Filippo Giorgi

The 2018 Alexander von Humboldt Medal is awarded to Filippo Giorgi for outstanding research on modelling regional climate change focusing on developing countries, including effective outreach in terms of joint education programmes and institution building.

Filippo Giorgi, Head of the Earth System Physics Section of the Abdus Salam International Center for Theoretical Physics, Trieste, Italy, has performed excellent research on modelling climate change with particular emphasis on regional modelling with a focus on developing countries. He has an excellent publication and citation record with more than 300 publications in international peer-reviewed journals, including several articles in Science and Nature.

He has established the Global Regional Climate Research Network (Reg CNET) involving scientists from at least fifteen developing countries. He has paid particular attention to capacity and institution building in developing countries by initiating cooperative research programs, training workshops and hosting of scientific visitors in the context of active exchange programs. This has resulted in the establishment of active and competent research groups in the various countries, allowing future research to pay particular attention to local conditions when assessing the effects of climate change on living conditions in the developing world. This is crucial because climate change is likely to particularly affect inhabitants of developing countries and local conditions cannot always be judged adequately when assessed by researchers in so-called developed countries.

The unique combination of academic excellence and a sharp awareness of local needs in developing countries facing an uncertain future, make Giorgi an excellent recipient of the Alexander von Humboldt Medal.

Medal lecture video (Youtube) of the Alexander von Humboldt Medal given at the EGU General Assembly 2018.