Dr. Sivan Kartha, Climate Science Connoisseur

Meet Dr. Sivan Kartha, a Senior Scientist at Stockholm Environmental Institute. His research and publications focus on technological options and policy strategies for addressing climate change. His work on climate science and policymaking has enabled him to advise and collaborate with diverse organizations, including the Secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), various UN and World Bank Programs, numerous government policymaking bodies and agencies, as well as foundations and civil society organizations throughout the developing and industrialized world. Check out some of his work here!

Watch Dr. Kartha’s Lunch & Learn lecture here.

How did you become interested in what you are doing now?

My training is in physics, and it was just pure physics, not really related to climate change or environment anything like that. But while I was studying physics, I worked as a TA for a course that was jointly taught by the physics department and the government department at Cornell. It was an interesting mix of science and politics around arms control and nuclear power and all of these things that were at the same time very scientific but had huge political ramifications. So for me, it was a very interesting exposure to the real world application for physics to problems that are politically important. And this experience really got me thinking more broadly about how to use my own training in physics but to work on incredibly important and urgent problems. It was through the professor in that class that I met people at an institute called the Center for Energy at Princeton University. And that’s how I made the transition from pure physics to environmental science.

Do you have any advice for Tufts students in terms of choosing courses?

When I was an undergraduate student, I took courses that was outside of my track—like gender studies and political studies. I highly recommend other undergraduate students to have that experience as a way of broadening their perspectives.

For students who are interested in the intersection between science and politics like you, what sort of recommendation could you make about how to spend their college years?

What was useful for me was to get a really firm grounding in a particular discipline or a field—in physics in my case. This taught me how to do research and how to build a mental model when solving questions. So especially as an undergraduate, I think gaining that core skill in a particular field of studies is really important in making yourself a really attractive professional. Another thing that was useful for me was to have a robust capacity with numbers. Being able read an article and being able to look at it critically and understand what does make sense and why it makes sense are really important—I think having that comfort with analysis is critical. Also, I think having a breadth of knowledge is also really important. Your experience in graduate school will be much narrower in focus, so especially as an undergraduate, having that diversity in knowledge is really important. For example, through Tufts’ multidisciplinary studies. Last thing I think that is useful is getting involved in different social activities, that way you can keep yourself updated with different issues and be able to come up with your own opinions. Be willing to voice and challenge yourself is really important in all learning processes.

What is the most rewarding aspect of your research?

Definitely, the most rewarding aspect of my research is being able to chat with people who are really passionate, knowledgeable and committed to this field. They are really good, concerned and inspiring people—they are doing what they are doing because they think it is really important and they want to do good in the world. I can learn a ton from them every day and it is awesome.

Could you give me a piece of advice for Tufts students who are struggling to find what they really want to do after they graduate?

I would like to tell them that there is no need to stress about finding their path now. Focus on what you are interested in and passionate about and willing to put your energy into—and you will be able find your path.