Raymond Pierrehumbert facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Raymond Pierrehumbert
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| Born |
Raymond Thomas Pierrehumbert
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| Alma mater | Harvard University Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| Spouse(s) | Janet Pierrehumbert |
| Awards | Fellow of the AAAS, Ordre des Palmes académiques, Guggenheim Fellowship, Fellow of the Royal Society |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Geophysics, climatology |
| Institutions | University of Chicago University of Oxford |
| Thesis | The structure and stability of large vortices in an inviscid flow (1980) |
| Notable students | Joshua Wurman |
Raymond Thomas Pierrehumbert is a top scientist who studies Earth's climate. He is currently the Halley Professor of Physics at the University of Oxford in England. Before that, he was a professor at the University of Chicago.
Professor Pierrehumbert helped write important reports about climate change. He was a lead author for the Third Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The IPCC is a group of scientists who study climate change for the United Nations. He also helped write a report for the United States National Research Council about sudden changes in climate.
Education and Achievements
Raymond Pierrehumbert studied physics at Harvard College. He then earned his Ph.D. (a very high degree) in aeronautics and astronautics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Aeronautics is the science of flight, and astronautics is the science of space travel.
He has received many special awards for his work. In 1996, he won a John Simon Guggenheim Fellowship. This award helped him work with other scientists in Paris to study the climate of early Mars.
He is also a Fellow of the American Geophysical Union (AGU). This means he is recognized as a leading expert in Earth and space science. The country of France also honored him as a Chevalier de l'Ordre des Palmes Académiques. This is a special award for people who have made great contributions to education and culture.
In 2015, he was chosen to be part of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. This is a group of very smart people who work to advance knowledge. Since 2020, Professor Pierrehumbert has been a Fellow of the Royal Society. This is one of the oldest and most respected scientific honors in the world.
What He Studies
Professor Pierrehumbert is very interested in how Earth's climate system works. He creates special mathematical models. These models are like computer simulations that help him understand big climate questions.
One question he studies is the "faint young sun paradox." This puzzle asks how Earth stayed warm enough for life billions of years ago. At that time, the sun was much weaker than it is today. His research helps explain how our planet avoided freezing over.
He also writes for RealClimate, a blog where scientists discuss climate science. He has strong opinions about solar geoengineering research. This is a type of technology that tries to change the Earth's climate on purpose.
Another big part of his work is studying the climate of Exoplanets. These are planets that orbit stars outside our own solar system. He explores what their weather might be like and if they could support life.
Family Life
Raymond Pierrehumbert is married to Janet Pierrehumbert. She is also a professor at the University of Oxford. She studies how language works, especially how people use and understand words.
External Links
- UChicago homepage
- Google Scholar page
