Quentin Nicolas is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Department of Environmental Systems Sciences, ETH Zürich , working in Heini Wernli's group. He obtained his Ph.D. in Earth and Planetary Science from UC Berkeley and holds a Master's in Applied Mathematics from École Polytechnique, France. Research Focus : Climate dynamics, tropical atmospheric dynamics, geophysical fluid dynamics, and interdisciplinary applications in medical modeling. Key Collaborations : William Boos (UC Berkeley), Bruce Buffett (UC Berkeley), Geoffrey Vallis (WHOI/SOR Bon Ventre), Irene Vignon-Clementel (Inria Paris). His work on tropical orographic precipitation couples moist convection with mountain flow dynamics to explain rainfall distribution. He also studies seasonal precipitation extremes via plume buoyancy frameworks and superrotation physics with Geoffrey Vallis. Earlier work involved medical modeling for liver surgery and transplantation. Scientific Awards : Best Student Paper Award, Geophysical Journal International (2023) Outstanding Student Presentation Award (OSPA), AGU Fall Meeting (2021) His publications span climate dynamics, geophysical fluid dynamics, and clinical biomechanics , with recent studies on wind sensitivity in tropical rainfall and MAC wave excitation in Earth's core. Quentin maintains active code repositories on GitHub for climate modeling and precipitation analysis.
Stefan Wastegård is Professor of Quaternary Geology with a specialisation in Quaternary Stratigraphy at Stockholm University's Department of Physical Geography, where he actively teaches bachelor's and master's courses. He leads the research group SUQuaTeSt (Stockholm University Quaternary Tephra Studies), focusing on volcanic ash layers as geochronological tools for correlating Late Quaternary climate records across marine, ice-core, and terrestrial archives in Scandinavia, the Azores, Patagonia, and the North Atlantic region. Wastegård's research centers on resolving uncertainties in Late Quaternary chronologies, particularly addressing radio-carbon dating limitations (radiocarbon plateaux, reservoir effects) and the scarcity of dating methods for periods before 40 ka BP. His work utilizes diverse climatic archives to examine climate synchrony across the North Atlantic, with emphasis on tephrochronology for identifying isochrons in peat bogs, lake sediments, and marine cores. Key interests include Younger Dryas dynamics, Holocene climate events, and volcanic ash dispersal mechanisms. Analysis of his recent publications reveals a sustained effort to expand tephrochronological frameworks geographically and temporally. Major contributions include the first geochemical confirmation of Laacher See Tephra in southern Sweden, extension of Azores tephra dispersal to Ireland, and identification of cryptotephras from moderate Icelandic eruptions in Finland. His studies consistently address methodological challenges while establishing new chronological markers for climate events like the 4.2 ka BP anomaly and Younger Dryas ice-sheet behavior. No scientific awards, prizes, or fellowships are documented in the provided texts. Wastegård has served as main supervisor for seven PhD students: Hans Johansson, Ewa Lind, Carl Lilja, Sofia Andersson, Anders Borgmark, Simon Larsson, and Christos Katrantsiotis. His current research project "Precise linking of late Quaternary palaeoclimate records in the North Atlantic region" compares climate signals across high-resolution archives to understand rapid climate transitions. He has secured funding for numerous completed projects including Holocene tephrochronology for the Faroe Islands and cryptotephra studies in Patagonia. As head of SUQuaTeSt, he directs Stockholm University's Quaternary Tephra Studies group which has pioneered tephrochronological applications in Scandinavia for decades. The team specializes in extracting and analyzing both visible and cryptotephra layers from organic-rich sediments using electron probe microanalysis, collaborating internationally on projects like PASADO in Patagonia and contributing to frameworks such as INTIMATE for glacial-interglacial transitions.
Professor Gregor Leckebusch is a leading academic in Meteorology and Climatology at the University of Birmingham. He holds the UK Met Office Joint Chair and serves as Director of the NERC DTP CENTA (2019-2022). His work bridges meteorological research with climate risk assessment, focusing on extreme weather impacts. University of Birmingham (2011-present) Freie University Berlin (Associate Professor, 2004-2010) University of Leipzig (Acting Chair, 2010-2011) His research centers on tropical cyclones, storm surges, and climate change impacts. He has sustained collaborations with reinsurance giants like SwissRe and CoreLogic-EQECAT, leveraging industry funding for projects on hazard connectivity and parametric insurance thresholds. Key projects include NERC Large Grant HURACAN and EPSRC IAA Energy Sector Resilience. Recent publications highlight expertise in CMIP6 model diagnostics, causality-guided decadal predictions, and statistical postprocessing of monsoon rainfall. His work aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goals for climate action and sustainable cities. As a PhD supervisor, he welcomes candidates interested in extreme weather modeling and climate risk. He co-edits the journal Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences , emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches to weather extremes.
Yi Ming is a Professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Boston University. Holding a Ph.D. from Princeton University and a B.E. from Tsinghua University, their research focuses on atmospheric physics and chemistry, climate dynamics, and extreme weather events. They lead the CAESAR Lab, which investigates climate system processes through a hierarchy of models and observations. Education: B.E., Tsinghua University Ph.D., Princeton University Their work explores how climate change affects regional precipitation patterns (e.g., Sahel droughts) and extreme events (e.g., hurricanes, wildfires). Recent studies include aerosol impacts on monsoons, idealized GCM simulations for tropical variability, and pandemic-driven radiative flux changes. Publications reveal expertise in climate modeling, land-atmosphere interactions, and oceanic warming effects. Key trends focus on monsoon systems, moist static energy budgets, and zonally asymmetric forcing mechanisms. Laboratory: CAESAR Lab (Climate Analysis, Evaluation, and Research)
Stephanie Henderson serves as Assistant Professor in the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she leads research bridging weather forecasting and climate prediction through subseasonal-to-seasonal (S2S) variability studies. Her work addresses the critical predictability gap between synoptic weather systems and seasonal climate patterns, with direct implications for food security, public safety, and economic planning. Education: PhD in Atmospheric Science from Colorado State University Research Focus: Dr. Henderson specializes in tropical-extratropical interactions and global teleconnections , with particular expertise in the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) and atmospheric blocking phenomena. Her methodology integrates observational analysis , numerical modeling , and statistical techniques to unravel how subseasonal processes (2-8 weeks) influence midlatitude weather extremes. Current projects examine MJO impacts on South American precipitation, Northeast Pacific blocking dynamics, and Arctic moisture intrusions. Publication Trends: Recent work (2022-2025) reveals intensifying focus on MJO teleconnection mechanisms across diverse regions, with growing emphasis on polar atmospheric rivers and climate change impacts on subseasonal predictability. Her research increasingly leverages satellite observations (e.g., PREFIRE mission) and addresses practical forecasting applications for extreme weather events. Research Environment: She directs the Subseasonal to Seasonal Variability group, utilizing resources including NOAA PSL SST monitoring, IRI ENSO forecasts, and CIMSS weather portals. The group maintains active collaborations with federal agencies to translate fundamental research into operational forecasting improvements for North American weather extremes.
Josef P Werne serves as Professor and Chair of the Department of Geology and Environmental Science at the University of Pittsburgh's Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences. His research group employs organic biomarkers and stable isotopes in lake and ocean sediments to reconstruct Earth's climate history and biogeochemical processes across geological timescales. His educational foundation includes a BS in Geology from Denison University, MS/PhD in Geological Sciences from Northwestern University, and postdoctoral research at the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research. Dr. Werne's work centers on paleoclimatology and biogeochemistry , utilizing molecular fossils to decode past climate conditions through sulfur isotope systematics, carbon cycling, and microbial community analysis. Current projects investigate Precambrian ocean analogs in sulfidic lakes, Pleistocene climate-human interactions across the Americas and Africa, and development of GDGT-based temperature proxies. Recent publications reveal strong trends in limnological climate proxies (70% of works), sulfur biogeochemistry (20%), and methodological innovations (10%), with field sites concentrated in the Americas, East Africa, and hypersaline rift lakes. His research group has secured significant NSF funding for projects including the Titicaca Basin human-biomarker study and MexiDrill's 1km Lake Chalco core recovery. Mentees like Dervla Kumar and Molly O'Beirne have earned NSF, GSA, and Mellon fellowships for paleoclimate proxy development. The Werne Lab maintains active collaborations with archaeologists, microbiologists, and international drilling programs, operating specialized facilities for lipid and isotope analysis to support ongoing investigations into Earth's climate evolution.
Lora Stevens serves as Professor and Department Chair in the Department of Earth Science at California State University, Long Beach. She earned her Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota in 1997 and B.A. from Pomona College in 1989. Dr. Stevens teaches courses including Historical Geology, Earth Systems and Global Change, Paleoclimatology, Physical and Chemical Oceanography, Biogeochemical Cycles, and Environmental Science Capstone projects. Her research specializes in paleoclimatology using multi-proxy analysis of lake sediments to reconstruct past climate variability. Primary methodologies include oxygen-isotope composition of carbonates, biogenic silica analysis, grain-size measurements, C/N ratios, and mineralogy. Recent work incorporates compound-specific isotopes of leaf waxes and fecal stanols as human population indicators. Research focuses on ENSO dynamics, Pacific Decadal Oscillation, Asian monsoon systems, Mediterranean precipitation patterns, and drought reconstruction through high-resolution sediment records. Active projects include investigations at Lechaion Harbor (Greece), climate-civilization interactions in western Iran, monsoon variability in Vietnam, and biomarker validation studies. Her publication record demonstrates consistent focus on hydroclimatic reconstruction using lacustrine archives across global regions including Vietnam, Iran, and North America. Dr. Stevens maintains the CSULB Lechaion Harbor Project website and can be contacted at HSCI 306 office (phone: 562.985.4817, email: lora.stevens@csulb.edu).
Prof. Dr. Sönke Szidat serves as Associate Professor and Research Group Leader at the Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmacy, University of Bern. His primary affiliation is with the Laboratory for the Analysis of Radiocarbon with AMS (LARA), where he directs research in radiocarbon applications. He maintains active roles in the Oeschger Centre for Climate Research and serves as an expert for the Swiss Accreditation Service. Dr. Szidat's research focuses on radiocarbon analysis with accelerator mass spectrometry , particularly for source apportionment of carbonaceous aerosols and environmental sample analysis . His work bridges climate science, archaeology, and air quality studies through innovative 14C applications. Recent publications demonstrate expertise in paleoclimate reconstruction, fossil fuel emission verification, and anthropogenic environmental impacts across global regions including the Alps, Himalayas, and African highlands. His scientific contributions include developing Advanced 14C measurement automation techniques Novel source apportionment methodologies for atmospheric aerosols Interdisciplinary applications in archaeology and paleoenvironmental studies Notable collaborations span Swiss, Chinese, Indian, and Ethiopian research institutions. Professional recognition includes leadership in the Bern Chemical Society (until 2017), Oeschger Centre membership, and accreditation expertise. Current research integrates climate policy verification with fundamental AMS method development.
Gaelle Dufour is a Research Professor at CNRS (French National Center for Scientific Research) affiliated with the Laboratoire Interuniversitaire des Systèmes Atmosphériques (LISA) . Her work focuses on atmospheric chemistry , air quality , and pollution monitoring using satellite observations and modeling . Research Themes: Large-scale pollution, oxidant/particulate pollution, spectroscopy, ozone dynamics, NOx emissions, and climate impacts of wildfires. Labs: LISA (CNRS/Université Paris-Est Créteil/Université de Paris). Recent Publications highlight her expertise in satellite-based pollution analysis , including NOx emission trends in Europe and China, ozone variability during the pandemic, and biomass burning aerosol tracking . Her work integrates IASI, TROPOMI, OMI , and ACE-FTS satellite data with CHIMERE and PYVAR-CHIMERE models. Collaborations span institutions across France, China, Japan, and Europe, with emphasis on transboundary pollution and climate policy evaluation . She has contributed to the Tropospheric Ozone Assessment Report (TOAR), a landmark study on global ozone trends.
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.
Dr. Praveen Kumar Rai is a Researcher at the Institute of Geography and Geology , University of Würzburg, focusing on climatology and environmental systems. He is based in the Climatology Working Group - Team Climate at Hubland Campus, Room 209, and holds an ORCID (0000-0001-8348-1150). His research spans monsoon meteorology, land-atmosphere interactions, ocean dynamics, and tropical climate variability, with particular emphasis on weather and climate extremes. Academic Background PhD in Environmental Sciences (2014–present), School of Environmental Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi, supervised by Prof. A. P. Dimri M.Sc. in Environmental Science (2014), JNU B.Sc. (Honours) in Chemistry (2009–2012), Banaras Hindu University Research Projects MOSAIC : Investigates irrigation impacts on South Asian hydrological cycles and monsoon dynamics using high-resolution (12 km) and convection-resolving (3 km) simulations with REMO model WE-ACT : Supports equitable transboundary water allocation through climate risk-aware planning BigData@Geo 2.0 : Enhances climate resilience for Bavarian agricultural SMEs (2023–2027, EFRE-funded) HYDRASIA (2019–2022): Analyzed Central Asian hydrology with novel irrigation and lake schemes in regional climate models Publication Trends show consistent contributions to understanding monsoon systems across South/Central Asia, with methodological advances in regional climate modeling, vegetation interaction analysis, and extreme event projections using CORDEX/RCM frameworks. Technical Expertise includes Google Earth Engine, REMO/REMO-iMOVE/RegCM4 modeling systems, EEMD-based time series analysis, and climate anomaly diagnostics. Active in international conferences like EGU General Assembly and ICRC-CORDEX.
Chetankumar Jalihal is an Assistant Professor specializing in the field of Climate Change . His research focuses on paleomonsoons, climate modeling, moist static energy budgets, and model-proxy comparisons. Education: Ph.D. from Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru. Dr. Jalihal's work bridges paleoclimatology and modern climate dynamics through computational modeling and proxy data analysis. His research aims to improve understanding of monsoon variability and energy budget mechanisms in climate systems.
Tom Marchitto is a Professor of Geological Sciences at the University of Colorado Boulder, serving as Associate Director of Laboratories at INSTAAR and Director of the ICP-MS Trace Metal Laboratory. His research focuses on paleoceanography and paleoclimatology, utilizing chemical proxies in marine sediments to reconstruct past ocean circulation, biogeochemical changes, and climate dynamics across timescales from years to millions of years. His educational background includes a BS in Geology and Geophysics from Yale University (1994) and a PhD in Marine Geology and Geophysics from the MIT-Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Joint Program (1999). Postdoctoral training was completed at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory under Jean Lynch-Stieglitz. Marchitto's research centers on past abrupt climate change, ocean circulation patterns, marine carbon cycling, and trace element incorporation in biogenic carbonates. He employs foraminiferal chemistry to reconstruct temperature, salinity, carbonate chemistry, and nutrient dynamics, with particular expertise in Arctic-North Atlantic interactions, tropical Pacific variability (including ENSO), and deglacial climate transitions. His work integrates field-based sediment core analysis with advanced geochemical techniques and numerical modeling. Recent publications reveal a strong emphasis on Holocene Arctic dynamics (including polynya systems and ice stream retreat), North Atlantic circulation changes during glacial periods, tropical Pacific climate reconstruction, and technological innovations in micropaleontology. These studies frequently employ multi-proxy approaches and novel statistical methods to address fundamental questions about ocean-climate linkages and carbon cycle feedbacks. His scientific awards include: College Scholar Award, University of Colorado Boulder (2017) Kavli Frontiers of Science Fellow, National Academy of Sciences (2013) Provost's Faculty Achievement Award, University of Colorado Boulder (2008) Marchitto actively mentors students across all levels, currently advising PhD candidates Laurel Bayless and Skye Fernandez, and MS student Trisia Tellez. His former students include Brigitta Rongstad (PhD, CIRES), Colin Lindsay (PhD, Woods Hole), and several researchers now in academia and government positions. His research is supported by multiple NSF grants, including projects on Arctic-Baffin Bay throughflow (OPP Arctic Natural Sciences), Greenland iceberg sediment flux (CU Research & Innovation Seed Grant), and FORABOT development (OCE Ocean Technology). He directs the ICP-MS Trace Metals Laboratory and leads the FORABOT project for automated foraminifera sorting, collaborating with the Center for the Geochemical Analysis of the Global Environment (GAGE) and the Paleoceanography/Paleoclimatology community through editorial roles in major journals including Nature, Science, and Paleoceanography.
Dr. Deepika Swami serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sustainable Energy Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IIT Kanpur). Holding a PhD from IIT Bombay (2019), she specializes in Energy and Climate Policy with research spanning multiple dimensions of climate vulnerability and adaptation. PhD (Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, 2019) Her research program integrates climate science, agricultural systems, and policy analysis to address critical challenges facing farming communities in India. With expertise in vulnerability assessment, risk modeling, and adaptation strategies, Dr. Swami employs both quantitative and qualitative methodologies to examine how socio-economic and climatic factors interact to shape agricultural outcomes. Her work demonstrates particular focus on Maharashtra, where she conducts district-level analyses of climate impacts on farming systems. Analysis of her publication record reveals a clear evolution from physical climate impacts (2018) toward more integrated socio-ecological systems analysis (2020-2022). Her recent work bridges environmental science with mental health considerations, examining how climate stress contributes to farmers' suicidal ideation through structural equation modeling. This interdisciplinary approach represents a significant contribution to understanding the human dimensions of climate change. Fellowship from Indian Society of Ecological Economics, November, 2019 Travel fellowship (Indo-German Collaboration) for presenting the work on Environmental Policy, Scope and Challenges for Local Regulation, September 2019 Fellowship from IIT Bombay to attend European Geophysical Union, Vienna, Austria, April 2018 Student Travel grant from American Geophysical Union, 2018 Fellowship from Indian Society of Ecological Economics (INSEE), Kerala, November 2017 Berkner travel fellowship from American Geophysical Union (AGU), 2016 Fellowship from Indo-European SAHYOG summer school, Tezpur, July 2014 University Gold-medalist (Top Rank holder) during Masters' degree, 2013 Dr. Swami actively mentors graduate students, currently supervising M.Tech thesis research in the Department of Sustainable Energy Engineering. She has secured significant research funding including two sponsored projects from the State government of Karnataka: 'Carbon neutral government institute: A pilot project to achieve carbon neutrality for Karnataka, India' (6 Lakhs) and 'Impact of Climate change on population under poverty for India' (10 Lakhs). Her professional trajectory includes Climate Change Fellow at the Environmental Management Policy Research Institute (Oct 2020-Dec 2021), Post-doctoral Fellow at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore (Mar-Sep 2020), and Research Associate at IIT Bombay (Oct 2019-Feb 2020).
Dr. Danielle McLean is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Research Laboratory for Archaeology and the History of Art, University of Oxford . She specializes in Tephrochronology , particularly the identification of cryptotephra (microscopic volcanic ash layers) to date and correlate sedimentary records globally. Education : BSc in Geography, MSc (Distinction) in Quaternary Science from Royal Holloway, University of London Doctorate : Completed at University of Oxford (2014-2018) as part of the NERC Doctoral Training Programme, focusing on Lake Suigetsu's sediments Her research combines volcanology , Quaternary science , and human evolution studies through sedimentary analysis. She has developed tephrostratigraphic frameworks for East Asia and established hemispheric-scale correlations between Japanese ash layers and Greenland ice cores. Recent work with her Leverhulme Trust Fellowship (2021-present) focuses on synchronizing archaeological and climate records in NW Africa using tephra layers. She has collaborated with institutions like the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) and contributed to the Suigetsu Varve Sediment Museum in Japan.
