Researcher from IHCantabria receives the ‘Young Researchers’ award at the XIII international congress of the Spanish Association of Climatology

Researchers from the Environmental Hydraulics Institute of the Universidad de Cantabria (IHCantabria) participated in the XIII International Congress of the Spanish Association of Climatology (AEC), entitled “Climate Change and Society: from Basic Science to Climate Services”.

This event, held from February 22 to 24 at the Real Centro Universitario María Cristina de El Escorial (Madrid), brought together more than 300 climate science experts to analyze the evolution of climate change and its impact on society. Several papers were presented on behalf of IHCantabria -on extreme weather events, sea level and marine climate projections-, reaffirming the commitment of this institute to the advancement of climate knowledge.

One of the outstanding awards of the congress was given to Stefano Susini, researcher at IHCantabria, who received one of the prizes assigned to young researchers, for his work entitled “Impact of offshore wind farms on meso-scale wind”, which he has developed in the framework of his doctoral thesis in collaboration with his supervisor, Melisa Menendez. His innovative study develops a method to analyze the possible alteration of offshore wind farms on wind patterns at regional scale, which may have implications for the planning and development of renewable energy in marine environments. The study presented applies the proposed methodology, which combines machine learning (AI) techniques with 3D numerical simulation of the atmosphere, on two regions in northern Europe with offshore wind farms operating for years, to validate their results with instrumental measurements and evaluate the wind deficits that the present installations cause.

In addition to the recognition of Susini, other participants in the congress included Marta Ramirez Perez, who presented a study entitled “Analysis of extreme metoceanic conditions caused by hurricanes in the tropical Atlantic”; researcher Elsy Ticse, who presented a paper entitled “Historical reconstruction (1993-2023) of the meteorological contribution to sea level: GOS-Global”, and Melisa Menéndez, who presented a paper entitled “Regional climate projections of waves and sea level over the European coasts based on CMIP6”.

IHCantabria’s participation in the ACS international congress 

The celebration of the “XIII ACS International Congress. Climate Change and Society: from Basic Science to Climate Services” has highlighted the urgency of acting against climate change, emphasizing the need for effective measures to mitigate its effects and adapt society to its impacts. In this sense, IHCantabria’s research has contributed to the advancement of knowledge on extreme climate phenomena and their relationship with oceanic and coastal systems.

Since January 23rd, researcher Melisa Menéndez has been a member of the ACS Board of Directors, an appointment that reinforces the role of IHCantabria in the scientific community dedicated to the study of Climate and Climate Change. The congress also included complementary activities, such as workshops on climate communication strategies and a colloquium for doctoral students, which fostered the exchange of knowledge and collaboration among specialists.

More information about the XIII ACS Congress, through the following link: https://eventos.ucm.es/119480/detail/xiii-congreso-internacional-de-la-aec-cambio-climatico-y-sociedad-de-la-ciencia-basica-a-los-servic.html