Denise Moreno Ramírez was named the Assistant Director of The Earth League Secretariat in March 2025. Moreno Ramírez directs the Secretariat, which Peter Schlosser and Johan Rockström co-chair. She is a nationally recognized interdisciplinary scientist with expertise in community-engaged research and environmental social improvement. By blending environmental science and medical anthropology, she has worked on transdisciplinary scientific teams to address environmental contamination and health issues.
She joins the Secretariat based at the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory at Arizona State University. In this role, Moreno Ramírez focuses on international climate change policy, specifically on developing actionable strategies and fostering global collaboration. She leverages her skills to support research translation and science communication efforts. She brings an innovative lens through her interdisciplinary training, which she hopes to apply to expand the reach of The Earth League’s science-to-policy products and to influence international climate governance.
“What an excellent opportunity to come to Arizona State University and work with some of the most influential climate scientists in the world to make an impact at an international level. In my previous work, I learned how to impact the local and national levels, and now I look forward to seeing what I can accomplish with The Earth League to contribute to this scholarship area. Go Sundevils!”
Moreno Ramírez holds a Ph.D. in Soil, Water & Environmental Science, with a minor in Medical Anthropology, from the University of Arizona, where her dissertation examined community-engaged oral history at two Arizona Superfund sites. Moreno Ramírez has co-authored publications on climate and water management on the U.S.-Mexico Border, pollution prevention through peer education, qualitative and mixed methods in exposure science, characterizing worker exposure to volatile organic compounds, and training modules for promotoras working on the Border. She has also received various prestigious awards, and her research has been featured in national and international media outlets.