Our Team

We are a committed team of engineers, scientists, and applied and computational mathematicians working toward a common goal of developing an Earth system model capable of accurate and precise climate predictions.

Science and Engineering Team

  • Brandon Allen

    Ocean Core

    Brandon Allen

    Research scientist, MIT

    • Ph.D., MIT, 2019
    • Elementary particle physics, high-performance computing

  • Simona Bordoni

    Atmosphere Model Evaluation

    Simona Bordoni

    Professor of Environmental Science and Engineering, Caltech

    • Ph.D., UCLA, 2007
    • Theory of monsoons and tropical circulations
    • Recipient of James R. Holton Award (AGU)

  • Dmitry Burov

    Data Assimilation/Machine Learning

    Dmitry Burov

    Graduate Student, Caltech

    • B.Sc., Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 2013
    • Experimental design approaches for optimal placement of high-resolution simulations

  • Simon Byrne

    Software Engineering

    Simon Byrne

    Lead Software Engineer, Caltech

    • Ph.D., University of Cambridge, 2011
    • Management of large and distributed software projects
    • High-performance computing
    • Statistics and machine learning

  • Jean-Michel Campin

    Ocean Core

    Jean-Michel Campin

    Research Scientist, MIT

    • Ph.D., Université catholique de Louvain, 1997
    • Computational fluid dynamics and ocean modelling; extensive experience developing ocean, sea-ice and atmospheric models
    • Co-developer of the MITgcm ocean model

  • Emmet Cleary

    Data Assimilation/Machine Learning, Atmosphere Processes

    Emmet Cleary

    Graduate Student, Caltech

    • B.S., Caltech, 2012
    • Data assimilation and uncertainty quantification in models of clouds and convection

  • Yair Cohen

    Atmosphere Processes

    Yair Cohen

    Postdoc, Caltech

    • Ph.D., Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 2016
    • Process models for atmospheric turbulence, convection, and clouds

  • Oliver Dunbar

    Data Assimilation/Machine Learning

    Oliver Dunbar

    Postdoc, Caltech

    • Ph.D., University of Warwick, 2017
    • Experimental design approaches for optimal placement of high-resolution simulations

  • Raffaele Ferrari

    Ocean Core and Processes

    Raffaele Ferrari

    Cecil and Ida Green Professor of Oceanography; Director of the Program in Atmospheres, Oceans, and Climate, MIT

    • Ph.D., Scripps Institution of Oceanography, 2000
    • Theories of ocean turbulence and its impact on biogeochemistry and present/past climates
    • Recipient of the Nicholas P. Fofonoff Award (American Meteorological Society), Robert L. and Bettie P. Cody Award (Scripps Institution of Oceanography)

  • Christian Frankenberg

    Land/Biosphere

    Christian Frankenberg

    Professor of Environmental Science and Engineering, Caltech; Research Scientist, JPL

    • Ph.D., Ruprecht-Karls-University, Heidelberg, 2005
    • Carbon cycle; atmospheric CO2 and methane; space-based measurements of the biosphere
    • Recipient of Macelwane Medal (AGU). AGU Fellow. NASA Early Career Achievement Medal

  • Basile Gallet

    Ocean Processes

    Basile Gallet

    Researcher, CEA Saclay, France

    • Ph.D., Physics, Ecole Normale Supérieure, Paris, 2011
    • Radiatively driven convection, wave-mean flow interactions, asymptotic methods in geophysical fluid dynamics
    • Recipient of the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Distinguished Scholar Award (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)

  • Alfredo Garbuno

    Data Assimilation/Machine Learning

    Alfredo Garbuno

    Postdoc, Caltech

    • Ph.D., University of Liverpool, 2018
    • Stochastic methods for emulation and calibration of computer models

  • Frank Giraldo

    Atmosphere Core

    Frank Giraldo

    Professor of Applied Mathematics, Naval Postgraduate School

    • Ph.D., University of Virginia, 1995
    • Numerical methods for partial differential equations; scientific computing
    • Core architect of U.S. Navy’s atmosphere model
    • Recipient of Carl E. and Jesse W. Menneken Award (NPS Foundation), Alan Berman Research Prize (U.S. Navy)

  • Jia He

    Atmosphere Processes

    Jia He

    Postdoc, Caltech

    • Ph.D., Georgia Tech, 2017
    • Atmosphere dynamics; machine learning for weather prediction
    • Parameterization of atmospheric turbulence, convection, and clouds

  • Chris Hill

    Ocean Core

    Chris Hill

    Principal Research Engineer, MIT

    • Climate modeling, high-performance parallel computing
    • Architect of the widely used MITgcm ocean model and Earth System Modeling Framework (ESMF)

  • Marcos Longo

    Land Model

    Marcos Longo

    NASA Postdoctoral Fellow, JPL

    • Ph.D., Harvard University, 2014
    • Process-based models of ecosystem dynamics, land use and land cover change, and biosphere-atmosphere interactions

  • Charles Kawczynski

    Software Engineering

    Charles Kawczynski

    Software Engineer, Caltech

    • Ph.D., UCLA, 2018
    • Computational fluid dynamics and magnetohydrodynamics
    • High-performance computing, machine learning

  • Ignacio Lopez-Gomez

    Atmosphere Processes

    Ignacio Lopez-Gomez

    Graduate Student, Caltech

    • M.Sc., ISAE-SUPAERO, 2018
    • Computational fluid dynamics; process models for atmospheric turbulence, convection, and clouds

  • John Marshall

    Ocean Core and Processes

    John Marshall

    Cecil and Ida Green Professor of Oceanography; Director Climate Modeling Initiative, MIT

    • Ph.D., Imperial College, 1980
    • Ocean circulation theory; coupled dynamics of atmosphere and oceans; parameterization of ocean processes
    • Architect of the widely used MITgcm ocean model
    • Recipient of L.F. Richardson Prize (Royal Meteorological Society), Sverdrup Gold Medal and Bernhard Haurwitz Prize (both American Meteorological Society). Fellow of the Royal Society.

  • Lenka Novak

    Atmosphere Processes

    Lenka Novak

    Postdoc, Caltech

    • Ph.D., University of Reading, 2016
    • Large-scale atmosphere dynamics; storm track dynamics

  • Anna Jaruga

    Atmosphere Processes

    Anna Jaruga

    Postdoc, JPL/Caltech

    • Ph.D., University of Warsaw, 2017
    • Cloud microphysics and cloud-aerosol interactions

  • Jeremy Kozdon

    Atmosphere Core

    Jeremy Kozdon

    Assistant Professor of Applied Mathematics, Naval Postgraduate School

    • Ph.D., Stanford University, 2009
    • Robust and accurate numerical methods for partial differential equations
    • High-performance computing;  experienced developer of parallel codes for CPUs and GPUs

  • Simone Marras

    Atmosphere Core

    Simone Marras

    Assistant Professor in Mechanical Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology

    • Ph.D., Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, 2012
    • Numerical methods for PDEs
    • High-performance computing

  • Ali Ramadhan

    Ocean Processes

    Ali Ramadhan

    Graduate Student, MIT

    • M.S., University of Waterloo, 2017
    • Atmosphere-ocean-cryosphere dynamics; biophysical ocean interactions
    • High-performance computing and ocean model development

  • John Seinfeld

    Atmosphere Processes

    John Seinfeld

    Louis E. Nohl Professor & Professor of Chemical Engineering, Caltech

    • Ph.D., Princeton University, 1967
    • Atmospheric chemistry and physics; aerosols
    • Developer of first numerical model of atmospheric chemistry and air pollution
    • Recipient of Tyler Prizefor Environmental Achievement. Member of the National Academy of Sciences

  • Zhaoyi Shen

    Atmosphere Processes

    Zhaoyi Shen

    Postdoc, Caltech

    • Ph.D., Princeton University, 2018
    • Climate dynamics and aerosol-climate interactions
    • Cloud dynamics and feedbacks

  • Clare Singer

    Atmosphere Processes

    Clare Singer

    Graduate Student, Caltech

    • B.S./B.A., University of Chicago, 2018
    • Cloud feedbacks

  • Andre Souza

    Ocean Processes

    Andre Souza

    Research Scientist, MIT

    • Ph.D., University of Michigan, 2016
    • Optimal control and scientific computing; turbulent heat transport theory and rare events in dynamical systems

  • Akshay Sridhar

    Atmosphere Processes

    Akshay Sridhar

    Postdoc, Caltech

    • Ph.D., Caltech, 2018
    • Subgrid-scale modelling of atmospheric turbulence and clouds
    • Numerical techniques in earth-system modeling/high-performance computing

  • Andrew Stuart

    Data Assimilation/Machine Learning

    Andrew Stuart

    Bren Professor of Computing and Mathematical Sciences, Caltech

    • Ph.D., University of Oxford, 1986
    • Bayesian learning and optimal combination of mechanistic models with data; data assimilation, inverse problems, and stochastic modeling
    • Recipient of James Wilkinson Prize in Numerical Analysis and Scientific Computing (SIAM), J. D. Crawford Prize (SIAM), Wolfson Research Merit Award (Royal Society)

  • Joao Teixeira

    Atmosphere Processes

    Joao Teixeira

    Principal Scientist and Co-Director of the Center for Climate Sciences, JPL

    • Ph.D., University of Lisbon, 2000
    • Process models of atmospheric turbulence, convection, and clouds
    • Measurements of atmospheric properties from space and use in climate models
    • Recipient of NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal and NASA Group Achievement Award

  • Andrew Thompson

    Ocean Processes

    Andrew Thompson

    Professor of Environmental Science and Engineering, Caltech

    • Ph.D., Scripps Institution of Oceanography, 2006
    • Physical oceanography, Southern Ocean dynamics, role of ocean in climate
    • Recipient of AGU Ocean Sciences Early Career Award. David and Lucile Packard Fellow

  • Gregory Wagner

    Ocean Processes

    Gregory Wagner

    Postdoc, MIT

    • Ph.D., UC San Diego, 2016
    • Dynamics of waves and small-scale mixing in oceans
    • Recipient of NOAA Climate and Global Change Postdoctoral Fellowship

  • Lucas Wilcox

    Atmosphere Core

    Lucas Wilcox

    Associate Professor of Applied Mathematics, Naval Postgraduate School

    • Ph.D., Brown University, 2006
    • Computational mathematics and scientific computing
    • Recipient of Carl E. and Jesse W. Menneken Award (NPS Foundation)

  • John Worden

    Land Model

    John Worden

    Principal Scientist, JPL

    • Ph.D., University of Colorado, 1996
    • Remote sensing of atmospheric trace gases; use of data in chemistry, carbon, and transport models
    • Principal investigator of NASA Aura TES mission and former JPL Earth Science section manager

  • Jinlong Wu

    Atmosphere Processes, Data Assimilation/Machine Learning

    Jinlong Wu

    Postdoc, Caltech

    • Ph.D., Virginia Tech, 2018
    • Turbulence modeling
    • Statistical models and machine learning techniques

Project Management and Coordination

  • Dan McCleese

    Project Management

    Dan McCleese

    Senior Project Manager, Caltech

    • Ph.D., University of Oxford, 1976
    • Managed projects and missions in Earth and planetary science as JPL Chief Scientist (2006-2016) and Chief Scientist for Mars Exploration (1994-2006)
    • Science architect for JPL/NASA Mars Exploration Program
    • Recipient of NASA’s Outstanding Leadership and Distinguished Service Medals

  • Sabrina Pirzada

    Program Coordination

    Sabrina Pirzada

    CliMA Program Coordinator

  • Tapio Schneider

    Principal Investigator, Atmosphere Processes

    Tapio Schneider

    Theodore Y. Wu Professor of Environmental Science and Engineering, Caltech; Senior Research Scientist, JPL

    • Ph.D., Princeton University, 2001
    • Dynamics of atmospheres and climate changes, including changes in clouds, storminess, and extreme precipitation
    • Named one of “20 Best Brains Under 40” (Discover Magazine), David and Lucile Packard Fellow, Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellow.

Funders