Ram Ramanathan

Ram Ramanathan is a Distinguished Professor at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego, holding the Edward A. Frieman Endowed Presidential Chair in Climate Sustainability. A Council Member of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, he co-chairs the California Collaborative for Climate Change Solutions and leads Project Surya to mitigate climate impacts on vulnerable populations.

His research focuses on atmospheric physics, climate change mechanisms, and interdisciplinary solutions. Key interests include atmospheric brown clouds, cloud-radiation interactions, greenhouse gas effects, and community-based mitigation strategies. His work established non-CO₂ gases as major climate factors, directly influencing the Montreal Protocol.

Ramanathan's publications demonstrate consistent focus on climate dynamics, mitigation strategies, and human-climate interactions. Recent work emphasizes resilience frameworks, aerosol interactions, and behavioral dimensions of climate action, with theoretical modeling increasingly incorporating transdisciplinary approaches.

Major Scientific Honors:

• Tyler Prize (2009) - Discovered CFC greenhouse effects
• Blue Planet Prize (2021) - Lifetime climate research
• Tang Laureate (2018) - Sustainability science leadership
• UN Champion of the Earth (2013)
• US National Academy of Sciences inductee

He mentors graduate researchers in climate dynamics and leads international collaborations including Project Surya, which develops clean cooking solutions in developing regions. Ramanathan advises governmental bodies globally, including the Holy See delegation at COP21 and the California Governor's Office.