Dr. Lorenzo Rosa is a Principal Investigator at the Carnegie Institution for Science in the Division of Biosphere Sciences and Engineering and an Assistant Professor (by courtesy) in the Doerr School of Sustainability at Stanford University. Prior to joining Carnegie, he was a Postdoctoral Fellow at ETH Zurich in the Institute of Energy and Process Engineering. He earned his Ph.D. in Hydrology and Water Resources from the University of California, Berkeley, and holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in Environmental Engineering from Politecnico di Milano, Italy.

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Dr. Rosa is an engineer and hydrologist whose research tackles the interconnected challenges of water, energy, and food security under a changing climate. As an engineer, he evaluates the techno-economic viability and environmental implications of emerging technologies designed to enhance the resilience and sustainability of agricultural and energy systems. As a hydrologist, he investigates how climate change and human water use alter water availability, and how these shifts impact food production, energy generation, and the deployment of climate solutions. His research identifies trade-offs and synergies across water, energy, and food systems to inform policies, investments, and innovations that promote sustainable development and global resource security.

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His scientific and societal contributions have been recognized with numerous honors, including the 2019 Hydrology Research Grant and the 2021 Science for Solutions Award from the American Geophysical Union (AGU). The latter award, one of the most selective in the field, honors significant contributions to applying Earth and space sciences to solve pressing societal challenges—specifically, Dr. Rosa's work on global water-energy-food linkages. In 2020, he was named among Forbes’ 30 Under 30 most influential young leaders in Science and Technology.

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Outside the lab, Dr. Rosa is a passionate athlete. A former competitive trail runner, he has won both regional and national championships in Italy. Today, he enjoys running, cycling, swimming, and skiing whenever he’s not engaged in scientific research.