Susan K. Avery is president emerita of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, having served as president and director from 2008 to 2015. During her tenure there, the institution increased the application of its knowledge to societal issues, providing high-quality data and analysis across a range of topics, including climate, biodiversity, natural resources and natural hazards mitigation. She also is professor emeritus at the University of Colorado, Boulder (UCB) where she served on the faculty and in administrative positions from 1982-2007. Currently she is serving as a faculty affiliate in the Center for Science and Technology Policy Research at UCB, is a member and chair of the board of trustees of the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, and serves on the Exxon Mobil Corporation Board of Directors.
Dr. Avery received her Bachelor of Science degree in physics in 1972 from Michigan State University and a doctorate in atmospheric science in 1978 from the University of Illinois. Her research interests include studies of atmospheric circulation and precipitation, climate variability and water resources, and the development of new radar techniques and instruments for remote sensing. She also has an interest in scientific literacy and the role of science in public policy. The author or co-author of over 110 peer-reviewed articles and reports, Dr. Avery has given scientific presentations to a wide variety of lay and professional audiences, including TEDx Boston. She has been active in Congressional outreach, including testimony and briefings; in US and international consortia dedicated to ocean research, observation, and applications; and has worked with the Governor’s committee to develop the Massachusetts Green Economy plan. Her recent professional service includes the UN Science Advisory Board and advisory committees for the US Global Change Research program, the Sustained National Climate Assessment, NASA, NSF, and NOAA.
Dr. Avery is a fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, the American
Association for the Advancement of Science, and the American Meteorological Society, for which
she also served as president. Awards and recognition include honorary degrees from Michigan
State University and the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth; charter membership of the
National Associate Program in the National Academy of Sciences; and an Alumni Achievement
Award from the University of Illinois.