#44 - What We Get Wrong About Climate Change with Toby Ault

Shaping tomorrow through wisdom, science, and hope. In today’s episode, Marcus Arredondo connects with Cornell professor Toby Ault to discuss what most people get wrong about climate change, how to approach skeptics with curiosity, and why aligning passion with purpose matters. Through stories of travel, research, and teaching, this episode reveals practical wisdom for facing today’s challenges and building a more resilient future.Toby Ault is an Associate Professor of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at Cornell University and Director of Graduate Studies in Atmospheric Science. His work spans climate variability, megadroughts, and wildfire risk, bridging fundamental research with real-world impact. He teaches across all levels, mentors the STARDUST project team, and is recognized for connecting scientific rigor with thoughtful guidance that equips the next generation to navigate uncertainty with clarity and resilience.Find out more about Toby Ault:🌐Website: https://ecrl.eas.cornell.edu/people/ 💼LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/toby-ault-141506292/ Episode highlights:(2:50) From math major to climate scientist(6:51) Lessons from retracing Darwin’s voyage(14:46) Choosing climate science as a life’s work(19:59) What most people get wrong about climate change?(29:25) How to talk to climate skeptics(37:23) Career alignment and midlife recalibration(41:15) The tenure process and academic pressures(48:28) Funding challenges and diversifying support(59:46) Advice for students on sustaining passions(1:06:17) Balancing human connection and AI in education(1:17:36) OutroConnect with Marcus Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcus-arredondo/ X (Twitter): https://x.com/cus Scales of Success Website: scalesofsuccesspodcast.com X (Twitter): https://x.com/scalesofsuccess Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scalesofsuccesspod/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@scalesofsuccess Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ScalesofSuccess —-- Leave a Review If you enjoyed listening to the podcast, we’d love for you to leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts to help others discover the show. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/scales-of-success-podcast/id1773864140 Get in Touch You can also Tweet @cus with any feedback, ideas or thoughts about the lessons you’ve learnt from the episodes and we can thank you personally for tuning in.