About
ANNA FARRO HENDERSON is a Canadian American scientist and writer. She was an environmental policy adviser to the Minnesota Senator Al Franken and Governor Mark Dayton. She is a fellow at the Institute on the Environment at the University of Minnesota and works in climate advocacy. She is an instructor at the Loft Literary Center. She lives with her family in Minnesota, where she makes daily visits to the Mississippi River.
Interviews
May ’25
An interview with poet Dr. Catherine Imbriglio
Giving Up Control of the Narrative: A conversation curated by Catherine Imbriglio, with an excerpt from Core Samples
“Seeing science as a story means seeing science as messy – people trying, screwing up, falling in love, holding grudges, and, sometimes, having brilliant ideas.”
April ’25
Core Samples: A Climate Scientist’s Experiments in Politics and Motherhood
Feb ’25
Lived experiences of Minnesota climate scientist, policy advisor
“But her expectations [in politics] of what she would accomplish clashed with reality. Henderson believed that as a scientist and expert in climate science that the facts would make everything clear for everyone.”
Dec ’24
How to Get Your Voice Heard in Politics: Podcast
We share our experiences working both inside and outside the room where it happens.
Dec ’24
Full interview with Vick Mickunas
Book Nook: WYSO
“This new essay collection by Anna Farro Henderson is a gem.”
Nov ’24
Listen or watch the full interview with Laurie Fitz and Rick Bernardo
Using Our Stories to Support Action on Climate Change
Anna guides listeners through creative activities to tell their stories.
Nov ’24
Full interview with Luke Moravec
MN Reads: The North 103.3
“This is a book about what it means to be a scientist in the world.”
Nov ’24
Full interview with Matt McNeil
Matt McNeil Show AM950
“Anna is an unapologetically happy scientist.”
Oct ’24
Full article by Sarah Simon
The North Shore Journal
“(when) I went from doing science research to working in the U.S. Senate for Al Franken, I didn’t realize how technical policy work could be.”
Oct ’24
Full interview with Lawrence Diggs
Brainstorming
“Tell us how you use your experiences to formulate the big picture?”
Oct ’24
Full interview with Allison Wyss
Brevity
“How do you tell a story about science to make it relevant?”
Oct ’24
South Dakota Public Broadcasting
“The seeds planted in childhood that grew into my being a scientist were actually the same seeds that grew me into being an artist.”
Oct ’24
Full article by Mary Ann Grossman
Pioneer Press
“Minnesota climate scientist Anna Farro Henderson’s new book could not be more timely. “
Oct ’24
Full Interview with Paul Huttner
Climate Cast
“Our climate action conversations are also conservations about parenting and caretaking. Addressing climate is not just about technology. “
Sept ’24
Full Interview with Bronwen Tate
Ok, but how?
“Anna talks about the anecdote of the shark and all of the other writing she initially did that didn’t ultimately end up in the introductory essay. I often think of this writing as scaffolding: the writing we need to make (but ultimately discard) to get to the writing we can keep. Try making peace with your scaffolding, seeing it as expected and necessary.”
Aug ’24
Full Interview with Nancy Reddy
Write More, Be Less Careful
“For a long time I thought of my writing as self care more than art. I wrote because I was exploding with wonder or confusion or sadness. But I hadn’t seen a place for art in my life as an academic. I though that one day, later, I could write and do art. Then I became a mother and realized that life was happening now. “
Anna Farro Henderson 