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Matt DannenbergView profile

Associate Professor

• Global Change Ecology
• Climate Variability and Change
• Remote Sensing
• +5 more

Matt Dannenberg is an Associate Professor at the University of Iowa, specializing in global change ecology, climate-ecosystem interactions, and terrestrial carbon/water cycle dynamics. His research integrates remote sensing, dendrochronology, and empirical modeling to understand ecological responses to climate variability across regional to global scales. Geographic focus on western U.S. drylands and southeastern U.S. forests Methods include satellite remote sensing, tree-ring analysis, and neural network modeling Key climate drivers: El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), vapor pressure deficit (VPD), precipitation patterns His work examines: Climate forecasting of ecological processes Land cover change impacts on carbon exchange Drought resilience in forest ecosystems Atmospheric teleconnection effects on phenology He leads the Ecoclimatology of Carbon and Water (ECH 2 O) lab, developing tools for monitoring ecosystem responses to environmental change through land-atmosphere flux modeling and multi-sensor remote sensing.

Noah S. DiffenbaughView profile

Professor

• Climate Dynamics
• Climate Impacts
• Extreme Weather
• +7 more

Noah S. Diffenbaugh is the Kara J Foundation Professor and Kimmelman Family Senior Fellow in Stanford University’s Doerr School of Sustainability, with additional appointments as Senior Fellow at the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment and Affiliate of the Precourt Institute for Energy. He directs the Climate and Earth System Dynamics Group within the Department of Earth System Science. Education Ph.D. in Earth Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz (2003) M.S. in Earth Systems, Stanford University (1997) B.S. in Earth Systems, Stanford University (1997) Research Interests Professor Diffenbaugh’s research integrates physical climate modeling with assessments of natural and human vulnerabilities. His group investigates how fine-scale climate processes—such as temperature and precipitation extremes—impact water resources, agriculture, human health, and poverty. By combining numerical models, machine-learning techniques, and observational data, they quantify the mechanisms shaping extreme events and project regional climate risks across multiple degrees of global warming. Scientific Awards & Honors Fellow, American Geophysical Union (2020) William Kaula Award, AGU (2020) James R. Holton Award, AGU (2006) Highly Cited Researcher, Web of Science (2020–2024) Kavli Fellow, U.S. National Academy of Sciences (2010, 2016) NSF CAREER Award (2010–2015) Advising & Mentorship Prof. Diffenbaugh currently advises doctoral students June Choi and Jared Trok, mentors postdoctoral researcher Makoto Kelp and doctoral candidate Peidong Wang, and serves as reader for Adam Burnett’s dissertation. He also directs independent study, directed research, and honors projects for numerous undergraduates across Earth Systems and Sustainability programs. Laboratory & Teams He leads the Climate and Earth System Dynamics Group (climatelab.stanford.edu), a multidisciplinary team using high-resolution Earth-system models and data-driven approaches to study climate dynamics and societal impacts.

• Paleoclimatology
• Climate Dynamics
• Ocean-Atmosphere Interactions
• +4 more

Dr. Monica Ionita-Scholz is a climate researcher at the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research , specializing in paleoclimatology, climate dynamics, and extreme weather events. Her work bridges historical climate data analysis with modern machine learning techniques to understand European climate variability. Affiliation: Dynamics of the Paleoclimate Team, AWI Research Interests: Focuses on reconstructing climate indices using oxygen isotopes from tree rings and ice cores, analyzing drought and heatwave patterns, and modeling the impact of ocean-atmosphere interactions on European climate extremes. Key methodologies include statistical climate analysis, proxy data validation, and hybrid machine learning models. Scientific Contributions: Recent publications address Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) dynamics, drought risk in Eastern Europe, and extreme event attribution. She utilizes repositories like PANGAEA for data sharing and collaborates on Arctic climate projects. Infrastructure & Tools: Active in developing data workflows for climate modeling, including programmatic access to FAIR data and virtual environments like Jupyter Notebooks. Her work connects paleoclimate archives with contemporary climate risk management strategies.

Subhashni RajView profile

Assistant Professor

• Climate Change
• Food Systems Planning
• Climate Adaptation Planning
• +3 more

Subhashni Raj is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Hawaii at Mānoa's College of Social Sciences. Her interdisciplinary work bridges climate change research with food and water security planning for marginalized communities. Education: PhD in Urban and Regional Planning (University at Buffalo), M.U.P in Environmental Planning (University at Buffalo), B.Sc. in Microbiology, Chemistry and Zoology (Bangalore University) Her research employs mixed methods (statistical and spatial analysis, interviews, policy analysis) to examine climate impacts on food-water-energy systems and identify adaptation strategies. Key projects include analyzing agricultural competition in California general plans and developing network approaches for urban land teleconnections. Recent publications explore: Climate adaptation strategies in rural communities Global wheat network impacts on hunger Urban density metrics and land use efficiency Integrated FEW nexus planning Local food system network analysis She has received prestigious awards including the Jerome L. Kaufman doctoral fellowship and Fulbright Scholarship, contributing significantly to planning literature through her work on food systems, climate adaptation, and spatial analysis methodologies.

Henning RustView profile

Professor

• Weather and Climate Statistics
• Extreme Weather Events
• Stochastic Modeling
• +3 more

Prof. Dr. Henning Rust is a Professor of Statistical Meteorology at the Department of Geosciences, Freie Universität Berlin, and head of the Statistical Meteorology Group. He co-speaks the Hans-Ertel-Centre for Weather Research, funded by the German Weather Service (DWD), and contributes to national and international climate projects like MiKlip and BINGO. His work bridges statistical modeling, extreme event analysis, and climate risk communication. PhD in Theoretical Physics (2007, University of Potsdam) Diplom in Physics (2001, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg) BSc with Honours in Physics (1998, Brock University, Canada) Research Interests focus on stochastic precipitation models , extreme convective events , statistical downscaling , and forecast verification . He specializes in time series analysis and long-range dependence in climatological data. His recent publications analyze decadal climate predictability, compound extremes (e.g., ozone-weather interactions), and citizen science applications in weather education. Notable works include skill score decomposition for Atlantic climate phases and flexible IDF curve modeling for urban hydrology. Awards include a summa cum laude PhD and the Distinguished Graduation Student Award for Physics. He supervises PhD and Master’s students on topics like windstorm risk modeling and precipitation extremes . Additional roles: German Meteorological Society (executive board) , MiKlip steering committee , and climate communication via self-built weather station projects.

Stephan PfahlView profile

Professor

• Atmospheric Dynamics
• Extreme Weather Events
• Atmospheric Water Cycle
• +3 more

Stephan Pfahl is a Professor of Weather and Climate Processes at the Institute of Meteorology within the Department of Geosciences at the Free University of Berlin. Appointed in April 2018, he leads research on atmospheric dynamics with a focus on extreme weather events, atmospheric water cycle processes, and numerical modeling of weather and climate systems. Prior to his current position, he served as a Senior Scientist and Lecturer at ETH Zurich from 2012 to 2018, following postdoctoral work at the same institution. His research interests span atmospheric dynamics, extreme weather events, atmospheric water cycle processes, numerical modeling of weather and climate, stable water isotopes, and Lagrangian analysis techniques. Pfahl's work bridges theoretical atmospheric science with practical climate modeling applications, particularly in understanding the mechanisms behind extreme weather phenomena in Europe and globally. His research employs both observational data analysis and sophisticated numerical modeling approaches to investigate complex atmospheric processes. Analysis of his recent publications (2022-2025) reveals a strong focus on extreme precipitation events, atmospheric blocking patterns, Lagrangian analysis techniques, and the application of water isotopes to understand moisture transport. His work frequently examines the connections between large-scale atmospheric circulation patterns and localized extreme weather events, with particular attention to European weather systems. The publications demonstrate an interdisciplinary approach combining meteorology, climate science, and advanced computational methods. Pfahl has been actively involved in teaching at the university level, offering courses including Weather and Environmental Models (M.Sc.), Physical Climatology (B.Sc.), Dynamics of the Atmosphere I (B.Sc.), Climate Variability and Models (M.Sc.), and Atmospheric Water Cycle (M.Sc.). His educational background includes a Diploma in Physics from the University of Göttingen (2000-2005) and a PhD from the Institute for Atmospheric Physics at the University of Mainz (2006-2009).

• Climate Change History
• Human-Environment Interactions
• Mediterranean Archaeology
• +5 more

Martin Finné serves as an Associate Professor in the Department of Human Geography at Uppsala University, Sweden. His academic work bridges climate science, archaeology, and human geography with a specific focus on Mediterranean environmental history. Dr. Finné's research interests encompass: Climate change history and paleoclimatology Human-environment dynamics in ancient Mediterranean societies Archaeological applications of climate science Socio-ecological resilience in historical contexts Mediterranean environmental history Interdisciplinary approaches to understanding climate-society interactions His scholarly approach integrates multiple methodologies including pollen analysis, speleothem records, and archaeological survey data to reconstruct past environmental conditions and societal responses. Finné's work spans multiple temporal scales from the Holocene through specific historical periods including the Bronze Age, Iron Age, and Roman era, with geographic focus primarily on Greece and the broader Mediterranean region. Analysis of his publication record reveals a consistent research trajectory examining the complex relationships between climate variability and societal development, adaptation, and transformation. His work frequently addresses questions of societal resilience and vulnerability to environmental change, particularly investigating 'boom-bust' sequences in agricultural landscapes and long-term sustainability of human societies. Dr. Finné has published extensively in high-impact interdisciplinary journals including The Holocene, PLOS ONE, Journal of Anthropological Archaeology, and Quaternary Science Reviews, demonstrating significant contributions to understanding climate-society interactions in the ancient Mediterranean.

Marlene KretschmerView profile

Assistant Professor

• Climate Causality
• Extreme Weather Events
• Machine Learning in Climate Research
• +7 more

Marlene Kretschmer is an Assistant Professor for Climate Causality at the Leipzig Institute of Meteorology, University of Leipzig. She specializes in identifying causal drivers of extreme weather events through large-scale atmospheric circulation patterns and teleconnections, focusing on their evolution in a warming climate. M.Sc. in Mathematics, Humboldt University Berlin PhD in Climate Physics, University of Potsdam & Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research Her research combines machine learning (particularly causal inference and explainable AI) with traditional climate physics to enhance subseasonal-to-seasonal forecasts and reduce regional climate projection uncertainties. Key areas include Arctic-mid-latitude linkages, detection/attribution of extremes, and teleconnection pathway analysis. Recent publications highlight her work on Southern Hemisphere jet dynamics, CMIP6 model biases, and AI applications in climate prediction. Collaborative efforts span topics like renewable energy impacts and stratosphere-troposphere coupling. She leads the Climate Causality Working Group, which focuses on Earth system changes and extreme event predictability, and contributes to teaching Data Science at the University of Leipzig.

• Meteorology
• Climatology
• Atmospheric Sciences
• +5 more

Margarida L. R. Liberato is an Associate Professor at the University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro in Vila Real, Portugal, where she works within the School of Sciences and Technology. Her academic career focuses on meteorology and climatology, with particular expertise in extreme weather events and their societal impacts. Dr. Liberato earned her PhD in Physics from the Faculty of Sciences at the University of Lisbon in 2008. Her doctoral work laid the foundation for her subsequent research in atmospheric sciences and climate dynamics. Her research interests span several critical areas of climate science, with a particular emphasis on: Analysis of extratropical cyclones and their impacts on the Iberian Peninsula Drought monitoring and assessment across multiple regions including the Amazon Basin and Iberian Peninsula Moiré transport mechanisms and their role in precipitation patterns Extreme weather event characterization and ranking methodologies Impacts of climate extremes on infrastructure, particularly power systems Application of crowdsourcing techniques for weather event annotation Dr. Liberato's publication record demonstrates a consistent focus on understanding climate extremes and their societal implications. Her work bridges fundamental atmospheric science with practical applications for risk assessment and infrastructure resilience. Recent research shows increasing emphasis on interdisciplinary approaches, connecting meteorology with energy systems, forest management, and water resources. She has been actively involved in numerous research projects and collaborations: Principal investigator and team member for multiple Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology grants Active participant in European COST Actions including MEDCYCLONES (CA19109) and DAMOCLES (CA17109) Collaborator on international projects studying Mediterranean cyclones, compound climate events, and ocean syntheses Extensive peer review activities for leading climate and meteorology journals Dr. Liberato's work demonstrates significant impact in both academic and practical domains, with research that informs climate adaptation strategies and infrastructure planning in Portugal and beyond.