Geography alumnus charts new path after decades in federal climate roles

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — After nearly three decades in federal service, Benjamin DeAngelo is stepping into a new role — one that allows him to apply a career’s worth of climate expertise in a more direct and collaborative way.

The Penn State geography alumnus recently launched Operation Future, a consulting and advisory service focused on climate adaptation and resilience. The initiative marks a shift from his previous posts at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.

“Venturing out on my own is quite different,” DeAngelo said. “I have a lot to learn, and it's a little daunting, but it's also liberating and exciting. Operation Future is a working title, but I like it because it emphasizes this vision is about taking action and moving forward.”

Through the firm, DeAngelo hopes to work with city and state governments, businesses, nonprofits and professional associations to develop adaptation strategies and implementation plans tailored to a changing climate. These efforts include infrastructure planning, water resource management and natural resource conservation. He also plans to build interdisciplinary teams of researchers and connect them with policymakers to produce assessments that address specific climate-related challenges.

“We’re beyond the point where climate change is only visible in the data,” he said. “It’s showing up in how we build, how we prepare and how we respond to extreme events. It’s too risky to assume the climate is stationary, so we need to mainstream information about a changing climate into everything we do.”

That shift, he said, will shape how communities plan, invest and respond in the decades ahead.

A career launched at Penn State

DeAngelo’s path to a career in climate policy began at Penn State, though not in the major he initially intended. He started as a chemistry major but switched to geography after realizing he wanted a field that combined science with policy.

"I was doing well in chemistry, but I just had this sinking feeling that it wasn’t for me," DeAngelo said. "Someone suggested I talk to the geography department, and at first, I thought, ‘Geography? Really?’"

After speaking with geography faculty, he realized the discipline aligned with his interests.

"I was sold," he said. "I think in those conversations, I made it clear that even though I like science, and I can be good at science, I’m very pre-wired to think in an interdisciplinary way."

The field’s interdisciplinary approach allowed him to combine science with a broader perspective on environmental and societal challenges. His studies at Penn State introduced him to climate change, a topic that would shape his career. He later pursued a Fulbright scholarship in Germany, where he worked at a climate policy think tank.

"The Penn State geography department helped me make connections and gave me the foundation to apply for the Fulbright," DeAngelo said. "That year in Germany opened doors for me."

He continued to gain expertise in climate policy, working on international climate negotiations in Germany before returning to North America for graduate school. He earned a master’s degree at the University of Toronto, deepening his expertise in climate science and policy.

Leadership in climate science and policy

Over the next 27 years, DeAngelo held senior roles that shaped national and international climate initiatives. At NOAA, he served as deputy director of the Climate Program Office, overseeing research programs and launching a notable collaboration with the American Society of Civil Engineers. The partnership sought to integrate climate science into future infrastructure and engineering standards.

“I’m really proud of that work,” he said. “I think it’s inspired a lot of what I’m doing now through Operation Future — infusing and mainstreaming climate science into our ways of doing business, into our standards, into our curriculum, and into how we think and plan for the future.”

While serving in the White House under President Barack Obama, DeAngelo supported then-science adviser John Holdren, helping prepare policy materials and public messaging leading up to the 2015 Paris Agreement.

“It was intense, but also really energizing,” DeAngelo said. “It stands out as one of the highlights of my career.”

He also served as deputy director of the U.S. Global Change Research Program, where he oversaw the fourth National Climate Assessment. The report, mandated by Congress, compiles and communicates climate data across federal agencies and academia to inform public policy.

From 2021 to 2023, DeAngelo chaired the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program within the Arctic Council, an intergovernmental body composed of eight Arctic nations and Indigenous organizations. His leadership supported international coordination around research and reporting on the region’s rapid environmental transformation.

“That group has been doing really good and important work to highlight all of the significant changes that are taking place in the Arctic,” he said. “Supporting the Arctic Indigenous peoples is important. They have an important story to tell, and their knowledge is vital to understanding what’s at stake.”

Giving back to Penn State and future climate leaders

Throughout his career, DeAngelo has maintained a strong connection to Penn State, recognizing the University's role in shaping his career path. In 2022, he was honored as a 125th Anniversary Fellow by the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, an award recognizing distinguished alumni for their leadership and contributions to science and policy.

As part of the college’s 125th-anniversary celebration, DeAngelo returned to campus to participate in a weekend of events recognizing the achievements of alumni and the institution’s ongoing impact.

DeAngelo said he is now actively exploring ways to collaborate with Penn State programs such as the Penn State Climate Consortium — a University-wide initiative that supports interdisciplinary research, education and outreach focused on climate change and its impacts, helping to connect faculty, students and partners working toward climate solutions at local to global scales.

“Pennsylvania is my home state, and I am a Penn State graduate,” he said. “I would love to get involved with climate resilience, adaptation and mitigation strategies for the state, and the Penn State Climate Consortium could be a great venue for that. I see it as a way to connect academic work with real-world policy decisions, especially in communities that need forward-looking climate planning.”

As part of his new chapter, DeAngelo said, he also hopes to support the next generation of climate professionals.

"I may want to get more into teaching and doing things like that," he said. "I would be very interested in guest lecturing and talking to students who are interested in climate careers.”

For students considering careers in climate-related fields, DeAngelo underscored the importance of mentorship and networking.

"Finding good mentors, both during your school years and after, is really important," DeAngelo said. "Don’t be afraid to approach people who you may think are senior and well-established. That openness and willingness to connect has paid off for me. As I get Operation Future off the ground, I’ve reached out to people I hadn’t talked to in years, and those relationships have been invaluable.”