Overview
Drew Shindell is Nicholas Professor of Earth Science at Duke University. From 1995 to 2014 he was at the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York City and taught at Columbia University. He earned his Bachelor's at UC Berkeley and PhD at Stony Brook University, both in Physics. He studies climate change, air quality, and links between science and policy. He has been an author on >250 peer-reviewed publications, received awards from Scientific American, NASA, the NSF and the EPA, and is a fellow of AGU and AAAS.
He has testified on climate issues before both houses of the US Congress (at the request of both parties), developed a climate change course with the American Museum of Natural History, and made numerous media appearances as part of his outreach efforts. He chaired the 2011 UNEP/WMO Integrated Assessment of Black Carbon and Tropospheric Ozone, and was a Coordinating Lead Author on the 2013 Fifth Assessment Report of the IPCC and on the 2018 IPCC Special Report on 1.5°C. He also chairs the Scientific Advisory Panel to the Climate and Clean Air Coalition of nations and organizations.
Current Appointments & Affiliations
Recent Publications
Inequality in air pollution-attributable mortality by income level between and within countries.
Journal Article Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America · October 2025 Air pollution is a major global health threat, with exposure exhibiting substantial heterogeneity across and within regions. While disparities in air pollution exposure by income groups are well documented, how these inequalities translate into differentia ... Full text CiteGlobal methane action pays for itself at least six times over.
Journal Article Science (New York, N.Y.) · October 2025 We provide a comprehensive assessment of the economic benefits and costs of global methane emissions abatement, anchored on the Global Methane Pledge. We use an integrated assessment model to estimate avoided climate damages at the global and country level ... Full text CiteComparing the climate and air pollution footprints of Lithium-ion BEVs and ICEs in the US incorporating systemic energy system responses
Journal Article Plos Climate · October 1, 2025 With rising travel demand and the need to tackle both the air quality and climate change challenges caused by fossil fuel vehicles, there is an urgent need to transition to cleaner and more sustainable fuels. While lithium-ion battery electric vehicles (BE ... Full text CiteRecent Grants
Economic Assessment of Mitigation Measures of Short-Lived Climate Pollutants
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by United Nations Environment Programme · 2025 - 2026Supporting SLCP Assessments on Food/Agriculture and Economics
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by United Nations Environment Programme · 2025 - 2026The Potential Environmental Effects of Lithium Mining and Extraction
ResearchCo-Principal Investigator · Awarded by Albemarle Corporation · 2023 - 2024View All Grants