Stephanie Arcusa

Dr. Stephanie Arcusa is a climate and earth physical scientist whose research and teaching advance Arizona State University’s mission to be a comprehensive public research university, measured not by whom it excludes, but by whom it includes and how they succeed. Her work exemplifies ASU’s commitment to advancing research of public value and to taking responsibility for the economic, social, cultural, and environmental well-being of the communities it serves.

Viewing climate mitigation as a complex systems challenge, Dr. Arcusa uses tools from complexity science and decision science to understand and manage the intertwined physical, social, and technological dimensions of carbon management. She conducts use-inspired research that integrates large datasets, statistical analysis, and modeling to design and assess carbon removal and circular carbon economy accounting frameworks. Her research bridges science, technology, and policy to develop responsible and certifiable carbon management solutions, contributing to both global climate goals and local sustainability action.

Dr. Arcusa’s work leverages ASU's place through leadership and collaboration on projects that reduce emissions at the local, city, and higher-education levels. She is deeply committed to enabling student success, mentoring students from high school to Ph.D. across diverse disciplines (including business, engineering, design, law, health, and earth sciences) ensuring each student thrives in their unique path.

By addressing climate change, Dr. Arcusa’s scholarship helps transform society, generating actionable knowledge that meets pressing social and environmental needs. Her collaborations fuse intellectual disciplines, engaging partners across business, law, engineering, physics, the social sciences, and the humanities as well as companies and NGOs to co-create solutions that transcend academic boundaries.

Reflecting the value of entrepreneurship, she works closely with industry partners through the CNCE’s service center and has pioneered an innovative carbon accounting framework that strengthens the credibility and transparency of carbon sequestration efforts. By being socially embedded, she invests her time in community engagement, educating youth, retirees, and medical professionals on climate impacts and resilience, building shared understanding and empowerment through education.

Dr. Arcusa also practices principled innovation, integrating ethics into her teaching and research. She teaches data and AI ethics and writes on the moral responsibilities of carbon management technologies, ensuring that innovation serves both people and the planet. Her outreach and collaborations engage globally, advancing equitable and scientifically grounded approaches to carbon management worldwide like with her work in Kenya.

Dr. Arcusa earned her Ph.D. in Climate and Environmental Change from Northern Arizona University, a Master’s in Climate Science from the University of Bern, Switzerland, and a Bachelor’s in Earth Sciences from University College Cork, Ireland. Her publications in leading journals such as Nature, Science, Climate Policy, Geophysical Research Letters, and Earth System Science Data demonstrate a career devoted to creating knowledge that is rigorous, inclusive, and transformative.