Climatologist Wim Thiery (36) is among the fifteen nominees for the 'New Scientist Science Talent 2023,' an award presented by the scientific magazine, New Scientist. This accolade aims to spotlight young scientific talents from Flanders and the Netherlands and encourage their research pursuits. Thiery's work primarily focuses on the intergenerational impact of climate change. Under current climate policies, newborns worldwide are projected to experience extreme heatwaves seven times more frequently throughout their lives than their grandparents did.
“What we're essentially aiming for is to present climate science to politicians in such a manner that they can leverage this information to formulate policies,” says Thiery.
While many people concur that the climate is changing, extensive research is ongoing to understand the extent of this change. Climate scientist Wim Thiery seeks to raise awareness of these shifts and expedite the transition to a climate-neutral society. He employs a range of models, observations, and satellite data to study climate extremes, analyzing the lifelong exposure to these extremes across various age groups. This approach aids in mapping the experiential consequences of climate changes. Furthermore, Thiery has contributed to the revisions of national climate plans (NDCs) for countries, including Ivory Coast. His influence led them to reconsider plans to build one of Africa's largest coal plants.
Prof. Wim Thiery firmly believes in young climate activists' impact on policy-making and emphasizes the importance of science communication. "In a short span, these climate youth have successfully highlighted the urgency of climate change to the entire society," says Thiery. "I'm impressed by their profound understanding of climate science."
The public will have a 50% say in determining the winner, in tandem with a panel of academic and expert judges. The jury will select the top three from the five talents with the most votes. This year's jury comprises Ad IJzerman, Marcel Levi, Sara Bals, Zoë Ghyselinck, and Jim Jansen. They will evaluate research based on its impact, originality, and the nominee's ability to communicate the study to a broad audience. The final three contestants will present their research during the Science Weekend on October 7 and 8. A festive ceremony will unveil the ultimate 'New Scientist Science Talent 2023'.
You can cast your vote from Wednesday, August 16, 8:00 AM until Friday, September 15, 11:00 PM at: newscientist.nl/talent.
Wim Thiery
Wim Thiery is a climate scientist with a keen interest in modeling extreme events amidst our changing climate. After completing his MSc degrees at KU Leuven in Philosophy (2008) and Terrestrial Ecosystems and Global Change (2011), he embarked on his journey as an FWO PhD fellow. From 2011 to 2015, he delved deep into the intricate relationship between climate and the African Great Lakes, utilizing regional climate models.
His quest for knowledge took him to ETH ZĂĽrich from 2015 to 2018 as a postdoctoral researcher. Here, he examined both historical and futuristic impacts of irrigation on global climate extremes. At the age of 29, in 2017, the Vrije Universiteit Brussel recognized his potential and appointed him as a Research Professor. This new role paved the way for the establishment of the BCLIMATE Group under his leadership.
Throughout his research journey, Thiery has traveled far and wide. He ventured on research exchanges to cities like Montreal, Berlin, and ZĂĽrich and led three field campaigns to Uganda, Rwanda, and DR Congo. One of his notable contributions during these trips was the installation of automated weather stations at Lake Kivu and Lake Victoria.
Thiery's list of accomplishments includes authorship for the IPCC Special Report on Climate Change and Land (2019) and the Sixth Assessment Report (2021). His vast expertise encompasses areas like climate change, climate extremes, regional and global climate modeling, land-atmosphere interactions, land management, early storm warnings, energy meteorology, and modeling of global-scale climate effects.
In 2017, Forbes magazine recognized his stellar contributions, inducting him into the "Forbes 30 under 30 Europe" list, which celebrates "Europe's brightest young entrepreneurs, innovators, and game changers.
New Scientist
New Scientist is a monthly magazine that blends news from the international scientific community with features on top-tier research from the Netherlands and Belgium. Each issue offers a rich mix of scientific news, in-depth articles, opinion pieces, and reviews.
More information
​Vote here: newscientist.nl/talent
​MyClimateFuture
​Wim Thiery: The kids aren't alright | TED Talk
​Hydrology and Hydraulic Engineering (vub.be)