Sara Harris

Sara Harris is a Professor of Teaching in the Department of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences at the University of British Columbia (UBC) and served as Associate Dean Academic in the Faculty of Science from 2017 to 2022. Her research focuses on evidence-based science education, particularly climate literacy and the effectiveness of climate science education. She is renowned for developing the MOOC Climate Change: The Science on edX and co-authoring Understanding Climate Change: Science, Policy and Practice. She has held roles including Chief Scientist at Sea Education Association (1998–2005) and has taught at UBC since 2005.

• PhD: Geological Oceanography, Oregon State University (1998)
• 3M National Teaching Fellow (2015)

Her work bridges climate science with educational strategies, emphasizing how learning impacts risk perception and cultural norms. Key contributions include validated assessments for climate science understanding and tools for measuring student engagement in large classes.

Her recent research explores equity and inclusion in universities, leveraging community-based conservation approaches. She has spoken at major events like the ISC 2021 Summer School on Cognition & Climate.