Catherine Tinker

Dr. Catherine Tinker is a Distinguished Fellow at Seton Hall University's Center for UN and Global Governance Studies (2026 appointment) and former Visiting Associate Professor at the School of Diplomacy and International Relations. She holds adjunct roles in law and diplomacy programs. As founder and president of the Tinker Institute on International Law and Organizations (ECOSOC-accredited NGO since 1996), she actively engages in UN processes on sustainable development and international law. Her work bridges academia, policy, and non-governmental advocacy.

Education includes a J.S.D. and LL.M. from NYU Law School, J.D. from George Washington University, and undergraduate degrees in History/Asian Studies (B.A., St. Olaf College) and English/Comparative Literature (M.A., Occidental College).

Research focuses on:

• International environmental law & sustainable development
• Global governance mechanisms
• UN institutional reform
• Climate change policy frameworks

Her scholarship emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches to transboundary resource management and gender equity in environmental policy.

Awards include the 2016 National Conservation Award and multiple Fulbright grants. She advises through the Tinker Institute's internship programs and has collaborated with UN entities, including contributions to Secretary-General selection studies and work with Bella Abzug on women's environmental advocacy.

Grants include Rockefeller Foundation support for human rights research and U.S. Department of Education funding for environmental education initiatives in Brazil. She currently chairs the NYC Bar Association's European Affairs Committee and participates in the IUCN World Council on Environmental Law.