Dr. David Battisti

Department of Atmospheric Sciences
University of Washington
Seattle, WA

Presenting Lectures:
“Elements to Consider in Abrupt Climate Changes in the past”
Date: June 10, 2002

“A Hypothesis for Some Abrupt Climate Changes in the Past”
Date: June 12, 2002

Biography

David Battisti received a B.S. in Physics from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst; a M.S. in Oceanography; and his Ph.D. in Atmospheric Sciences (1988) from the University of Washington.

He was on the Faculty of the University of Wisconsin for two years (1989-90) and is now currently on the faculty at the University of Washington, where he is now a Professor of Atmospheric Sciences and Director of the Joint Institute for the Study of the Atmosphere and Ocean.

Battisti's research is focused on understanding the natural variability of the climate system. He is especially interested in understanding how the interactions between the ocean, atmosphere, land and sea ice lead to variability in climate on time scales from seasonal to decades. His previous research includes coastal oceanography, the physics of the ENSO phenomenon, midlatitude atmosphere/ocean variability, and variability in the coupled atmosphere/sea ice system in the Arctic. Battisti is presently working to improve the El Niño models and their forecast skill. He is also studying the drought cycles in the Sahel, influenza and climate, and the decade-to-decade changes in the climate of the Pacific Northwest, including how the latter oscillations affect the snow pack in the Cascades and coastal ranges from Washington to Alaska.

His recent interests are in paleoclimate; in particular, the mechanisms responsible for the remarkable "abrupt" global climate changes evident throughout the last glacial period.

Battisti has served on numerous international science panels and on Committees of the National Research Council. He is co-chair of the Science Steering Committee for the U.S. Program on Climate (US CLIVAR) and is co-author of several international science plans. He has published 50 papers in peer-review journals in atmospheric sciences and oceanography, and has twice been awarded distinguished teaching awards.