Judy Twedt

Judy Twedt is a fifth-generation Washingtonian who set out to better understand the physics of global climate change by pursuing a PhD in atmospheric sciences at the University of Washington. Three years into her research, after the reversal of US leadership on the Paris Climate Accord, she designed a new PhD program to develop novel ways of understanding our changing climate — by listening to the vital signs of the planet. These “infosonics” are the audio analogue to infographics.  She uses climate data to inspire longer, more abstract climate soundtracks with digital sound synthesis and ambisonics to create three-dimensional, spatialized sound fields. These soundtracks explore tensions between the time-scales of lived human experience and the time-scales of climate change. She mixes art and science to promote public reckoning with our changing climate and the associated risks of rampant carbon pollution.

She has received a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship and the University of Washington Husky 100 and Husky Green Awards for her work in sustainability and science communication. She also enjoys swimming in the Puget Sound, making pie from scratch, and addressing big multi-disciplinary problems.