Paul Mayewski

Professor Paul Andrew Mayewski is an internationally acclaimed scientist and explorer and the leader of more than 50 expeditions to some of the remotest reaches of the planet. His expeditions have taken him across the Antarctic, Arctic, Himalayas, Tibetan Plateau, and Andes in search of cold, hard answers to globally significant issues – acid rain, greenhouse gas warming, the Antarctic ozone hole, toxic metal pollution, natural climate variability, and abrupt climate change.

Mayewski’s scientific achievements appear in more than 300 publications and in two climate change books written for the public, The Ice Chronicles and, most recently, Journey Into Climate. Mayewski is also known for organizing and leading large multi-disciplinary and multi-national climate change research efforts around the world that have produced paradigm shifts in the environmental sciences. He was the leader of the first expedition into Northern Victoria Land, Antarctica, and the first glaciological expedition to Nun Kun Massif, Ladakh, Indian Himalayas. In his presentations, he discusses climate change and reveals his discoveries with sobering yet hopeful observations.

A Human Impact on the Planet, the Planet’s Impact on Humans. His contributions to science include discovery of changes in atmospheric chemistry produced both naturally and by humans; modern Antarctic and Himalayan ice loss as a precursor to greenhouse gas warming; identification and characterization of abrupt climate change events; understanding the multiple climate controls and the unique role of humans; the first global-scale reconstruction of past atmospheric conditions; and associations between climate change and disruptions to civilization and ecosystems. Mayewski has also developed highly prominent state-of-the-art research summaries; organized outreach efforts with the American Museum of Natural History and the Boston Museum of Science, and appeared in many public venues, including CBS’ 60 Minutes, PBS, BBC, NPR, and Fox News, discussing the current state of the climate system and its future.

For his scientific and exploratory achievements, Mayewski has received numerous honors, including: the first-ever internationally awarded Medal for Excellence in Antarctic Research, an honorary PhD from Stockholm University, the Explorers Club Lowell Thomas Medal, and becoming a fellow in the American Geophysical Union and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Scaling Every Peak. Paul Mayewski’s lectures are based on extensive experience that mixes the adventure of working on Mount Everest and the exploration of uncharted regions of Antarctica with innovative scientific methodologies. His lectures are stuffed with imperative information and voiced with hope. He issues a call to seek solutions through increased education, economic drivers, legislation, public involvement, new technologies, and renewable energy. More importantly, he believes that while we have a climate future that has been significantly altered by human activity, we can mitigate or reverse some of the damage to achieve economic prosperity and healthier lives.