Certificate in Decision Making for Climate Change
 (Autumn, Online)
Developed in partnership with the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and offered in collaboration with Northwestern University, the University of British Columbia, and the University of California-Irvine

Overview  |   Courses  |   Instructors  |   Advisory Board  |   Apply

Instructor names and profiles will be posted as soon as information becomes available.

Sarah Burch,
Ph.D, University of British Columbia

Sarah Burch explores barriers to effective action on climate change at the municipal scale as part of the Institute for Resources, Environment, and Sustainability at the University of British Columbia. She is also an Associate at Climate Smart Business, an organization that works with small and medium-sized enterprises to measure and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. While researching local barriers to action on climate change, she immersed herself in the worlds of city planning, decision-making, climate change policy, and public participation. She also investigated local adaptation and greenhouse gas reduction strategies. She was a Contributing Author of the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, winner of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize. Sarah writes and speaks about the capacity to respond to climate change, barriers to action, and the ways in which development can be transformed to achieve sustainability goals. She holds degrees in International Relations and Environmental Science, and recently completed a PhD in Resource Management and Environmental Studies.

David A. Dana
JD, Harvard Law School

Dana is a Professor of Law and Associate Dean for Research at Northwestern University School of Law. An expert in environmental law and policy, he has published widely on topics involving climate change, including the applicability of the precautionary principle to climate change, the challenges climate change poses for cost benefit analysis, federalism and preemptions issues raised by state climate change initiatives, and the recent use of common law public nuisance suits to address the effects of climate change. Dana also has experience as an environmental litigator, both at a large Washington DC law firm and at the United States Department of Justice.

Tom-Pierre Frappé-Sénéclauze,
BS.c., Laval University; Masters in Geophysics, University of British Columbia

Tom-Pierre Frappé-Sénéclauze is a scientist and educator passionate about bridging dynamic systems theory and group processes to help us make informed decisions about climate change and water resources management. As a researcher at the University of British Columbia, he designed computer models to investigate the response of alpine glaciers to changes in regional climate. Field work in the Yukon Territory and the Norwegian Arctic brought him to live by and study fast flowing glaciers that could yield insights into the future of the outlet glaciers that drain Greenland and Antarctica. When glaciers move faster than policy, better science alone does not suffice to bring the changes needed for meaningful action. Tom-Pierre has dedicated the last few years to research and teaching, looking for better ways tell the story of our dynamic planet to school children, university students, and adult learners.


Judy Yorke,
B.S., PE, CPP, founder and president of Yorke Engineering, LLC.

Judy Yorke has extensive air quality and environmental regulatory compliance experience with industry and government. As a practicing environmental professional, she provides environmental compliance and planning services to major power producers, oil and gas producers, oil refiners, federal, state, and local governments, manufacturing and industrial operations, and utilities. Yorke is a recognized expert in federal, state, and local air pollution control laws. She has performed hundreds of environmental management and planning projects for industrial and governmental operations. She has taught courses on California’s Climate Solutions Act of 2006, managed greenhouse gas inventories, prepared Climate Protection Action Plans, and provided emission reduction planning services. She is currently involved in providing sustainability and environmental recommendations for city policies and planning.

John R. Labadie
Strategic Advisor, Seattle Public Utilities, Emergency Management Group; Certified Hazardous Materials Manager; Certified Environmental Auditor; B.S. from MIT; Ph.D. from the University of Washington

Dr. John Labadie has thirty years' experience in the multi-disciplined technical and business management of environmental services, hazardous waste management, and emergency preparedness planning for Federal agencies, State, local governments, and private industry. His experience includes:

  • Seattle Public Utilities - Concentrating on environmental management, hazardous materials management, environmental compliance auditing, risk assessment, quality assurance, and internal performance auditing.
  • Vice-President and Manager of the Environmental Services Division for JAYCOR - Directed and managed a number of projects for government clients, including Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Studies (RI/FS), environmental compliance assessments, and Environmental Impact Statements.
  • Director, Disaster & Hazardous Materials Management, for Salem, OR - His responsibilities included: emergency management and disaster preparedness planning; management of the City's purchase, use, and disposal of hazardous materials; management of a 27-member Hazardous Materials Response Team.
  • Developed Comprehensive Emergency Management plans and Hazard Mitigation Plans for cities in Washington State.
  • Prepared a Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan for the Washington State Department of Health and Emergency Response Plans for WDOH facilities.