Natalie Mahowald (born 1963) is an American Earth scientist who is the Irving Porter Church Professor of Engineering at Cornell University. Her research considers atmospheric transport of biogeochemically-relevant species, and the impact of humans on their environments.
Her research considers natural feedbacks in the climate system and how they respond to climate forcings.[1] Amongst these, she has focused on mineral aerosols, fire, the carbon cycle and methane.[1][4] Aerosols are small particles that cause haze, harm human health and damage air quality.[1][5] Alongside her work on aerosols, Mahowald has studied soilborne plant pathogens.[6]
In 2017, Mahowald was selected by the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to be lead author on the “Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5 degrees Celsius,”.[7] The report evaluated the costs, benefits, tradeoffs and synergies that look to achieve global warming below 1.5 °C.[7][8] It revealed the finding that a 0.5 °C temperature increase would result in extreme effects on weather events.[9]
Awards and honors
2006 American Meteorological Society Henry G. Houghton Award[10][11]
