Overview
Elizabeth Losos is an executive in residence at the Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability and adjunct professor at the Nicholas School of the Environment. Her work focuses on how to promote sustainable and resilient infrastructure through policy research on infrastructure standards, environmental and social impacts, and enabling conditions. Dr. Losos also heads the ISLE Initiative, a global network of learning hubs to build sustainable infrastructure capacity through case-based peer learning. She is co-convener of the Resilience Roadmap Project, an initiative to support US federal agencies and their partners in building equitable climate resilience. She also is the Duke lead for Infrastructure for Good, a research initiative of Economist Impact in partnership with Deloitte and the Nicholas Institute; the centerpiece of the program is a barometer that compares infrastructure ecosystems in countries around the world.
Losos formerly was president and CEO of the Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS), a global consortium of universities and research institutes with the mission of promoting education, research, and the responsible use of natural resources in the tropics. Prior to her tenure with OTS, Losos was the director of the Smithsonian Institution’s Center for Tropical Forest Science, a global network of large-scale forest demography programs.
Losos formerly was president and CEO of the Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS), a global consortium of universities and research institutes with the mission of promoting education, research, and the responsible use of natural resources in the tropics. Prior to her tenure with OTS, Losos was the director of the Smithsonian Institution’s Center for Tropical Forest Science, a global network of large-scale forest demography programs.
Current Appointments & Affiliations
Executive In Residence in the Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability
·
2022 - Present
Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability,
University Institutes and Centers
Recent Publications
Developing Key Performance Indicators for Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience Planning
Report · August 17, 2022 This document from the Resilience Roadmap project recommends a common approach to developing key performance indicators (KPIs) for climate change adaptation and resilience planning, drawing upon current science and tools referenced throughout. The work is ... Open Access Link to item CiteBuilding a Common Approach: Global Infrastructure Standards
Report · June 21, 2022 Well-planned, -designed, and -built infrastructure projects are critically needed to improve economic productivity, transition to a low-carbon economy, mitigate environmental risks, and promote human rights and social inclusion. Both public- and private-se ... Open Access Link to item CiteRecent Grants
IUCRC Phase I Duke University: Center for Innovation in Risk-analysis for Climate Adaption and Decision-making (CIRCAD)
ResearchParticipating Faculty Member · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 2025 - 2030SYMBIOSIS
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by International Coalition for Sustainable Infrastructure · 2025 - 2027View All Grants
Education, Training & Certifications
Princeton University ·
1993
Ph.D.