(Press-News.org) Jerusalem, Israel – The Hebrew University of Jerusalem is proud to announce that Dr. Chaim Garfinkel, Professor in the Institute of Earth Sciences, has been named a 2025 Laureate of the Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists in Israel, one of the country’s most prestigious honors for early-career researchers.
Dr. Garfinkel is the recipient in the Physical Sciences & Engineering category for his pioneering work in climate modeling and atmospheric dynamics and will receive US$100,000 in unrestricted funds for his research, which focuses on advancing the global scientific community’s understanding of how large-scale atmospheric phenomena influence climate variability and change.
By combining observational data, theoretical insights, and advanced climate modeling, Dr. Garfinkel’s work enhances predictions of climate patterns on seasonal to decadal timescales, providing critical tools for weather forecasting systems, and international efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change.
“We are incredibly proud of Dr. Garfinkel’s achievements,” said Professor Asher Cohen, President of the Hebrew University. “His work exemplifies the caliber of innovation and impact we strive for at Hebrew University. As climate change becomes an ever more urgent global challenge, researchers like Dr. Garfinkel provide the knowledge base to inform real-world solutions.”
Dr. Garfinkel’s research centers on the atmospheric layer between 10 and 50 kilometers above Earth’s surface—and in particular on dramatic warming events in this region above the poles in winter, which occur roughly six times per decade.
“When the polar stratosphere suddenly warms by more than 50 degrees, it triggers significant changes in surface weather, especially across Europe and the Mediterranean,” Dr. Garfinkel explained. “My work has helped clarify how and why these events happen—and how far in advance we can predict their effects.”
His discoveries offer a path toward more reliable forecasts that extend beyond the typical 7–10 day range.
“Certain patterns in the climate system are surprisingly predictable weeks in advance,” he noted. “If we can understand how these patterns affect surface weather, we can issue monthly forecasts that are not just academic but practically useful—for agriculture, emergency planning, and energy management.”
Dr. Garfinkel, who made Aliyah nearly 12 years ago, recalls that moving to Israel with only basic Hebrew was a significant personal and professional challenge.
“I feel very blessed to pursue my scientific career in Israel,” he shared. “This country offers both a vibrant scientific community and the freedom to pursue high-risk, high-reward research.”
Looking ahead, he envisions his work enabling early-warning systems that could save lives.
“My dream is to issue bias-corrected forecasts in near real time—forecasts that can reliably predict extreme weather events and allow communities to better prepare,” he said.
“Extreme weather causes tens of billions of dollars in damage every year. If we can predict it even a few weeks earlier, that gives decision-makers time to act, adapt, and potentially save lives.”
Now in its eighth year, the Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists in Israel honor researchers under the age of 42 in Life Sciences, Chemical Sciences, and Physical Sciences & Engineering. The awards are administered by the Blavatnik Family Foundation, The Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities, and The New York Academy of Sciences.
This year’s selection process included 36 nominations from seven Israeli universities, with winners chosen by three expert juries chaired by members of the Israel Academy. The awards will be presented in June 2025 at the Peres Center for Peace & Innovation in Tel Aviv-Jaffa.
Dr. Garfinkel wins the prize along with Dr. Yonatan Stelzer from the Weizmann Institute of Science and Dr. Benjamin Palmer from Ben Gurion University of the Negev
The Hebrew University extends its warmest congratulations to Dr. Chaim Garfinkel for this well-deserved honor and celebrates the continued excellence of its scientific community.
END
Hebrew University’s Dr. Chaim Garfinkel named 2025 Blavatnik Awards Laureate for Pioneering Climate Research
2025-05-06
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