Dr Markus Donat has been awarded the WCRP/GCOS International Data Prize 2017
We are pleased to announce that Dr Markus Donat from the University of New South Wales, Australia, has been awarded the WCRP/GCOS International Data Prize 2017.
The Prize Committee – consisting of representatives from WCRP, the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS) as well as their joint panels, the Atmospheric Observation Panel for Climate (AOPC), Terrestrial Observation Panel for Climate and Ocean Observations Panel for Climate (OOPC) – was greatly impressed by his strong profile and the outstanding quality of his contribution to the development of climate data sets.
In making the selection, the Committee considered a range of criteria, including the importance of the contribution in the field, but also the community impact and supporting statements by referees. The Committee was faced with the difficult task of making a selection from a range of impressive nominations, and it expresses appreciation to all nominees, proposers and seconders for the numerous and high-quality applications received.
WCRP and GCOS established the Prize in recognition of the essential role data sets play in support of climate science. It is awarded annually for an outstanding contribution to data product generation, data management, data preservation, data monitoring, and other data relevant activities by an early- to mid-career researcher. It comprises a certificate signed by the Chairs of the WCRP JSC and GCOS SC as well as funding for the recipient to present the results of his/her research at a major relevant conference or meeting of his/her choice.
Call for Nominations: due 1 October 2017
The development of high-quality, real-world data sets constitutes an on-going need of the climate research, observations, and modelling communities and their joint activities. Key areas in data collection for climate change research still remain under-sampled today, also affecting efforts in climate model calibration, evaluation, and reanalysis.
Recognizing this need for further advancing climate observations and their coordination, the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP) and the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS) are seeking nominations for the “WCRP/GCOS International Data Prize”. The prize is awarded annually to an early- to mid-career researcher for his or her outstanding contribution to the Earth system science community. The WCRP/GCOS data prize may honour achievements in data product generation, data management, data preservation, data monitoring, and other data relevant activities. In particularly successful cases, the establishment of standards or infrastructure for global data repositories may be considered for eligibility. The candidate’s activities shall result in concrete achievements that significantly facilitate community access to well-documented data otherwise not available and follow open-access paradigms to the extent possible.
The prize encompasses a certificate signed by the Chairs of the WCRP JSC and GCOS SC, as well as funding for the recipient to present the results of their research at a major conference or meeting of their choice. The WCRP/GCOS data prize will in the future be awarded annually in conjunction with the “WCRP/WWRP International Prize for Model Development”, which was successfully established in 2014. Together, these two prizes for notable achievements in model and data development aim to honour, recognize, and foster research activities in each of their respective fields, as well as stress their mutual interdependence.
Selection Criteria:
Candidates should:
- Be within the first ten years of their career as measured by receipt of a PhD or equivalent highest qualification
- Have made a significant contribution to the provision of climate or Earth system data, preferably with a visible impact on and by studies based on said data
- Have visible achievements within the wider community as demonstrated through publications, editorships, or organizing/convening activities; and/or strong engagement in the community’s efforts for data provision, standardization, and utilization
Selection process:
The candidates should be nominated by filling in the nomination form (.docx). This includes a statement from the proposer (preferably a person with a good knowledge of the candidate’s work) as well as from a seconder. These statements should specifically address the above selection criteria. The application should also be supported by: up to 3 papers or technical notes documenting the nature and impact of the data collection that was compiled or to which access was significantly facilitated; evidence of the candidate’s individual contribution; and the candidate’s CV.
Nominations should be sent by email to the WCRP (
If no suitable candidate is found, the prize will not be awarded.