Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo (b. 1962) is a Mexican politician, scientist, and academic who in 2024 became the first woman elected President of Mexico. A physicist and energy engineer by training, she previously served as Head of Government of Mexico City from 2018 to 2023 and built an international reputation in climate and energy research before entering national politics. She took office on 1 October 2024 as the candidate of the ruling National Regeneration Movement (Morena).[1]
Early life and education
Sheinbaum was born in Mexico City on 24 June 1962 into a family of scientists of Jewish heritage. She studied physics at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), where she went on to complete a master's degree and a doctorate in energy engineering. Part of her doctoral research was carried out at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California, focusing on energy use and efficiency.
Scientific career
Before entering full-time politics, Sheinbaum worked as a researcher and university teacher specialising in energy, the environment, and sustainable development. She was a contributing author to reports produced by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which was awarded the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize for its work building and disseminating knowledge about human-caused climate change.[3] Her scientific background became a defining feature of her public profile.
Political career
Sheinbaum served as Secretary of the Environment for Mexico City from 2000 to 2006 under then-mayor Andrés Manuel López Obrador. She later led the borough of Tlalpan before being elected Head of Government of Mexico City in 2018, the first woman elected to that office. She resigned the post in 2023 to seek the presidential nomination of Morena.
Presidency
In the general election of June 2024, Sheinbaum won a decisive victory as the candidate of a Morena-led coalition.[2] She was inaugurated on 1 October 2024, becoming both the first woman and the first person of Jewish heritage to serve as President of Mexico. She had campaigned on continuing many of the social and economic policies of her predecessor while emphasising her own priorities in science, education, and renewable energy.
Recognition
Sheinbaum has been named to international lists recognising influential figures, including the BBC's 100 Women and Time magazine's 100 most influential people. Her path from academic researcher to head of state has been widely noted as an example of a scientist reaching the highest level of political office.
