School Notes: School of the Environment
November/December 2026

Professor named APA fellow

Anthony Leiserowitz, professor of climate communication, has been elected an American Psychological Association fellow, effective January 1, 2027. Fellow status is awarded to those who have made outstanding and sustained contributions to the field of psychology.

Leiserowitz, the director of the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication, was recognized for his work on climate and environmental psychology, which has helped shape how the public and policymakers understand the human dimensions of the climate crisis. “I’m so honored to be named a fellow of the American Psychological Association,” Leiserowitz said. “Environmental and conservation psychology are more important to solving our shared global challenges than ever before, and I’m just glad I’ve had the opportunity to help advance the field.” 

Emerging technologies: Look before you scale

From biodegradable plastics to AI and computer chips, Yuan Yao is helping determine the environmental footprint of emerging technologies—at a moment when the world is racing to adopt the latest innovations faster than it can assess their consequences. Research conducted by Yao, the Manufacturer’s Association Professor of Industrial Ecology and Sustainable Systems, is influencing national strategies abroad, informing industry R&D, and redefining how lifecycle assessment can guide responsible innovation. “For any emerging solution, we really need a rigorous evaluation and understanding of its potential impact before we scale it up,” said Yao, the new director of YSE’s Center for Industrial Ecology.

Yao’s global-scale study on biodegradable plastics was published in Nature Reviews Clean Technology in January 2026. The paper’s finding—that biodegradable plastics can cut ecotoxicity by up to 34 percent by 2050 but may increase greenhouse gas emissions without proper waste infrastructure—prompted international outreach from a range of parties, including a Japanese manufacturer seeking guidance from Yao’s team on integrating biodegradable materials, and Italy’s national bioplastics consortium.