Prashant Sardeshmukh, transformational successes in climate science

Prashant’s creativity and openness have fueled transformational successes in climate science and particularly have advanced our understanding of El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) dynamics. Despite decades of research, a vital component of ENSO dynamics remained unexplored, leading to biases in climate models and inaccurate ENSO predictions. To remedy this, Prashant used data-adaptive techniques to show that vertical atmospheric motions, resulting in cloud shielding, are at least as important to the timing and intensity of El Niño as are other effects. Prashant’s result indicates that a vital facet of the dynamics of El Niño has been unrecognized in decades of El Niño modeling. But his innovative thinking is not limited to El Niño. Countless examples are provided in his unusual, open-minded approach to research and his dedication to mentoring young scientists. He consistently seeks out other researchers to engage in new approaches to old problems. His contributions to climate science are both deep and wide-ranging.