The Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC) is proud to welcome veteran climate reporter Lisa Friedman as its Visiting Fellow in Journalism for the 2021-2022 academic year. Friedman, a reporter for The New York Times, will moderate a series of events and share her expertise with students and the broader campus community through workshops, public discussions and other activities.
Friedman is a reporter on The New York Times climate desk, focusing on climate and environmental policy in Washington. She has covered eight international climate talks and chased climate-related stories from the bottom of a Chinese coal mine to the top of snow-capped Himalaya Mountains. She previously worked for Climatewire where she led a team of twelve reporters focused on the business and politics of the changing climate. Before Climatewire, Friedman was the Washington bureau chief for The Oakland Tribune and later The Los Angeles Daily News.
“Navigating the complexity of climate policy is no easy feat, yet Lisa is able to accentuate the many layers with in-depth reporting while conveying the issues in a clear, digestible fashion,” said EPIC Director Michael Greenstone, the Milton Friedman Distinguished Service Professor in Economics. “We look forward to learning from Lisa this year and sharing our knowledge of the economics surrounding climate and energy policy. She is a truly exceptional reporter who we are thrilled to welcome as a journalism fellow.”
The recipient of a number of journalism honors, Friedman won a 2020 SEAL Award in Environmental Journalism, the 2010 Edwin M. Hood Diplomatic Correspondence Award, and the 2009 American Association for the Advancement of Science Kavli Science Journalism Award. A New Jersey native, Friedman is a graduate of Columbia University.
“I’m honored to be named a visiting fellow with EPIC,” says Friedman. “I’m also thrilled to be able to work with EPIC’s top-notch researchers, whose rigorous and thoughtful expertise over the years has been vital to my understanding of climate and energy policies as well as the challenges that countries face as they transition away from fossil fuels. I look forward to continuing to learn from them in the year ahead.”
As part of her role as a Visiting Fellow in Journalism, Friedman will moderate a series of events on the practical realities of the political landscape in energy and climate policymaking. She will also be available as a resource for students, researchers and faculty as they seek to better understand the ever-evolving news media.