Hans von Storch
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| Hans von Storch | |
|---|---|
| Name | Hans von Storch |
| Birth date | 1949-07-02 |
| Birth place | Wyk auf Föhr, West Germany |
| Nationality | German |
| Fields | Climatology, Statistics |
| Workplaces | Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, University of Hamburg, Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research Warnemünde |
| Alma mater | University of Hamburg |
Hans von Storch Hans von Storch is a German climatologist and statistician known for contributions to the analysis of climate variability, detection and attribution of climate change, and the statistics of climate reconstructions. He has held leadership roles at research institutes and universities in Germany and contributed to international assessments and scientific debates involving Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, European Union, and United Nations related activities. Von Storch's work connects methods from signal processing, time series analysis, and numerical modeling to observations and paleoclimate data.
Early life and education
Von Storch was born in Wyk auf Föhr in West Germany and pursued higher education at the University of Hamburg, where he studied physics and meteorology intertwined with training in statistics and applied mathematics. During his doctoral and postdoctoral training he collaborated with researchers associated with the Max Planck Institute for Meteorology and laboratories linked to the German Climate Computing Centre and the Leibniz Association, focusing on stochastic methods for atmospheric processes and the dynamics of mid-latitude systems. His formative mentors and peers included scientists connected to institutions such as the University of Göttingen and the Free University of Berlin.
Academic career and positions
Von Storch has held professorial and directorial positions at the University of Hamburg, the Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research Warnemünde (IOW), and the Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel (GEOMAR), combining responsibilities in academic teaching, institute management, and national research coordination. He served as director of the IOW and later as deputy director at GEOMAR, working with research groups focused on oceanography, paleoclimatology, and climate modeling connected to Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research and the Alfred Wegener Institute. Von Storch has been a visiting researcher and professor at international centers including National Center for Atmospheric Research, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and universities such as ETH Zurich and Princeton University.
Research contributions and scientific work
Von Storch's research spans statistical climatology, climate reconstruction methodology, detection and attribution, and the analysis of coupled climate model output. He developed and advanced approaches to bias correction, data assimilation, and the interpretation of proxy records for reconstructing past climates, engaging with topics addressed by the PAGES community and publications related to the Mann, Bradley and Hughes reconstructions. He contributed to methods for estimating internal climate variability and forced responses using tools related to Monte Carlo methods, bootstrap resampling, and empirical orthogonal functions as employed in studies from NOAA, Met Office Hadley Centre, and IPCC assessment reports. His work on ocean-atmosphere interaction and regional climate change incorporated model intercomparison efforts such as CMIP and collaborations with researchers from NASA, European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, and the German Research Foundation.
Von Storch has published on statistical pitfalls in paleoclimate reconstructions and critiqued methodologies used in high-profile reconstructions, engaging scientific debates involving scholars from Harvard University, University of Virginia, and University of Oxford. He also investigated extreme event statistics and coastal impacts through work linked to Baltic Sea studies and collaborations with the World Meteorological Organization and regional authorities.
Public engagement and policy involvement
Von Storch has participated in science–policy interactions at the national and international level, advising bodies such as the German Advisory Council on Global Change, the European Commission, and institutions involved in UN Framework Convention on Climate Change dialogues. He has contributed to public discourse through op-eds, interviews, and lectures in venues associated with Max Planck Society, Leuphana University of Lüneburg, and media outlets connected to Süddeutsche Zeitung and Die Zeit. Von Storch engaged in discussions on science communication, the role of uncertainty in policy, and the interface between researchers and policymakers, interacting with organizations like the Union of Concerned Scientists and NGOs active in climate policy.
Awards and honors
Von Storch's honors include recognition by German and international scientific organizations; he has been affiliated with prestigious networks such as the Leibniz Association and received awards and fellowships from foundations and academies including connections to the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, European Geosciences Union, and research funding from the European Research Council and the German Research Foundation.
Selected publications
- Von Storch, H., Zwiers, F.W., "Statistical Analysis in Climate Research", a treatment influencing methods used across IPCC chapters and in courses at ETH Zurich and University of Hamburg. - Reconstructions and methodological critiques engaging with works by Mann, Bradley and Hughes and follow-up studies in journals associated with Nature, Science, and Journal of Climate. - Studies on regional sea-level and Baltic Sea dynamics collaborating with groups at GEOMAR and IOW, published alongside researchers connected to Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel and Alfred Wegener Institute.