Syl Foisy

Hi! I'm a PhD candidate at NASA GISS and Columbia University studying aerosols, the tiny liquid and solid particles in the atmosphere that have an outsized influence on our climate, our weather, and the air we breathe.

Outside of research, I have many interests, ranging from filmmaking to snow sculpture, which occasionally, and delightfully, collide with my science.

I research the sky

Currently, I use satellite data from NASA's PACE mission and NASA GISS ModelE climate model simulations to study the evolution of aerosol microphysical properties, and how they influence cloud formation. I'm advised by Dr. Susanne Bauer and Dr. Kostas Tsigaridis.

Animation I made of aerosol composition across the globe for one week in April 2024, as simulated by NASA GISS ModelE.

News

October 14, 2026I gave a talk at AeroCom in Fukuoka, Japan!
October 7, 2026My first pre-print was posted! Link here.
September 24, 2026I gave an invited talk for Secret Science Club at the Hudson River Park Wetlab! Link here.
June 3, 2026I finished walking 250 miles from NYC to DC! Check it out here. :)
June 1, 2026I was interviewed about my experiences on Scratch! Link here.
May 31, 2026I hosted a Reddit AMA about climate and weather science! Link here.
March 30, 2026I gave an invited talk at NASA Goddard in Greenbelt, Maryland!
December 17, 2025I gave a talk at the American Geophysical Union in New Orleans, LA!
October 15, 2025I gave a talk at AeroCom at L'Université Paris-Saclay, France!

Blog

Syl speaking at a press conference outside the U.S. Capitol

Walking 250 miles from NYC to DC (6/26)

Media

Hudson River Park WetlabScience After Dark! Secret Science Club with Syl Foisy, Andrea Silverman, and Ricardo Toledo-CrowManhattan, NY · 2026

Inside Climate NewsA New DC ‘Museum’ Raises Awareness About the Looming Consequences of Extreme WeatherWashington, DC · 2026

Columbia SpectatorBuster the Snowman: Meet the minds behind the 13-foot tall sculpture that took campus by (snow)stormManhattan, NY · 2026

NewYorkUpstate.comSee the massive 24-foot snowman stopping traffic in Upstate NYPotsdam, NY · 2025

The Williams RecordSyl Foisy ’24 defrosts ice sculpture tradition for this year’s Winter Carnival festivitiesWilliamstown, MA · 2024

NEWS10The Upside: Williams College student creates 15 foot snowmanWilliamstown, MA · 2022

North Country Public RadioGot big snow? Build a snowman!Potsdam, NY · 2021

The Williams Record1,000 paper cranes and a welding project: one entry’s First Days activityWilliamstown, MA · 2020

Socials

TikTok (2.4 billion views)

Let's chat!

Reach out about anything. I usually reply within a day or two. :)

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