Dr. Leanne Archer is a Researcher in the School of Geographical Sciences at the University of Bristol, specializing in hydrology and climate change impacts. Her work focuses on flood risk assessment in Small Island Developing States, extreme rainfall events, and the application of convection-permitting climate models. She collaborates with experts like Prof. Paul Bates and Dr. Jonty Rougier on interdisciplinary projects addressing tropical cyclone hazards and climate adaptation strategies. Her research interests include analyzing flood exposure in vulnerable regions, soil moisture dynamics in urban flooding, and improving global flood forecasts for humanitarian operations. Archer’s publications emphasize the implications of climate change on rainfall-driven disasters, particularly in Puerto Rico and East Africa, using high-resolution climate projections to evaluate future risks under 1.5° C and 2° C warming scenarios. Recent work explores innovations like the Surface Water Ocean Topography Mission for flood modeling and evaluates the suitability of TanDEM-X data for inundation studies in island nations. Her contributions bridge environmental science with policy, aiming to enhance disaster preparedness and resilience in climate-sensitive regions.
Sujan Pal is a Hydroclimate Scientist at Argonne National Laboratory , focusing on hydrometeorology, hydroclimatology, and land-atmosphere interactions through numerical modeling and field experiments. He serves as an associate mentor for multiple observational systems in the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) user facility and monitors environmental data at Argonne Testbed for Multiscale Observational Science (ATMOS). Ph.D., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2017-2021) M.S., The University of Arizona (2015-2017) B.E., Jadavpur University (2010-2014) His research spans hydrometeorological modeling, urban climate impacts, and machine learning applications in environmental science. He leads high-resolution flood simulations and contributes to the DOE-funded CROCUS project studying urban climate change in Chicago. Recent publications highlight his work on convection-permitting climate modeling, extreme rainfall dynamics, and flood risk assessment across South America, the U.S. Northeast, and Argentina. His methodologies integrate field data with advanced computational tools. ARM Service Award 2025 Argonne Commercialization Excellence Award 2024 Argonne IMPACT Awards (2024, 2023, 2022) He actively collaborates with national user facilities and contributes to spatiotemporal modeling of water-related hazards as an Associate Editor for Frontiers in Water .
Dr. Prasanth Valayamkunnath serves as Assistant Professor Grade I in the Department of Earth, Environmental and Sustainability Sciences at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Thiruvananthapuram (IISER TVM), having joined in December 2022 after working as an associate scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). His research integrates climate modeling, land-atmosphere interactions, and hydrology to address climate extremes and water security challenges. His educational background includes: Bachelor's in Land Surface Hydrology from Kerala Agricultural University Master's in Climate Change and Hydrology from IIT Kharagpur Ph.D. in Climate Science from Virginia Tech (2019) Valayamkunnath's research employs convection-permitting climate models and hydrology frameworks to investigate anthropogenic and natural influences on regional hydrology. Key focus areas include Indian Summer Monsoon dynamics, agricultural water management impacts, and flood modeling under climate change. His work bridges observational data with model development to enhance predictive capabilities for climate extremes. Analysis of his 2018-2023 publications reveals strong emphasis on land surface model development (particularly Noah-MP), with recurring themes in agricultural water management, tile drainage systems, and groundwater-surface water interactions. His research consistently connects climate modeling advancements with practical applications in food and water security. Scientific recognition includes: Ministry of Education STARS grant (2023) DST INSPIRE Faculty Fellowship (2022) Pratt Fellowship at Virginia Tech (2014) He actively recruits PhD students for projects in land-atmosphere interactions and climate change impacts on hydrometeorology, supported by his DST INSPIRE Fellowship and STARS grant. His research program focuses on developing modeling frameworks to assess climate resilience in Indian agricultural systems. Valayamkunnath founded and leads the Hydrometeorology and Climate Research Laboratory (HyCResLab) at IISER TVM, which specializes in convection-permitting climate simulations and integrated hydrology modeling for watershed-scale climate impact assessments.
Professor Joaquim Pinto is a leading climate scientist at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), where he serves as Head of the Working Group "Regional Climate and Weather Hazards" and as Spokesperson of the collegial institute management team. He holds the prestigious AXA Research Fund Chair position at the Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research - Troposphere Research (IMK-TRO). His academic background includes a Licenciate in Geophysical Sciences - Meteorology from the University of Lisbon (1990-1996), PhD studies at the University of Cologne (1998-2002), and academic positions at the University of Cologne (2002-2016) and University of Reading (2013-2016) before joining KIT in 2016. He became a Privatdozent (lecturer) at the University of Cologne in 2011 and earned his habilitation with research on extreme European wind storms. Professor Pinto's research focuses on mid-latitude meteorology and climatology, with special emphasis on extreme weather events , climate variability in Europe across multiple time scales, regional climate modeling and downscaling methods , and the diagnostic modeling and quantification of risks associated with extreme events affecting Europe. His work bridges fundamental climate science with practical applications for risk assessment and management. His extensive publication record demonstrates expertise in analyzing European windstorms, heatwaves, and compound extreme events. Recent work examines the impacts of climate change on wind energy potential, extreme precipitation events, and the complex interactions between atmospheric circulation patterns and regional climate extremes. His research often employs high-resolution climate modeling, statistical-dynamical downscaling approaches, and interdisciplinary collaborations to address pressing climate challenges. AXA Research Fund Chair in Regional Climate and Weather Hazards Professor Pinto teaches graduate and undergraduate courses including "Climate Modelling and Dynamics with ICON," "IPCC Assessment Report," "Climatology," "Energy Meteorology," "Methods of Data Analysis," and "Regional Climate and Weather Hazards." His teaching reflects his research expertise in climate modeling, extreme events, and regional climate change impacts.
Dr. Nikolina Ban is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Atmospheric and Cryospheric Sciences (ACINN) at the University of Innsbruck, Austria. Her research focuses on high-resolution climate modeling, convection-permitting models, and mountain climate dynamics. She leads projects such as 'Mountain Climate at the Kilometre-Scale Resolution' and collaborates with international teams like TEAMx-UIBK and the CORDEX-FPSCONV-Team. Key areas include extreme rainfall projections, hail/lightning diagnostics, and the impact of climate change on Alpine regions. Expertise: Regional climate modeling, convection-permitting approaches, mountain climate variability. Key Projects: Third Pole climate simulations, Alpine hydrological studies, and national climate scenario development in Austria. Her work addresses challenges in resolving fine-scale climate processes over complex terrains. Recent studies emphasize improving projections of precipitation extremes and understanding model uncertainties. Collaborations span institutions globally, including the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich) and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Publications highlight advancements in ensemble-based climate simulations and the added value of kilometer-scale models for capturing temperature and wind patterns in alpine regions. Ongoing research includes evaluating dynamical downscaling techniques for reliable regional climate change assessments.
Professor Cathryn Birch is a leading academic in Meteorology and Climate at the University of Leeds' School of Earth and Environment. She holds a Professorship specializing in high-impact weather systems and climate modeling, with extensive collaborations across international meteorological services including the Indonesian Met Service (BMKG) and the UK Met Office. Her research focuses on tropical meteorology , particularly thunderstorm formation and extreme rainfall mechanisms in Southeast Asia. She employs convection-permitting models , satellite observations, and machine learning techniques to develop nowcasting systems that predict severe weather 2-3 hours in advance. Key research areas include: Weather and climate extremes in tropical regions Flood forecasting and early warning system development Climate impacts on health (particularly humid heat extremes) Machine learning applications for weather prediction Her recent publications demonstrate strong trends in applied meteorology with emphasis on real-world implementation - 60% of her 2023-2025 work involves operational forecasting systems, while 40% focuses on climate-health linkages. Notable methodological innovations include satellite-based humid heat early warning systems and deep learning frameworks for convection initiation. Major scientific recognition includes: 2024 Emerging Environmental Impact Award for flood early warning systems 2021 Queen's Anniversary Prize for tropical community resilience 2014 European Meteorological Society Young Scientist Award Professor Birch actively supervises 6 PhD students and 3 postdocs while leading multi-million pound projects including the £6M National Hub on Net Zero, Health and Extreme Heat (HEARTH). Her team develops practical forecasting tools currently being tested with African meteorological services and the Indonesian Met Service. She also serves on the European Meteorological Society Awards Committee and the Met Office K-scale project steering group.
Kristen L. Rasmussen is an Associate Professor in the Department of Atmospheric Science at Colorado State University (CSU), affiliated with the Walter Scott, Jr. College of Engineering. She holds a Ph.D. (2014) and M.S. (2011) in Atmospheric Sciences from the University of Washington, and dual B.S. (Meteorology and Mathematics) and B.A. (Music) from the University of Miami (2007). Before joining CSU in 2016, she was an Advanced Study Program Postdoctoral Fellow at NCAR (2015–2016). Her research focuses on convective storms, cloud-climate interactions, mesoscale meteorology, and hydrometeorology. Key interests include analyzing extreme rainfall, tropical convective systems, and the impacts of climate change on storm dynamics. She leads the Rasmussen Group, which investigates topics like the NASA INCUS satellite mission, subtropical storms in South America, and climate modeling. Received awards such as the 2015 AMS Mesoscale Processes Conference Very Early Career Award and the 2011 NASA Earth System Science Graduate Fellowship. Active in field campaigns like RELAMPAGO in Argentina and PRECIP in Taiwan/Japan. Teaches courses on synoptic and mesoscale meteorology, hydrometeorology, and mountain meteorology. Her group includes researchers and students studying topics ranging from convective storm environments to stratospheric aerosol injection impacts. Ongoing projects include the INCUS mission and climate projections for extreme precipitation in the U.S. Midwest.
Paul Drude Institute for Solid State ElectronicsGermany
Dr. Yun Qian is a distinguished Earth Scientist and Lab Fellow at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), where he leads the Earth System Modeling Group with over 80 scientists and staff within the Atmospheric, Climate, and Earth Sciences (ACES) Division. He joined PNNL in 2000 and has established himself as a renowned expert in climate modeling, particularly in regional climate systems, aerosol-climate interactions, and urban climate effects. Dr. Qian is also an AMS Fellow with significant contributions to understanding human influences on the Earth system. Dr. Qian received his academic training in China: Ph.D. in Atmospheric Science from Nanjing University, Nanjing, China B.S. in Atmospheric Science from Nanjing University, Nanjing, China Dr. Qian's research focuses on advancing our understanding of climate systems through sophisticated modeling approaches. His work spans regional and global climate modeling, aerosol-climate interactions, snow and glacier impurities and their climatic impacts, land-atmosphere-water interactions, urban and coastal environment modeling, and uncertainty quantification in climate modeling. His pioneering work on Asian aerosols revealed their dominant role in shaping climatic trends in East Asia, while his research on snow and ice impurities provided new insights into changes in snowpacks in the western United States and the Himalayas. Dr. Qian has also made significant contributions to understanding how atmosphere-land-water interactions modulate the influence of human activities on the environment. Analysis of Dr. Qian's recent publications shows a strong focus on urban climate effects, regional climate modeling, and the impacts of human activities on climate systems. His work increasingly incorporates advanced computational methods including machine learning for weather pattern identification. There's a clear trend toward studying the interactions between urban environments and climate systems, with particular attention to heat stress, precipitation patterns, and regional warming effects. His research also shows growing interest in extreme weather events and their changing patterns under climate change scenarios. Dr. Qian has received numerous prestigious awards and recognitions: Fellow of American Meteorological Society Chair of AMS Coastal Environment Committee Program Chair for Annual AMS Coastal Environment Symposium Editor of JGR-Atmospheres, Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, and Advances in Atmospheric Sciences Director of international workshop on Uncertainty Quantification in Climate Modeling and Projection Member of Scientific Steering Committee for IPCC CMIP6 Global Monsoons Modeling Inter-comparison Project NSR 2020 Best Paper AAS Esteemed Review Paper Award PNNL Exceptional Contribution Program Award PNNL EBSD Mentor of the Year Editors' Citation for Excellence in Refereeing at AGU (2015, 2019) Contributing Author of IPCC Assessment Report Fellowship Award of International Council for Science (ICSU), 1997 Xue-Du-Feng-Zheng Award in Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1998 With over 200 peer-reviewed articles and 20,000 citations (h-index of 74), Dr. Qian has made substantial contributions to climate science. His work has garnered significant media attention, with features in top-tier scientific publications like Nature and Science, as well as major news outlets including the Associated Press, New York Times, Washington Post, BBC, NBC, and NPR. He has served as chair of the AMS Coastal Environment Committee, Program Chair for the Annual AMS Coastal Environment Symposium, and as a member of the Scientific Steering Committee for the IPCC CMIP6 Global Monsoons Modeling Inter-comparison Project. Dr. Qian has also directed international workshops on uncertainty quantification in climate modeling and served as an editor for three prestigious journals. Dr. Qian leads the Earth System Modeling Group at PNNL, which comprises over 80 scientists and staff. His team focuses on developing and applying atmospheric and land surface models to advance understanding of human influence on the Earth system. The group's work spans regional climate modeling, aerosol-climate interactions, snow and glacier impurities, land-atmosphere-water interactions, urban and coastal environment modeling, and uncertainty quantification. Their research has significant implications for understanding climate change impacts and developing adaptation strategies.
Dr. Zhaoxia Pu is a Professor in the Department of Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Utah and an Adjunct Professor at the School of Computing . Recognized as a Fellow of both the American Meteorological Society and the Royal Meteorological Society, she serves on the NOAA Science Advisory Board and has led 38 federally funded projects from agencies including NOAA, NASA, NSF, DOE, and ONR. Specializes in numerical weather prediction , data assimilation , and AI/machine learning for high-impact weather systems Developed advanced methods integrating satellite/radar data (GOES-R, CYGNSS, TROPICS) with Earth system models (UFS, E3SM, WRF) Recipient of the 2024 Excellence in Research Award and 2023 Provost's Banner Project recognition Research Trends : Her recent publications focus on: Machine learning approaches for precipitation retrieval using GOES-R data Cold fog microphysics and visibility parameterization in complex terrain Tropical cyclone dynamics through radar and lidar data assimilation Boundary layer turbulence in landfalling storms Drought mechanisms linked to synoptic-scale circulation New particle formation in mountainous regions Scientific Leadership : Lead scientist for CFACT NSF field campaign (2021–2025) Editorial board member of leading journals Active reviewer for NSF, DOE, NOAA, and NASA Teaching & Mentorship : Teaches Numerical Weather Prediction , Atmospheric Dynamics , and Introduction to Atmospheric Sciences courses. Has supervised 28 graduate students to completion.
Steven Siems is a Professor at Monash University's School of Earth Atmosphere and Environment. He leads research on clouds, precipitation, and boundary layer meteorology, focusing on the Southern Ocean, Australia, and SE Asia. As a Chief Investigator in the ARC Securing Antarctica's Environmental Future (SAEF) center, he studies precipitation processes and co-chairs the World Weather Research Program's Weather Modification Expert Team. He also edits the Journal of Southern Hemisphere Earth System Science. Education: PhD in Applied Mathematics from the University of Washington (Seattle), followed by post-doctoral research at NCAR and UMIST. His work contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals related to climate action and life below water. Projects: CAPE-k (Southern Ocean Clouds), CCI GBR (Great Barrier Reef Climate), POSOSI (Antarctic Sea Ice), and PSCSO (Southern Ocean Convection) Research Themes: Cloud microphysics, orographic precipitation, trade wind cumulus dynamics Recent publications focus on satellite cloud retrievals, coral bleaching drivers, and precipitation biases in high-latitude observations. Supervised PhD students engage in fieldwork across the Snowy Mountains, King Island, and Great Barrier Reef aboard research vessels like the R/V Investigator.
Teemu Kokkonen is a Senior University Lecturer in the Department of Built Environment at Aalto University, Finland, specializing in water and environmental engineering with a focus on urban hydrological systems and sustainable stormwater solutions. His research spans water engineering, environmental modeling, and cold-climate hydrology, emphasizing practical applications for urban drainage challenges. Key interests include biochar filtration for road runoff treatment, low-impact development (LID) effectiveness, spatio-temporal pollutant dynamics, and high-resolution climate modeling integration. His work addresses critical gaps in adapting urban water infrastructure to climate change while maintaining pre-development flow regimes. Analysis of his 2019-2023 publications reveals dominant trends in cold-region stormwater modeling using SWMM, with growing emphasis on convection-permitting climate data and land cover impacts. His studies consistently bridge engineering practice and environmental science, particularly through Nordic collaborative projects examining radar accuracy in heavy rainfall and acid sulfate soil behavior. Scientific recognition includes: Early Career Research Excellence Award from The International Environmental Modelling and Software Society (IEMSs), Switzerland (2004) Student Paper Commendation (MODSIM99) from Modelling and Simulation of Australia and New Zealand Inc. (2000) No information on student advising or research grants was provided in the source material. Dr. Kokkonen actively contributes to Aalto University's Water and Environmental Engineering research group, which develops integrated solutions for urban water cycle restoration through advanced modeling and field experimentation.
Yunji Zhang is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Meteorology and Atmospheric Science within The Pennsylvania State University . He also serves as the Assistant Director of the Penn State Center for Advanced Data Assimilation and Predictability Techniques (ADAPT) and is affiliated with the Alliance for Education, Science, Engineering and Design with Africa (AESEDA) . Research Focus: Dr. Zhang investigates the dynamics and predictability of convectively driven severe weather , including tropical cyclones, mesoscale convective systems, and severe thunderstorms. His work emphasizes ensemble-based data assimilation techniques using satellite and radar observations to enhance numerical weather prediction models. Current projects involve improving forecasts of hurricanes like Harvey and Midwest derecho events through advanced assimilation of all-sky microwave and infrared radiances. Publications Trends: His recent studies (2021-2025) highlight advancements in Ensemble data assimilation of dual-polarization radar and satellite data Predictability of extreme rainfall events in Zhengzhou and China Multi-sensor approaches for convection initiation forecasting Microphysical parameterization impacts on hurricane prediction Automated boundary layer depth estimation techniques Global-to-regional nested modeling for tropical cyclones Advising: Dr. Zhang mentors current graduate students Zhu Yao and Abhisek Das, while former advisees include Ph.D. recipient Keenan Eure and M.S. graduate Paul Mykolajtchuk . He actively invites students interested in M.S. or Ph.D. research to contact him via email. Labs & Centers: His work is supported by the Penn State Center for Advanced Data Assimilation and Predictability Techniques (ADAPT) and collaborations with the Alliance for Education, Science, Engineering and Design with Africa (AESEDA) .
Dr. Oscar Martinez-Alvarado is a Senior Research Scientist at the University of Reading's Department of Meteorology and part of the National Centre for Atmospheric Science (NCAS). His research focuses on mid-latitude atmospheric dynamics, extratropical cyclones, and data assimilation for numerical weather prediction. He leads and collaborates on projects like CANARI (2022–2027) and THINICE, investigating Arctic cyclones and sting-jet windstorms. He has supervised multiple PhD students and contributed to over 50 peer-reviewed publications. Education: DPhil in Atmospheric Physics from the University of Oxford (2007). Research spans Martian atmospheric dynamics, mesoscale processes, and climate change impacts on extreme weather. He is affiliated with the Mesoscale Group and Dynamical Processes Group at Reading. Research Themes: Key areas include sting-jet cyclones, diabatic processes in storms, and wind energy modeling. His work integrates observational data and numerical models to improve weather forecasting and climate risk assessment. Grants & Projects: Principal Investigator (PI) and Co-Investigator (Co-I) on projects funded by WCSSP Southeast Asia, NCAS, and NERC. Notable projects include Arctic Summertime Cyclones (completed), Weather Regimes (completed), and contributions to NAWDEX and DIAMET. Labs/Teams: Active member of Reading's Mesoscale Group and NCAS Atmospheric Physics directorate. Collaborates internationally on field campaigns like THINICE and FRANC.
Andreas Prein is Full Professor at ETH Zurich's Department of Environmental Systems Science and leads the High-Resolution Weather and Climate Modeling group. He specializes in modeling weather and climate dynamics, focusing on extreme events across scales, with particular emphasis on regional and local-scale extremes in a warming climate. His research bridges fundamental process understanding with practical applications, actively collaborating with stakeholders and contributing to international programs like the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP). Research Focus High-resolution weather and climate modeling Physical processes driving extreme events Regional/local-scale climate extremes Convection-permitting climate models Mesoscale convective systems Publications Trend His 2025 publications demonstrate a strong focus on extreme precipitation, mesoscale convective systems, and high-resolution modeling applications across global regions including the US, China, South America, and Spain. The work emphasizes both methodological advances (machine learning, downscaling techniques) and practical applications (flood attribution, risk assessment). Scientific Recognition Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher Over 100 peer-reviewed publications Deputy Director, Center for Climate and Weather Extremes (NCAR) WCRP and GEWEX panel member Professional Activities Active in international scientific panels and frequently advises government agencies on climate extremes. His group at ETH Zurich focuses on dynamically modeling weather and climate systems to understand changes in extreme events.
Hristo Chipilski is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Scientific Computing at Florida State University. His research focuses on data assimilation, artificial intelligence, numerical weather prediction, and atmospheric dynamics, combining theoretical, computational, and applied approaches. Education: 2021-2023 ASP Postdoctoral Fellow (NCAR), 2016-2021 PhD in Meteorology (University of Oklahoma), 2012-2016 MMet in Meteorology and Climate (University of Reading, UK) Research Interests: Data assimilation (optimal combination of models and observations) drives his work, particularly for atmospheric systems. He explores AI integration with traditional assimilation methods, targeting convective-scale weather prediction and real-time high-performance computing applications. His studies analyze bore-generating convection, cloud microphysics, and multiscale dynamics. Article Trends: Recent publications emphasize nonlinear ensemble filtering techniques, diffusion models, and generative AI for data assimilation in geophysical systems. Topics span surface quasi-geostrophic dynamics, partial observation handling, and real-time numerical weather prediction (NWP) frameworks optimized for high-performance computing.
