Hayhoe is the Chief Scientist for The Nature Conservancy and a Horn Distinguished Professor and Endowed Professor of Public Policy and Public Law in the Dept. of Political Science at Texas Tech University. She is the author of the book Saving Us: A Climate Scientist’s Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World, has given a TED talk with over 4 million views, and hosts the PBS digital series Global Weirding. Hayhoe has been named one of TIME's 100 Most Influential People, the United Nations Champion of the Environment, and the World Evangelical Alliance’s Climate Ambassador.
As the Posey Leader-In-Residence, Hayhoe will offer four sessions for students throughout the year, touching on different aspects of her work. The first of these, entitled “Climate Change: Science, Solutions, & Hope” will be held on Wednesday, October 30, 2024. Hayhoe will be on campus presenting in person for the first student session.
The remaining student sessions will be held in spring of 2024, leading up to the Posey Leadership Award Convocation on Tuesday, April 8, 2025. The three spring sessions for students will be hosted virtually in partnership with Austin College professors and will cover the topics of servant leadership and community involvement, social determinants of health, and working within systems to create positive change.
Formally launched in 2005 and made possible through the generosity of Sally and Lee Posey of Dallas, the Austin College Posey Leadership Award honors an outstanding individual who has demonstrated the principles of servant leadership by taking a courageous stand on a public policy issue that advances a humanitarian or educational purpose; or serving the youth of a state, nation, or international community to improve the quality of health, educational, or community services; or by creating opportunities for young people that help them enhance their educational experience and move to a new level of service to society. Past Posey Leadership Award recipients include Rick Lowe in 2024, Sylvia Acevedo in 2023, Barbara Pierce Bush in 2018, Dr. Nathan Wolfe in 2014, and Wendy Kopp in 2006.
Austin College, a private national liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas, has earned a reputation for excellence in academic preparation, pre-professional foundations, committed faculty, and hands-on, adventurous learning opportunities. One of 44 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges That Change Lives, Austin College boasts a welcoming community that embraces diversity and individuality, with more than 50 percent of students identifying as persons of color. The residential student body of approximately 1,300 students and an expert faculty of more than 100 educators allow a 13:1 student-faculty ratio and personalized attention. Related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA), Austin College cultivates an inclusive atmosphere that supports students’ faith journeys regardless of religious tradition. The College, founded in 1849, is the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original name and charter.
