Skip to main content

Elizabeth Losos

Executive In Residence in the Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability
Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability
Box 90335, Durham, NC 27708
140 Science Drive, Gross Hall Suite 101, Durham, NC 27708

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.

Current Duke 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
Executive in Residence in the Division of Environmental Natural Science · 2026 - Present Environmental Natural Science, Nicholas School of the Environment

Recent News Items


Published September 17, 2024
Can Debt-For-Nature Swaps Help Achieve Climate Goals?
Published May 28, 2024
How Can Forgiving Debt Benefit the Environment? Q&A with Duke Experts
Published October 27, 2023
Sustainability Discussions On Tap for Steelman’s Upcoming Trip to Asia

View All News Items

Recent Scholarly Works


Built to Endure: A Smart Guide for US Cities to Build Resilient Infrastructure That Lasts

Report · February 18, 2026 Resilience is needed for every community to thrive in a world at increased risk of natural disasters. But small and medium-sized communities don’t need expensive analyses or teams of people to get started. Resilience is achievable—even for lean municipal t ... Open Access Link to item Cite

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 Cite

Building 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 Cite
View All Scholarly Works

Recent 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 - 2031

Nature-based Solutions Accessibility Index

ResearchInvestigator · Awarded by Walton Family Foundation · 2026 - 2027

SYMBIOSIS

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by International Coalition for Sustainable Infrastructure · 2025 - 2027

View All Grants

Education


Princeton University · 1993 Ph.D.