Dr. Karen Seto

Yale University

Dr. Karen Seto is the Frederick C. Hixon Professor of Geography and Urbanization Science at Yale University’s School of the Environment. A geographer, and an urban and land change scientist, she is one of the world's leading experts on contemporary urbanization and global environmental change. Her research includes the effects of urbanization on food systems, biodiversity, croplands, energy use and GHG emissions. She serves on numerous national and international scientific bodies. She currently co-chairs the U.S. National Academies Climate Security Roundtable and the U.S. National Academies Subcommittee on U.S.-China Scientific Engagement. She was a Coordinating Lead Author for the IPCC 6th (2022) and 5th (2014) Assessment Reports, where she co-led the chapter on urban mitigation of climate change. She is an elected member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering, and a Fellow with the American Association for the Advancement of Science.