
The Columbia Climate School has appointed Sheila Foster as a tenured professor of climate, effective July 1. Interim dean Jeffrey Shaman announced the decision today.
Prior to this role, Foster was a visiting professor of climate at the Climate School during the 2023-2024 academic year and held positions as the Scott K. Ginsberg Professor of Urban Law and Policy and professor of public policy at Georgetown University. She is renowned for her work in environmental and climate justice, focusing on resource governance, land use policy, and the involvement of local leaders in global challenges like climate change. Foster’s contributions have earned her a fellowship at the American College of Environmental Lawyers.
With an undergraduate degree in English from the University of Michigan, Foster went on to earn her JD from the University of California, Berkeley.