Mark Lawrence

Prof. Mark Lawrence is the Scientific Director at the Research Institute for Sustainability (RIFS) at GFZ in Potsdam. He is an atmospheric scientist with expertise in interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches to Anthropocene challenges, including climate change, geoengineering, and governance of vulnerable regions. He holds a Ph.D. from Georgia Tech and has held roles at the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, University of Mainz, and IASS. With over 180 publications and an h-index of 75, he leads international projects and serves on key sustainability councils. His research focuses on air pollution, climate policy, and sustainable development.

Education: Ph.D. in Atmospheric Science from Georgia Institute of Technology (1996).

Research Interests: Climate geoengineering, air pollution, sustainability governance, transdisciplinary methods, and the intersection of spirituality and planetary health.

Notable Projects: Co-chair of the Science Platform Sustainability 2030, leader of the SusKat project in Nepal, and contributor to global climate negotiations research. His work emphasizes inclusive dialogue spaces at COP events and policy advice for net-zero strategies.

Awards: Honorary Professor at the University of Potsdam (2014).

Grants & Advisory Roles: Member of the German Sustainability Council and steering committees for sustainability networks. Led international initiatives like the Geoengineering Model Intercomparison Project (GeoMIP).

Labs/Teams: Heads RIFS and directs transformative research groups focusing on climate governance, urban air quality, and Arctic research.