An Zhisheng, a geoscientist from the Institute of Earth Environment of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, has received the 2023 Roger Revelle Medal of the American Geophysical Union (AGU), according to a recent AGU announcement.

An was “recognized for his exceptional contributions to understanding the global significance of Chinese loess, fundamental monsoon dynamics, and global climate changes, and providing key international leadership”.

Professor An’s research covers a broad spectrum, ranging from Quaternary geology, atmospheric science, global environmental change, and climate dynamics. It combines past and present, observation and numerical simulation, and natural processes and human activities.

His findings have brought Asian Quaternary research into a new phase characterized by climate dynamics and Earth system science. “His step from classical Quaternary geology to monsoon dynamics was a prescient moment in Earth System Science in Asia,” said the announcement.

An has published more than 400 scientific papers, including 30 in Science, Nature and its associated series, PNAS, and has co-authored several books.

Professor An was elected a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 1991, and then as a member of the The World Academy of Sciences.

Established in 1991, the Roger Revelle Medal “recognizes outstanding contributions to atmospheric sciences, atmosphere-ocean coupling, atmosphere-land coupling, biogeochemical cycles, climate or related aspects of the Earth system”.

AGU will formally honor this year’s recipients at AGU23, which will convene more than 25,000 attendees from over 100 countries in San Francisco and online worldwide from December 11 to 15, 2023.

Source: Chinese Academy of Sciences