David Skole is a Professor at the Department of Forestry, College of Agriculture & Natural Resources, Michigan State University. His work bridges global ecology, climate change, and earth observations through advanced remote sensing techniques. PhD in Natural Resources, University of New Hampshire, 1992 MS in Environmental Science, Indiana University, 1980 AB in Biological Sciences, Indiana University, 1977 Skole specializes in forest carbon dynamics, pioneering high-resolution satellite monitoring of deforestation, degradation, and tree carbon stocks. His research extends to actionable science for climate policy, carbon markets, and sustainable development in tropical regions. Recent publications focus on trees outside forests , continental-scale carbon mapping , and agroforestry solutions for climate mitigation. His work with the Global Observatory for Ecosystem Services lab emphasizes integrating earth observations with ground data for global carbon cycle analysis. Scientific Awards: 2007 Nobel Peace Prize (IPCC) Skole has advised graduate students including Emily David, Matricardi E.A.T., Dieng M., and Kashongwe H.B. His lab, the Global Observatory for Ecosystem Services , leads projects like Carbon2Markets , combining carbon valuation with agroforestry for smallholder farmers.
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Heiko Paeth has been Professor of Physical Geography (Climatology) at the University of Würzburg since 2006. He heads the Chair of Climatology in the Institute of Geography and Geology and leads the interdisciplinary “Team Climate” research group on the university’s Hubland campus. His research integrates regional climate modelling, statistical downscaling and impact assessment to understand climate variability and change, seasonal forecasting, and their consequences for agriculture, water resources and human health, with regional foci on Africa, Central Asia, the Mediterranean and Central Europe. Education: 1991–1997: Diploma in Geography, Meteorology & Geology, University of Bonn (Diplomarbeit on northern-hemisphere temperature variability). 1997–2000: PhD in Meteorology (minor Soil Science), University of Bonn (dissertation on anthropogenic climate change and the North Atlantic Oscillation). 2000–2005: Scientific staff member, Meteorological Institute, University of Bonn; Habilitation ("The climate of tropical and northern Africa …"). 2005–2006: Privatdozent, Department of Geography, University of Bonn. Since 2006: Professor, Chair of Climatology, University of Würzburg. Research interests revolve around five interconnected pillars: Development and application of regional climate models (REMO, CCLM, RegCM) for Africa, Asia and Europe. Statistical-dynamical downscaling and bias-correction techniques to generate high-resolution climate information. Seasonal to decadal predictability of precipitation and temperature, especially for the West African and Indian monsoons. Impact pathways linking climate change to agriculture, water security, vector-borne diseases and urban heat stress. Big-data approaches and participatory development of decision-support systems for climate adaptation in Europe and West Africa. Over the last five years his publications reveal a strong emphasis on (i) ensemble-based projections of extreme events, (ii) integration of machine-learning techniques in climate model output statistics, and (iii) co-design of climate services with stakeholders in agriculture and urban planning. Themes span from drought and flood risks in Sub-Saharan Africa to urban heat mitigation in Bavarian cities. Scientific awards & distinctions: While no single named prizes are listed, continuous funding success from the German Research Foundation (DFG), Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), EU EFRE, Alexander von Humboldt Foundation and Helmholtz Centres attests to scientific excellence. Research leadership & funding: Since 2006 Prof. Paeth has acquired >30 third-party projects totalling several million euros. Current major projects include: WE-ACT (2021–2024, BMBF/DLR) – transboundary water allocation under climate change in Central Asia. MOSAIC (2021–2024, BMBF/DLR) – irrigation impacts on the South Asian monsoon. BigData@Geo 2.0 (2023–2027, EFRE Bavaria) – resilience of SMEs in northern Bavarian agriculture. NUKLEUS (2021–2024, BMBF/DLR) – high-resolution regional climate information for RegIKlim. LANDSURF (2020–2024, BMBF) – decision-support system for agriculture in West Africa. Laboratories & teams: Team Climate, a group of 10–15 post-docs, PhD and MSc researchers, operates the regional climate modelling lab and maintains extensive measurement networks for urban climate studies in Würzburg and Lower Franconia.
