At Ramírez Environmental Solutions, we are committed to providing clients with research and policy recommendations supported by the best available science. We provide science-based environmental advocacy consulting services for non-profits, businesses, lawmakers, and political candidates, incorporating environmental justice principles into policy from grassroots to federal campaigns. We believe that environmental justice should be at the center of all environmental advocacy and that robust quantitative and qualitative scientific research supports effective policy that advocates for everyone, especially the most marginalized communities.

Carolyn E. Ramírez, Ph.D. (they/them/theirs)

Dr. Carolyn E. Ramírez is the founder and CEO of Ramírez Environmental Solutions. Carolyn graduated with their Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Northwestern University in 2022. Prior to earning their Ph.D., Carolyn obtained their Bachelor’s in Chemical Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin in 2017.

They have research and teaching expertise in environmental justice topics, climate justice, life cycle analysis, technoeconomic analysis, decarbonization strategies, climate science, renewable energy technologies, materials chemistry, soil chemistry, forest ecology, natural climate solutions, water engineering, and engineering design. Carolyn has substantial experience engaging with diverse groups of researchers, stakeholders, and Tribes on these topics.

Carolyn has extensive experience in academic and non-profit research settings. They have spent a total of 13 years engaged in government-funded academic research projects focused on topics including the technical, economic, and social viability of carbon capture and sequestration technologies; physical and organic chemistry of organic solar cells; efficacy of polyelectrolytes and polymers; synthesis of organic pigments, silicon aerogels, and carbon nanosponges; and myriad physical and chemical characterization techniques. Throughout their research experience, Carolyn aimed to connect these fundamental and technical scientific resarch topics with communities and climate change via science policy applications. Their work is reflected in numerous academic publications and op-eds.

Following completion of their Ph.D., Carolyn spent two years as an advocacy-focused Staff Scientist at the Natural Resources Defense Council where they conducted technical analyses merged with policies centering natural climate solutions, advising stakeholders and coalitions on climate-focused forest conservation campaign strategies. Working with diverse coaltions of other advocates, academic researchers, environmental justice stakeholders, and Tribes, Carolyn provided scientifically robust literature reviews on forest ecology, built technical analyses on forest management, led drafting of federal comments, published original research, briefed partners on key topics, and translated research into non-technical memos for leadership at NRDC, coalition outreach, and media communication.

As a queer, Puerto Rican person deeply engaged in their community, Carolyn is passionate about preserving our planet for the next generation and alleviating unfair climate burdens on marginalized communities. They lead with compassion and accessibility while encouraging an endless curiosity about the world around us. 

Some photos from Carolyn’s adventures exploring the world around us from the Chicago River to Banff National Park to Puerto Rico!