Lisa Goddard

She married David Cooperberg and had two sons. Goddard died from breast cancer in Mount Kisco, New York, on January 13, 2022, at the age of 55.

Her research focused on forecasting methodology, seasonal climate forecasting and verification, climate change projections and especially on the interpretation of climate models and available observations. She was involved in activities of the World Climate Research Programme and acted as co-chair in CLIVAR from 2013 to 2015.

Goddard held a number of influential positions during her career. From 2009 to 2017, she was a member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences Board of Atmospheric Science and Climate. She co-chaired World Climate Research Programme's CLIVAR project from 2013 to 2015.

Lisa Goddard graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, with a degree in physics in 1988. She received a PhD in atmospheric and oceanic sciences at Princeton University in 1995 under George Philander. She joined IRI as a postdoctoral fellow immediately following her PhD, and spent her entire career there, eventually rising to the Director of the IRI, which position she held from 2012 to 2020.

Lisa Marie Goddard (September 23, 1966 – January 13, 2022) was an American climate scientist who was director at the International Research Institute for Climate and Society (IRI). She joined the institute in 1995 and served as IRI's director from 2012 to 2020. Goddard was also an adjunct associate professor at Columbia University.