Terry Root's research focuses on the possible mass extinction of species with global warming. As a senior fellow emerita at the Woods Institute for the Environment at Stanford University, Root goes beyond the tragic picture of the suffering polar bear, examining the complicated ecological consequences of increasing global temperatures.

Root’s work inherently invokes cautionary feelings towards the future, instilling a dedication to enhance communication between scientists, policymakers and the general public. She was the lead author for the third (2001) and fourth (2007) Assessment Reports of the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change. In 2007, the IPCC shared the Nobel Peace Prize with Vice President Al Gore.

Root serves on the board of many organizations attempting to link science with policy. She received an undergraduate degree in mathematics and statistics from the University of New Mexico, a master’s degree in biology from the University of Colorado and a doctorate in biology from Princeton University.