Ruth DeFries

Columbia University

Ruth DeFries is an environmental geographer who uses remotely sensed satellite imagery to explore the relationship between the Earth’s vegetative cover, human modifications of the landscape, and the biochemical processes that regulate the Earth’s habitability. Ruth DeFries received a B.A. (1976) from Washington University in St. Louis and a Ph.D. (1980) from Johns Hopkins University. She was a research scientist (1980-1983) at the India Institute of Technology in Bombay and senior project officer (1987-1991) at the National Research Council. She joined the faculty of the University of Maryland, College Park, in 1991,.

Relationships Interlocks Giving Data

Board Memberships

Environmental Defense Fund Environmental advocacy group

• Trustee ('10→?)

National Academy of Sciences Congressional charter scientific organization since 1863

• Editorial Board Member, "Proceedings (PNAS)" ('07→?)

National Research Council Working arm of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences & U.S. National Academy of Engineering

• Member, Environmental Change and Society Board ('11→?)

Terrestrial Carbon Group academic / researcher organization

• Member ('07→'11)

Positions

Columbia University Oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York

• Denning Prof. of Sustainable Development ('08→?)

Schools

Washington University in St. Louis A private research university located in St. Louis, Missouri

• BA (?→'76)

Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, Maryland

• PhD (?→'80)

Updated almost 12 years ago

Types

Person, Academic