Professor Colin O’Dowd is Professor of Physics at National University of Ireland, Galway. Through his pioneering work in the field of atmospheric physics he has become internationally renowned as one of the leading scientists in the field of climate change. He is Director of the Centre for Climate and Air Pollution Studies, at the Environmental Change Institute, NUI Galway.

Professor O’Dowd’s main achievements have been in the area of aerosol formation, cloud interactions and climate effects. His primary focus in atmospheric aerosol formation and impacts has centred on aerosol formation from geophysical and biogenic systems.

He is credited with driving the development of the Mace Head Atmospheric Research Station in Galway, a new supersite which has resulted in it becoming one of the most advanced Global Atmosphere Watch stations in the world.

He has dedicated significant effort to international community development, resulting in leadership of many inter-disciplinary projects focused on biogeochemical cycling and coupled ocean-atmosphere science. He was the youngest and the first European-based joint Editor-in-Chief of the highly distinguished and world leading Journal of Geophysical Research – Atmospheres, published by the American Geophysical Union where he has served for an unprecedented two terms, and is a member of many international research committees, including the Executive Committee of the International Association of Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences Professor Colin O’Dowd has been a member of the Royal Irish Academy since 2011.