Research Medal Award Winner

Axel Timmermann
Oceanography

Axel Timmermann is a professor in the Department of Oceanography at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa.

Timmermann studies the causes of past and future climate change and has pioneered the development of computer models that can simulate ice ages and abrupt climate change. He and his team collaborate with oceanographers, geologists and glaciologists worldwide to provide key insights into the dynamical processes that shaped earth’s past.

One of his most acclaimed contributions is his seminal study on the sensitivity of the El Niño phenomenon to global warming. Currently, he studies sea level rise, climate impacts on human migration and the long-term predictability of the climate system.

He was lead author of the 5th Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. In recognition of his scientific accomplishments he also received the Rosenstiel Award from the University of Miami.