Dr. Rajendra Pachauri has a background in industrial engineering as well as in economics. After a long and successful academic career in India and the U.S., he chaired the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) from 2002 to present. Currently, he is Director-General of the Tata Energy Research Institute (TERI) in India. Dr. Pachauri has been active in several international forums dealing with climate change and its policy dimensions. TERI, the Institute headed by him presently, does professional work and provides professional support in in the areas of energy, environment, forestry, biotechnology, and the conservation of natural resources to government departments, institutions, and corporate organizations worldwide.