Sheila R. Foster

BIOGRAPHY:

Sheila Foster is a tenured professor of climate at the Climate School. Previously, she served as visiting professor of climate at the Climate School during the 2023-2024 academic year, and the Scott K. Ginsberg Professor of Urban Law and Policy and professor of public policy at Georgetown University.

Professor Foster is a leading scholar of environmental and climate justice. Her research spans a broad range of topics, including innovative resource governance regimes, land use policy, and the role of subnational governments and local leaders in addressing cross-border challenges such as climate change.

Throughout her career, Foster has worked with local governments, federal agencies, and public officials on various issues related to environmental and climate justice. Foster led the advisory committee of the Global Parliament of Mayors from 2017-2020. She has been a member of the New York City Panel on Climate Change since 2016 serving as co-chair of its workgroup on climate equity. She is also the co-editor and a founding Advisory Board member of the Journal of Climate Resilience & Climate Justice.

In addition, Foster co-directs LabGov, an applied research laboratory that pioneered the award-winning Co-City approach that has been applied in different cities, helping to create more collaborative and community-oriented solutions for a range of urban challenges.

Professor Foster obtained her undergraduate degree in English (with honors) at the University of Michigan and her JD at the University of California, Berkeley.

Professor Foster was recently elected as a fellow to the American College of Environmental Lawyers.