Dr. Lyssa Freese

Assistant Professor of Earth System Science. Ph.D. in Atmospheric Chemistry, MIT (2023). 

Dr. Freese joined UCI's Earth System Science faculty in July 2025.  She researches the fundamentals, impacts, and mitigation of climate change and air pollution. Specifically, she focuses on the intersection between the transition to a zero-emissions energy system, air pollution, and mitigation and adaptation to climate change. Much of her work is community based and policy oriented, melding applied and fundamental earth sciences.  Her studies utilize a combination of climate and chemical transport models, energy system modeling, socio-economic data, and health impact assessments. 

She previously worked on environmental policy and community science at the Wilson Center’s China Environment Forum (Washington, DC), the Rock Environment and Energy Institute (Beijing, China), and Green Camel Bell (Lanzhou, China).