Dr. Karen Seto

Biography

Karen C. Seto is a leading expert in urbanization, focusing on the effects of this global phenomenon on the planet, climate change, biodiversity, and food systems. As the Frederick C. Hixon Professor at Yale School of the Environment, she directs the Hixon Center for Urban Sustainability and co-directs the Yale Center for Geospatial Solutions. Her research includes using satellite remote sensing, field interviews, and modeling methods to analyze urbanization across four themes: measuring and characterizing urbanization, modeling the drivers of urban expansion, forecasting urban growth, and assessing the environmental consequences of urbanization. Seto has conducted extensive fieldwork in Asia, particularly in China and India, over the past two decades. Her roles include being a coordinating lead author for United Nations climate change reports and serving on numerous national scientific bodies. Seto's commitment to public understanding of urbanization is reflected in her documentary work and publications, such as "City Unseen," which employs satellite imagery to illustrate the relationship between urban landscapes and city shapes. She encourages the next generation of geographers and urban scientists through innovative and interdisciplinary teaching.

Research Interests

Experience

Awards