About
Dr. Paul Andrew Mayewski is a Professor and Director of the Climate Change Institute at the University of Maine, holding concurrent roles as Distinguished Professor across multiple disciplines including Earth and Climate Sciences, Marine Sciences, Policy, Business Law, and Law. A world-renowned glaciologist and polar explorer, he has led over 60 expeditions to Antarctica, the Arctic, Himalayas, Tibetan Plateau, and Andes, covering 25,000+ km in Antarctica and achieving over 100 first ascents. His research focuses on abrupt climate change, ice loss mechanisms, and climate-human civilization interactions.
- Key Expeditions: Greenland Ice Sheet Project Two (1980s), International Trans Antarctic Scientific Expedition (ITASE), National Geographic/Rolex Mt. Everest Expedition.
- Media Presence: Hundreds of media engagements including NOVA, BBC, and Emmy-winning Showtime series.
Research Highlights:
- Pioneered ice core calibration for atmospheric circulation reconstructions.
- Discovered human impacts on atmospheric chemistry and modern Antarctic/Himalayan ice loss.
- Demonstrated climate change's role in historical societal collapses.
- Awards: Antarctic Research Medal (first international recipient), European Geophysical Union's Oeschger Medal, and Seligman Medal.
Leadership & Outreach:
Directed three-pole climate research programs (Greenland, Antarctica, Himalayas). Collaborated with institutions like the American Museum of Natural History. Advises global climate policy through interdisciplinary frameworks.
