Veronika Eyring would, of course, have preferred to accept the prize personally. But what is far more important is the honor itself: On March 15, 2021, the professor from the Faculty of Physics / Electrical Engineering received the 2021 Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize from the German Research Foundation (DFG) for her pioneering research in the field of climate modelling. The most renowned German scientific prize is endowed with 2.5 million euros.
“The awarding of the Leibniz Prize to Veronika Eyring confirms the University of Bremen’s outstanding quality as a climate-conscious university. In the frame of climate change research, the environmental sciences with their computer calculations are essential in order to gain information concerning possible developments,” states Professor Bernd Scholz-Reiter, President of the University of Bremen.
Improved Accuracy of Climate Predictions
Veronika Eyring received the Leibniz Prize for her significant contributions to the improvement of the understanding and accuracy of climate predictions thanks to process-oriented modelling and model evaluation. Her original research, which concerned the assessment of the effects of ship emissions on the composition of the atmosphere, the climate, and human health, was expanded by Ms. Eyring to include Earth system and climate modelling. As a Coordinating Lead Author, she also incorporates her findings on the topic of “Human Influence on the Climate System” into the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) Assessment Report.
Veronika Eyring places emphasis on the outstanding collaboration with dedicated colleagues from the University of Bremen and German Aerospace Center (DLR), with whom she works daily. “I am especially pleased that atmosphere and climate research is being honored as well. The additional funds will open up many new opportunities for me regarding the realization of research ideas for the improvement of climate models and their analysis.”
The Bremen Senator for Science and Ports, Dr. Claudia Schilling: “I congratulate Veronika Eyring cordially on the Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize. Receiving the most significant research prize in Germany is recognition of outstanding work in the field of atmosphere and climate research. Thanks to her research, Professor Eyring has significantly improved our understanding of climate forecasts and their precision. Furthermore, she also feeds her findings into the Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in the field of ‘Human Influence on the Climate System’. The circumstance that a researcher from the University of Bremen has received this accolade, once more underscores the great significance and abilities of the high-profile research and transfer area ‘Marine and Climate Research’ in Bremen State.”
Professor Veronika Eyring’s Career
In July 2017, the University of Bremen and the German Aerospace Center Bremen (DLR) appointed Veronika Eyring Professor of Climate Modelling within the Faculty of Physics / Electrical Engineering. After completing her diploma in physics at the Friedrich-Alexander Universität Nürnberg-Erlangen, she completed a PhD and habilitated at the University of Bremen in the field of environmental physics. At the DLR – Institute of Atmospheric Physics, she is the head of the Earth System Model Evaluation and Analysis department. Together with the department for climate modelling at the University of Bremen, the department analyses climate model simulations in combination with observed data. The Helmholtz Association is supporting this cooperation over the course of five years in the frame of the Program for Excellent Female Scientists. Since 2014, Veronika Eyring has been the chair of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP), which is run by the World Climate Research Program (WCRP) that coordinates global climate model simulations. The work done on model evaluation forms a significant requirement for reliable climate prognoses in the 21st century, which can then be used in the climate politics guidelines.
The Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize
The DFG has awarded the Leibniz Prize annually since 1986. The prize honors outstanding scientists for their research in all scientific fields. They generally receive 2.5 million euros prize money that they can use as they wish for their scientific work and without complicated bureaucratic processes in a timeframe of up to seven years. Up to ten prizes are awarded each year. A total of 415 nominated persons, of which 353 were male scientists and 62 were female scientists, have won the prize to date. The prize is one of the most significant scientific honors globally.
Leibniz Winners at the University of Bremen
Alongside Professor Veronika Eyring, the following scientists from the University of Bremen have won the Leibniz Prize: Professor Ekkard Brinksmeier (Manufacturing Engineering, 1999), Professor Frank Vollertsen (Manufacturing Engineering, 2002), Professor Antje Boetius (Microbial Ecology, 2009), Professor Kai-Uwe Hinrichs (Organic Geochemistry, 2011), Professor Nicole Dubilier (Marine Ecology, 2014) and Professor Lutz Mädler (Material Sciences, 2017).
Further Information
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3z9PcyVedwE (Leibniz prize awarding ceremony 2021)
https://up2date.uni-bremen.de/en/research/leibniz-prize-for-bremen-climate-scientist (University of Bremen magazine interview with Veronika Eyring on her research)
https://www.dfg.de/en/index.jsp
www.dlrw.de/pa/en/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-10557/18322_read-42768/
https://www.iup.uni-bremen.de/eng/departments/climate-modelling/index.html
www.uni-bremen.de/en/
Contact:
Prof. Dr. Veronika Eyring
Faculty of Physics / Electrical Engineering
University of Bremen
Institute of Atmospheric Physics
German Aerospace Center (DLR)
Phone: +49 8153 28-2533
Email: veronika.eyringprotect me ?!uni-bremenprotect me ?!.de
