Research Institute for Sustainability Helmholtz Centre Potsdam

Seán Schmitz

Dr. Seán Schmitz

Research Associate

E-Mail

sean [dot] schmitz [at] rifs-potsdam [dot] de

Officially, Seán Schmitz joined the ClimPol (Climate Change and Air Pollution) team as a research associate, in 2018. Prior to this, he worked with ClimPol from early 2017 as an intern, documenting science-policy engagement case studies for use in a science-policy training workshop for early-career scientists, and later returned to complete his Master's thesis on perceptions of air quality in Potsdam. Now that his thesis is done, he intends to continue working in the fields of air quality, climate change, and mobility with ClimPol, while furthering the collaboration between RIFS and various policy partners.

Seán has earned a Bachelor's degree in Environmental Science from McGill University, Montreal, Canada and received a Master's degree in Global Change: Ecosystem Science and Policy jointly awarded by the University College of Dublin, Ireland, and Justus-Liebig Universität, Gießen. He also has extensive work experience as a research assistant in plant science at McGill's Macdonald Campus, as a research intern at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute's Punta Galeta research station in Colón, Panamá, and as a volunteer at Lo Tuyo organic farm in Las Lajas, Panamá.

Work Experience:

  • 01/2018 - Present: Research Associate at RIFS in the ClimPol project.
  • 01/2017 - 03/2017: Intern at IASS in the ClimPol project.
  • 01/2016 - 04/2016: Research assistant at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute's Punta Galeta research station in Colón, Panamá.
  • 04/2014 - 11/2015: Research assistant in plant science to Dr. Donald Smith at Macdonald Campus, McGill University.
  • 01/2013 - 12/2015: Peer facilitator and teaching assistant for pre-calculus and organic chemistry at McGill University.

Education:

  • 09/2016 - 12/2017: Master's degree in Global Change: Ecosystem Science and Policy, jointly awarded by University College of Dublin, Ireland, and Justus-Liebig Universität, Gießen.
  • 09/2012 - 04/2016: Bachelor's degree in Environmental Science, University of McGill, Macdonald Campus, Montreal, Canada.

  • Air quality and mobility
  • Climate change adaptation
  • Science-policy engagement
  • Citizen science