Mark Essig

Mark Essig joined NCICS in 2022 as a Scientific Technical Editor with the Assessments Technical Support Unit. He currently serves as an editor for the United by Nature assessment and the 2025 State Climate Summaries, and he played a key role in editing and content development for the Fifth National Climate Assessment. He also serves as science writer and editor for the Institute, supporting internal and external communications efforts. He currently serves as an editor for the United by Nature assessment and the 2025 State Climate Summaries, and he played a key role in editing and content development for the Fifth National Climate Assessment. He also serves as science writer and editor for the Institute, supporting internal and external communications efforts. He previously worked as a writer and editor for NOAA NCEI, Spatial Informatics Group, World Agroforestry, and Brain & Behavior Research Foundation. A former newspaper editor, he has written two books of his own—Lesser Beasts (Basic Books, 2015) and Edison & the Electric Chair (Walker & Co., 2003)—and collaborated on book projects and technical reports with research scientists, medical doctors, business professors, and video-game designers. Mr. Essig holds a PhD in history from Cornell and a bachelor's in English from the University of Virginia.