Dr. Sarah Fortner
@erthsarah.bsky.social
Climate, sustainability, environmental justice through education, research, action, & advocacy.
Pausing before I attempt grass…
November 9, 2025 at 5:27 PM
Pausing before I attempt grass…
Reposted by Dr. Sarah Fortner
Those of us who worked with USAID and in global health more broadly warned of this- shouting, screaming into the void. The administration- at every level- understood this would happen. It’s unconscionable.
One analytical model shows that, as of November 5th, the dismantling of U.S.A.I.D. has already caused the deaths of 600,000 people, two-thirds of them children. https://newyorkermag.visitlink.me/jUzNSc
The Shutdown of U.S.A.I.D. Has Already Killed Hundreds of Thousands
The short documentary “Rovina’s Choice” tells the story of what goes when aid goes.
newyorkermag.visitlink.me
November 7, 2025 at 3:30 AM
Those of us who worked with USAID and in global health more broadly warned of this- shouting, screaming into the void. The administration- at every level- understood this would happen. It’s unconscionable.
Reposted by Dr. Sarah Fortner
Just now in front of McMurdo Station. Very rare to see Emperor's come right up to the front of McMurdo Station, especially so early in the summer. #scicomm 🧪
November 5, 2025 at 1:16 AM
Just now in front of McMurdo Station. Very rare to see Emperor's come right up to the front of McMurdo Station, especially so early in the summer. #scicomm 🧪
Great episode & colleague Eric Klemetti is also featured. My philosophy colleague & I were just talking about fear & humor as plot devices.
Imagine standing at the edge of a fiery pit that never stops burning. 🔥
Explorer George Kourounis did exactly that when he descended into Turkmenistan’s Doorway to Hell. Hear the full story on this week’s #BestOf episode of The Story Collider https://ow.ly/Lyhz50XkXWg
Explorer George Kourounis did exactly that when he descended into Turkmenistan’s Doorway to Hell. Hear the full story on this week’s #BestOf episode of The Story Collider https://ow.ly/Lyhz50XkXWg
November 2, 2025 at 2:48 PM
Great episode & colleague Eric Klemetti is also featured. My philosophy colleague & I were just talking about fear & humor as plot devices.
Reposted by Dr. Sarah Fortner
Please share! CIRES is accepting applications for the role of Associate Director of Science to oversee research activities! This position supervises others and reports to the CIRES Director. Learn more about the position: buff.ly/DE3DhQH
October 31, 2025 at 9:09 PM
Please share! CIRES is accepting applications for the role of Associate Director of Science to oversee research activities! This position supervises others and reports to the CIRES Director. Learn more about the position: buff.ly/DE3DhQH
Higher ed has a responsibility to the public & supporting students in learning & addressing needs of the community.
Thank you @alisonbyerly.bsky.social
www.startribune.com/federal-gove...
Thank you @alisonbyerly.bsky.social
www.startribune.com/federal-gove...
Opinion | Higher ed is responsible to the public, not the Trump administration
Here’s how that role bears out at Carleton College, which I lead, and in Northfield, writes Alison R. Byerly.
www.startribune.com
October 30, 2025 at 10:45 PM
Higher ed has a responsibility to the public & supporting students in learning & addressing needs of the community.
Thank you @alisonbyerly.bsky.social
www.startribune.com/federal-gove...
Thank you @alisonbyerly.bsky.social
www.startribune.com/federal-gove...
Absolutely amazing. For context the oldest continuous records are around a million years old.
PNAS: Six-million-year-old ice discovered in Antarctica offers unprecedented window into a warmer Earth via our NSF COLDEX & US Antarctic Program. ❄️ www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
October 29, 2025 at 1:27 AM
Absolutely amazing. For context the oldest continuous records are around a million years old.
As the DOE touts lies.
Every dollar withheld from modernizing our energy system is a gift to our economic rivals.
washingtonmonthly.com/2025/10/15/t...
Every dollar withheld from modernizing our energy system is a gift to our economic rivals.
washingtonmonthly.com/2025/10/15/t...
Trump’s Opposition to Clean Energy Is Costing You Money
By not spending monies appropriated for Biden-era clean energy bills, the president is helping China win the global energy race.
washingtonmonthly.com
October 28, 2025 at 11:20 PM
As the DOE touts lies.
Every dollar withheld from modernizing our energy system is a gift to our economic rivals.
washingtonmonthly.com/2025/10/15/t...
Every dollar withheld from modernizing our energy system is a gift to our economic rivals.
washingtonmonthly.com/2025/10/15/t...
Reposted by Dr. Sarah Fortner
Writing is my coping mechanism when I am worried about a weather situation. As an unprecedented storm like #HurricaneMelissa approaches Jamaica, I feel helpless, so I write. My Tuesday morning thoughts on the storm.
www.forbes.com/sites/marsha...
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www.forbes.com/sites/marsha...
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Hurricane Melissa Is The Strongest Storm On Earth In 2025
The strongest storm on Earth in 2025 is about to hit Jamaica. Here's what you need to know about Hurricane Melissa before its first landfall.
www.forbes.com
October 28, 2025 at 11:35 AM
Writing is my coping mechanism when I am worried about a weather situation. As an unprecedented storm like #HurricaneMelissa approaches Jamaica, I feel helpless, so I write. My Tuesday morning thoughts on the storm.
www.forbes.com/sites/marsha...
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www.forbes.com/sites/marsha...
--
Absolutely shocking cuts to graduate school. One example.
“At Harvard, the cuts included a 75 percent reduction in Ph.D. seats in the Science division and a 60 percent reduction in the Arts & Humanities division over the next two years.”
share.google/dYDqxUqozDYV...
“At Harvard, the cuts included a 75 percent reduction in Ph.D. seats in the Science division and a 60 percent reduction in the Arts & Humanities division over the next two years.”
share.google/dYDqxUqozDYV...
Some Harvard Students Defer Grad School Plans As Universities Limit Admissions | News | The Harvard Crimson
Some Harvard students are delaying their applications to graduate school or planning to switch away from academia entirely as budget pressures push universities to offer fewer seats in graduate progra...
share.google
October 28, 2025 at 11:53 AM
Absolutely shocking cuts to graduate school. One example.
“At Harvard, the cuts included a 75 percent reduction in Ph.D. seats in the Science division and a 60 percent reduction in the Arts & Humanities division over the next two years.”
share.google/dYDqxUqozDYV...
“At Harvard, the cuts included a 75 percent reduction in Ph.D. seats in the Science division and a 60 percent reduction in the Arts & Humanities division over the next two years.”
share.google/dYDqxUqozDYV...
Very sad. The DOI files to cut more than. 2000 jobs. Federal science is important to environmental economics, our health, & ecological protection. Cutting work to understand & support big important areas of management is harmful.
thehill.com/policy/energ...
thehill.com/policy/energ...
Planned Trump staffing cuts loom over National Park Service, Fish and Wildlife, Land Management
Cuts to the federal agencies that manage national parks, science and public lands are expected to result in firings across the West, Southeast and Great Lakes, among other places, Trump administrat…
thehill.com
October 24, 2025 at 7:50 PM
Very sad. The DOI files to cut more than. 2000 jobs. Federal science is important to environmental economics, our health, & ecological protection. Cutting work to understand & support big important areas of management is harmful.
thehill.com/policy/energ...
thehill.com/policy/energ...
Reposted by Dr. Sarah Fortner
I'm proud to help lead the United Nations' #COP30 Local Leaders Forum next month in Brazil.
Regional leaders — from mayors to governors — are uniquely able to turn ambitious plans to tackle the climate crisis into reality at the local level.
California is all-hands-on-deck in this fight.
Regional leaders — from mayors to governors — are uniquely able to turn ambitious plans to tackle the climate crisis into reality at the local level.
California is all-hands-on-deck in this fight.
October 21, 2025 at 8:20 PM
I'm proud to help lead the United Nations' #COP30 Local Leaders Forum next month in Brazil.
Regional leaders — from mayors to governors — are uniquely able to turn ambitious plans to tackle the climate crisis into reality at the local level.
California is all-hands-on-deck in this fight.
Regional leaders — from mayors to governors — are uniquely able to turn ambitious plans to tackle the climate crisis into reality at the local level.
California is all-hands-on-deck in this fight.
Reposted by Dr. Sarah Fortner
How far would you travel for a cause? Geographer & environmental educator Leandro Costa is biking 3,500 kilometers to COP30, with the mission of educating and listening to children, teenagers, and adults about the impacts of climate change.
Learn about his journey: buff.ly/bUdeJ45 & buff.ly/RvDAiJ9
Learn about his journey: buff.ly/bUdeJ45 & buff.ly/RvDAiJ9
Geographer cycles 3,500 km from Rio to Belém for climate education
Leandro Costa engages students on environmental issues, but experts stress the need for public policy
buff.ly
October 24, 2025 at 1:05 PM
How far would you travel for a cause? Geographer & environmental educator Leandro Costa is biking 3,500 kilometers to COP30, with the mission of educating and listening to children, teenagers, and adults about the impacts of climate change.
Learn about his journey: buff.ly/bUdeJ45 & buff.ly/RvDAiJ9
Learn about his journey: buff.ly/bUdeJ45 & buff.ly/RvDAiJ9
Very fun to talk water & climate with international rotary students & @carleton.edu students. Common interests included fishing, recreation, and gathering. We’re supporting engagement aligned with goals in our community to remove the dam & support a proactive response. Engagement matters!
October 23, 2025 at 12:22 PM
Very fun to talk water & climate with international rotary students & @carleton.edu students. Common interests included fishing, recreation, and gathering. We’re supporting engagement aligned with goals in our community to remove the dam & support a proactive response. Engagement matters!
I’m in front of the interdisciplinary science complex @carleton.edu getting ready for 24 people in AASHE’s decarbonization academy to learn about our systems approach to decarbonization & tour the East Energy Station, the brain of the district geothermal system w Linda Weingarten, AVP of facilities
October 22, 2025 at 2:06 PM
I’m in front of the interdisciplinary science complex @carleton.edu getting ready for 24 people in AASHE’s decarbonization academy to learn about our systems approach to decarbonization & tour the East Energy Station, the brain of the district geothermal system w Linda Weingarten, AVP of facilities
On campus been working with our food service provider to understand new categories of emissions, from those we have long measured. Beef is such a big slice of food emissions. It’s been satisfying scale solution through networks (of the food provider) while students think about campus.
October 21, 2025 at 9:40 PM
On campus been working with our food service provider to understand new categories of emissions, from those we have long measured. Beef is such a big slice of food emissions. It’s been satisfying scale solution through networks (of the food provider) while students think about campus.
Reinforcing feedback loop:
“fewer graduate students mean less science will be produced”, says Donna Ginther, an economist...”If this persists for a number of years, the scientific workforce will shrink.” Fewer scientists overall will mean fewer scientific discoveries.
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
“fewer graduate students mean less science will be produced”, says Donna Ginther, an economist...”If this persists for a number of years, the scientific workforce will shrink.” Fewer scientists overall will mean fewer scientific discoveries.
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
US PhD admissions shrink as fears over Trump’s cuts take hold
Some doctoral programmes are admitting no students at all amid uncertainty about federal science funding.
www.nature.com
October 21, 2025 at 9:33 PM
Reinforcing feedback loop:
“fewer graduate students mean less science will be produced”, says Donna Ginther, an economist...”If this persists for a number of years, the scientific workforce will shrink.” Fewer scientists overall will mean fewer scientific discoveries.
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
“fewer graduate students mean less science will be produced”, says Donna Ginther, an economist...”If this persists for a number of years, the scientific workforce will shrink.” Fewer scientists overall will mean fewer scientific discoveries.
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
I love local government processes & actions. Tonight our city is formally endorsing passenger rail proposed in Minnesota. Next month council votes on the purchase of a dam from Post to support its removal. These are big sustainability & justice issues & related to outcomes on campus & community.
October 21, 2025 at 9:17 PM
I love local government processes & actions. Tonight our city is formally endorsing passenger rail proposed in Minnesota. Next month council votes on the purchase of a dam from Post to support its removal. These are big sustainability & justice issues & related to outcomes on campus & community.
Excited to have @alexrbarron.bsky.social on campus tomorrow. Making progress means we must keep having important conversations about climate action in higher ed & using evidence-based approaches.
October 21, 2025 at 2:03 AM
Excited to have @alexrbarron.bsky.social on campus tomorrow. Making progress means we must keep having important conversations about climate action in higher ed & using evidence-based approaches.
Reposted by Dr. Sarah Fortner
A lot of comments on Mars rovers or Moon landings, but it's important to remember that the planet NASA studies most is Earth. This is less about cutting flashy things like moonwalks and more about keeping communities in the dark on climate, weather, agriculture, pollution, natural hazards, and more.
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory to lay off about 550 workers reut.rs/4302N2L
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory to lay off about 550 workers
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory said on Monday it will cut nearly 550 jobs as part of a restructuring, not related to the current U.S. government shutdown.
reut.rs
October 13, 2025 at 10:43 PM
A lot of comments on Mars rovers or Moon landings, but it's important to remember that the planet NASA studies most is Earth. This is less about cutting flashy things like moonwalks and more about keeping communities in the dark on climate, weather, agriculture, pollution, natural hazards, and more.
Its great to live in a town where the mayor & orgs chat about how/where we could line up the ecosystem to better respond to flooding, heat, affordable & sustainable housing & then keep the right opportunities on radar. An ecosystem helps drive outcomes.
October 19, 2025 at 3:00 PM
Its great to live in a town where the mayor & orgs chat about how/where we could line up the ecosystem to better respond to flooding, heat, affordable & sustainable housing & then keep the right opportunities on radar. An ecosystem helps drive outcomes.
No kings, free speech, due process, democracy!
October 18, 2025 at 6:46 PM
No kings, free speech, due process, democracy!
Reposted by Dr. Sarah Fortner
I’d like to stop talking about ICE so I can focus on talking about ice in Greenland, Antarctica, the Arctic, and elsewhere.
October 16, 2025 at 6:16 AM
I’d like to stop talking about ICE so I can focus on talking about ice in Greenland, Antarctica, the Arctic, and elsewhere.
“With no reporters able to ask questions, it seems the Pentagon leadership will continue to rely on slick social media posts, carefully orchestrated short videos and interviews with partisan commentators and podcasters.
No one should think that's good enough.”
www.npr.org/2025/10/14/g...
No one should think that's good enough.”
www.npr.org/2025/10/14/g...
Opinion: Why I'm handing in my Pentagon press pass
Tom Bowman has held his Pentagon press pass for 28 years. He says the Pentagon's new media policy makes it impossible to be a journalist, which means finding out what's really going on behind the scen...
www.npr.org
October 14, 2025 at 10:21 AM
“With no reporters able to ask questions, it seems the Pentagon leadership will continue to rely on slick social media posts, carefully orchestrated short videos and interviews with partisan commentators and podcasters.
No one should think that's good enough.”
www.npr.org/2025/10/14/g...
No one should think that's good enough.”
www.npr.org/2025/10/14/g...