and excited to have her lead work on our critical emergency brake climate solutions initiative.”

For press inquiries, please contact Todd Reubold, Director of Marketing and Communications, at todd.reubold@drawdown.org 

About Project Drawdown

Project Drawdown is the world’s leading guide to science-based climate solutions. Our mission is to drive meaningful climate action around the world. A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Project Drawdown is funded by individual and institutional donations.