Winrock Mourns the Passing of Legendary Senior Scientist Dr. Sandra Brown
Our Winrock family is deeply saddened to share the news of the passing of Dr. Sandra Brown. Sandra died on Monday, February 13, at her home in Wales. She was 72.
Sandra’s pioneering work on the role forests play in the global carbon cycle shaped the way we understand the forces behind climate change today. She was a prolific scholar, having authored many seminal texts on carbon accounting and served as a convening lead author on five Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Reports, for which she was recognized when the IPCC won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007. Sandra was also a strong advocate for women in science and an extraordinary mentor to many.
First as a university professor and then as a longtime director of Winrock’s Ecosystem Services Unit, Sandra brought her formidable energy and intellectual brilliance to developing the best ways to measure the carbon emitted when forests are cut down, as well as helping countries develop and implement strategies to preserve their forests. She provided leadership and expertise to many national and international organizations and was a great supporter of staff both professionally and personally.
Those who knew Sandra can attest to her love for her work and the force of her personality. Sandra was larger than life. A scientist to the core (her undergraduate degree was in chemistry and her doctorate in systems ecology), Sandra was always ready to vigorously defend her viewpoints. We have a story about her on our website called “Can You Imagine the World Without Forests?” Right now her Winrock family is struggling to imagine the world without Sandra.
A public funeral service will be held on Monday, February 20, at New Mill Gospel Church, Ceredigion, Wales, U.K., at 12:00 noon, and at Parc Gwyn Crematorium, Narberth, at 1:45 p.m. GMT.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Paul Sartori Foundation, c/o Mrs. Lowri Evans of Colin Phillips and Daughters Funeral Directors, 4 Morgan Street, Ceredigion, Wales. Phone number: + 44 (0) 1239 621192.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Sandra’s family and friends during this difficult time. Please stay tuned for more tributes to Sandra in the days to come. Click here for an obituary of Sandra.