Gretchen Goldman

Gretchen Goldman is an American environmental scientist, policy advocate, and the president of the Union of Concerned Scientists. In 2024 she was the climate change research and technology director at the U.S. Department of Transportation and served between July 2021 and 2023 as the assistant director for environmental science, engineering, policy, and justice for the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. Through a viral tweet and her work with 500 Women Scientists, she has also become known as an advocate for working mothers in the STEM fields.

Education Goldman earned a bachelor's degree in Atmospheric Science at Cornell University in 2006. She then went on to earn a master's and PhD in Environmental Engineering at Georgia Tech in 2008 and 2011 respectively.

Career Following a postdoc at Georgia Tech, Goldman served for 10 years as research director for the Center for Science and Democracy at the Union of Concerned Scientists, where she led research efforts at the intersection of science and policy. In this role, she led research in environmental justice, fossil fuels, climate change, energy production, and scientific integrity. Her team documented 206 attacks on science by the Trump administration during his first term. and offered proposals that have been adopted by the Biden Administration.

Between July 2021 and 2023, Goldman served as the assistant director for environmental science, engineering, policy, and justice for the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. There she focused on issues including climate equity, air quality, indigenous knowledge, environmental justice, and scientific integrity.

Goldman has also served as an expert on the Public Health Rulemaking of the California Department of Conservation's Geologic Energy Management Division. and 2018. She served in the UNESCO/AAAS Consultation Group.

Goldman is a member of the board of 500 Women Scientists. Through this group, she has worked to support working mothers in STEM fields during the pandemic. In an attempt to raise awareness for the struggles faced by mothers working from home, Goldman posted what became a viral tweet that brought attention to the cause. It showed the chaotic reality of the home office she was using during an online video conference. She continues to fight to protect women's opportunities in the workplace. 2022, Georgia Tech alumni 40 Under 40 List 2020, named in Glamour Magazine's Women of the Year

Personal life Goldman has two sons.

List of works