MY BIO

Welcome,

 

My name is Thomas S. Benson and I am a Senior Research Associate and Data Analyst, Princeton Dissertation Scholar, American Security Project Adjunct Fellow, Foundation for Renewable Energy and Environment Research Associate, and an Oxford University Net Zero and Global Youth Climate Fellow. I successfully defended my doctoral dissertation in April 2023 and graduated in May 2023. Since July 2023, I'm a Post Doc Research Associate at the Pacific Northwest National Lab (PNNL).

​

I specialize in environmental policy and justice, community engagement, green and smart communities, climate security assessments, and developing sustainability strategies that are rich with data.

What I’m known for:
✔ Developed a sustainability strategy for GHG emissions reductions with 25 recommendations for a non-profit.
✔ Secured the establishment of University of Delaware’s (UD) Office of Sustainability.
✔ Supported the development of UD’s Executive Sustainability Plan, Climate Action Plan, Transportation Master Plan, Sustainability Report, Zero Waste Plan.
✔ Established a UD and City of Newark Bikeshare Report with strong community engagement and 24 recommendations for improving local infrastructure and sustainability practices.
✔ Achieved 28 awards, grants, and fellowships in academic excellence and advancing sustainable and equitable development since 2020.
✔ Shared research findings and policy recommendations at 20 conferences since 2020.
✔ Key relations include PMF, Princeton University, Presidential Management Fellowship, Environmental Defense Fund Climate Corps, American Security Project, Brown University’s Climate Social Science Network, and National Civic League.

I’ve spent my career advancing the establishment of strong, sustainable, resilient, and inclusive communities. I started out as a researcher, focusing on academic research related to environmental policy and justice, urban infrastructure and planning, and the relationship between climate change, natural disasters and conflict. I then became a Princeton Dissertation Scholar to continue this line of research by interviewing city officials, journalists, academics, and representatives from community organizations. Simultaneously, I developed expertise in sustainability planning for universities and cities, in addition to completing the UNH Carbon Footprinting Certificate, the AASHE Sustainability Change Leadership Program, and the EDF Climate Corps Fellowship with the American Security Project.

I love helping governments, thinktanks, businesses, and nonprofits use industry-leading sustainability strategies, tools, and data to create positive public impacts that result in real, evaluative improvements in sustainability, resilience, inclusivity, democracy, and efficiency. Feel free to connect via LinkedIn or email me at tsbenson44@gmail.com to learn more about my work.

​

This website contains additional information about my research and teaching.