Katia Kontar

Dr. Yekaterina 'Katia' Kontar is an International Relations Specialist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS), where she supports climate and GEO portfolios. She joined NOAA from the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP), where she served as the International Lead, coordinating and overseeing the implementation of USGCRP interagency activities to promote international cooperation on global change research. She also served as a liaison between the USGCRP and international scientific and intergovernmental organizations. Before USGCRP, Katia was an AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellow at the National Science Foundation, Office of Polar Programs. In that role, she supported the development of the U.S. Arctic Research Plan 2022–2026 and U.S. participation in the Arctic Council. Katia began her career in international science management and facilitation as an Education and Outreach Associate at the ANDRILL (ANtartic Geological DRILLing) Program, facilitating collaboration between scientists and educators from Germany, Italy, New Zealand, and the United States. Katia earned her Ph.D. in geoscience policy at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. She also holds an M.B.A. in public administration and a B.A. in international communications and public relations from the University of Findlay. She completed her postdoc in science diplomacy at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy (Tufts University) in Boston, MA. Katia's research background and expertise lie in the fields of natural hazards and risk reduction, Arctic resilience, and science diplomacy.