A Multi-Institutional Post-Doctoral Program for Climate/Earth System Modeling

Institute Of Global Environment And Society, Rockville MD

Investigators

Abstract

The Center for Ocean-Land-Atmosphere Studies (COLA) will manage and coordinate a multi-institutional post-doctoral program that will help prepare the next generation of climate- and Earth-system modelers to work at major U.S. modeling centers. Research conducted by the post-doctoral research associates in the program, in collaboration with and mentored by scientists at the leading national laboratories in climate modeling, will advance understanding of climate dynamics and variability through intensive modeling. The expected outcome is rapid acceleration of improvements in U.S. climate models. The program will be integrated with the research program already in place at COLA and will enable highly-qualified scientists at the post-doctoral level to gain experience working in the national climate- and Earth-system modeling laboratories, including the National Center for Atmospheric Research and the Department of Energy laboratories that are engaged in various aspects of climate modeling. The program is envisioned to expand to include laboratories operated by other agencies as well. The post-doctoral program will provide a home for talented and highly-qualified individuals to conduct original research under the guidance of mentors from COLA and in collaboration with scientists at the Nation's climate modeling laboratories. The program will also address a critical need for scientists who are capable of modeling the Earth system at the system level, which is essential in order to provide the Nation with the scientific information that will be needed to make decisions on mitigation of and adaptation to the consequences of global climate change.