As the Columbia Climate School's flagship public program, the Signature Speaker Series features distinguished scholars, practitioners, policymakers, journalists, and innovators leading the charge in climate science and policy through hybrid events hosted from its New York City campus.
Kim Stanley Robinson is a New York Times bestselling author and one of the most acclaimed writers of contemporary science fiction. He is the author of more than twenty books, including the bestselling Mars trilogy, 2312, Shaman, New York 2140, and The Ministry for the Future. His work frequently explores climate change, science, political economy, and possible futures for human society.
Robinson has received the Hugo, Nebula, and Locus awards, among many other honors. In 2008, Time named him a “Hero of the Environment.” He has twice traveled to Antarctica through programs of the U.S. National Science Foundation and has spoken at major international climate gatherings, including COP26, the United Nations Summit of the Future, and COP30.
His newest book, The Best Journey in the World: An Antarctic Story, published in December 2026, combines memoir, polar history, science, and his own experiences in Antarctica to examine the continent and its place in a changing climate.
Robinson lives in Davis, California.
