Ella Kim

Ella Kim

Ella Kim is a Ph.D. Candidate in the Department of Urban Studies and Planning. Her dissertation is entitled “Incorporating Public Health into Local Climate Adaptation Planning.” She is working with the city of Cambridge to develop and test the relative effectiveness of three interventions in engaging the public in climate adaptation planning. Ella’s research aims to demonstrate why and how the health impacts of climate change should be given a more prominent role in local climate adaptation efforts. Also, her work presents cities with tools to enhance public awareness and facilitate engagement around climate risk management choices. And finally, she is committed to finding new ways for planners to bridge the gaps in expert and public opinion, enhance understanding and decision-making capacity among different publics, and enable more appropriate responses by individuals and communities. Ella holds an AB from Dartmouth College in economics and two master’s degrees from Columbia University in environmental policy and quantitative methods. She has worked for a variety of private, public and not-for-profit organizations, including a public advisory consulting firm, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Earth Institute, and the Clinton Climate Initiative.