Radley M. Horton

Radley M. Horton is a Lamont Associate Research Professor at Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory. His research focuses on climate extremes, tail risks, adaptation strategies, and impacts of climate change on human and natural systems. He serves as a Convening Lead Author for the Third National Climate Assessment and co-chairs Columbia’s Adaptation Initiative. Horton leads major projects such as the NOAA-funded Consortium for Climate Risk in the Urban Northeast (CCRUN) and the Columbia-WWF ADVANCE partnership. He teaches in Columbia’s Sustainable Development department, emphasizing solution-oriented approaches with students advising clients on sustainability challenges like climate adaptation for energy utilities and disaster resilience.

Key roles include Principal Investigator for the NSF-funded Megalopolitan Transformation Hub and Columbia’s lead for the Northeast Climate Science Center. His work bridges science and policy, with frequent media appearances for climate communication. Research highlights include studies on humid heat extremes, compound climate events, and the interplay between atmospheric patterns (e.g., Rossby waves) and global food security risks.

Publications emphasize real-world applications, such as modeling human displacement during disasters and advancing urban climate adaptation strategies. Horton’s contributions span peer-reviewed articles, policy briefs, and interdisciplinary collaborations, reflecting a commitment to actionable climate science.