Atmospheric scientist Shira Raveh-Rubin deciphers the weather to
tackle climate change
As we navigate the challenges posed by climate change, the groundbreaking work of atmospheric scientists such as Prof. Shira Raveh-Rubin remains vital.
Shira has been leading the Dynamical Meteorology Group at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel since 2017. Her team is particularly interested in every-day weather events, which helps to determine when and why extreme weather incidents occur.
Her groundbreaking research not only enhances weather forecasts, it also significantly contributes to long-term climate projections. This will help to shape a sustainable climate-safe future for generations to come.
Besides her fascination for everything weather related, the mother of two loves to see the world. One of her favorite destinations is Switzerland. It is no surprise then that she picked this beautiful country for her sabbatical research stay.
We caught up with Shira in Switzerland to talk to her about her life and her career.
Please tell us a bit about your background? Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Jerusalem, Israel, in a very enriching environment, surrounded by cultural heterogeneities. As a child growing up I enjoyed having a taste of everything! My parents and school exposed me to science, art, music, nature, geography, literature, architecture, sport, religion, history and people…all with a very open mind.
What sparked your interest in meteorology and when did you decide to make this your profession and what university path did you take?
It was not a conscious decision actually. I found it hard to commit to one profession because I enjoyed many things in high school. I enrolled myself in a few different tracks at different universities and eventually decided on Earth Sciences at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Earth Sciences seemed like a good combination of physical science and enjoying the world outside, and the Hebrew University hosts a fantastic institute for Earth Sciences that combines geology, oceanography and atmospheric science. In the background of this choice were probably my good memories from science field trips I attended in middle school in the Netherlands (where we lived for 2 years). In the first year of my bachelor degree, I got hung up on meteorology in the introduction to climate course given then by Prof. Nathan Paldor. I loved it and decided immediately to focus on atmospheric sciences and physics for my degree.
Did/Do you have a mentor who supports you?
Already during my bachelor studies, I started doing research in the group of Prof. Paldor. Being an excellent teacher, I enjoyed discussing science with him and learned from him about being totally immersed in the research you are curious about, without letting distractions interfere. I am privileged to be at a place that allows me this freedom to be motivated by curiosity in its purest form!
Can you tell us about the research foci of your Dynamical Meteorology Group: dynamics of extratropical weather systems, extreme weather events and transport of moisture and aerosols?
We aim to understand fundamental dynamical processes in the atmosphere that control our day-to-day weather and give rise to high-impact, extreme weather. This involves the study of weather systems over the globe, and how they interact with large-scale global phenomena on one hand, and more local moist processes and with the Earth's surface (ocean/land), on the other. We currently focus on specific flow types that involve the intrusion of dry air from the upper tropospheric jet stream to the surface, interfering with the local conditions and triggering severe weather. We also dedicate special attention to cyclones (low-pressure weather systems) in the Mediterranean region which are unique due to interactions with the complex topographic features and the warm sea. Within these dynamical and regional foci, we also use meteorology to understand atmospheric transport of moisture and particulate matter (dust, smoke…) that are key for environmental aspects and air quality. Our approach is to deepen our fundamental understanding to be able to infer outcomes such as the frequency, magnitude and changes of weather extremes to ultimately better predict them on weather and climate timescales.
What methods does your team apply to pursue these research topics?
We analyze data, a lot of data, that combine global observations and a numerical forecast model that together provide the most accurate state of the atmosphere, globally, in 3-D, over the last decades. We diagnose weather systems and airflows using tailored algorithms. We also run a numerical weather prediction model, but instead of using it to run operational forecasts (this is done by national weather services), we perform numerical experiments to examine how weather systems evolve in more controlled conditions.
Do you have career highlight(s) you like to look back upon?
One of my sweetest memories is from peeking into atmospheric data and discovering that one of our ideas indeed made sense and was worth pursuing. The feeling of knowing a piece of truth that nobody else knows yet is very special.
Can you share a future research and teaching goal of yours?
In the years to come we will explore the influence of midlatitude weather systems on distant tropical regions. Tropical-extratropical interaction has been studied from the opposite direction (the tropics affecting the midlatitudes, mainly through exporting heat and moisture), but we have clues suggesting that the other direction is no less important.
In terms of teaching goals – I would like students and young researchers to appreciate processes at the weather scale for understanding extreme weather events. Study extreme events at the scale at which they occur first to be able to generalize to longer timescales and understand their changes.
Do you think more students will pursue meteorology to investigate and tackle climate change?
What advice do you have for them?
This exactly relates to the last point – absolutely yes! One of the most relevant ways in which climate change affects us is through changes to the weather and extreme weather events. We must better understand meteorological processes to be able to understand how they change in a warmer climate. My advice to students is regarding the emergence of AI. Although it has already revolutionized weather forecasts, be careful with trusting its predictions blindly and assuming it will make physics-based models redundant. Let's be critical and think how we can harness its incredible capabilities to deepen our fundamental understanding.
Who, what, when, where & why?
Who?
- would you like conduct research with if you had the chance?
I am happy to fast forward to the future and see how our work, and more generally our community's science, is embedded in future knowledge and developed further. Especially if this is done in ways we cannot imagine nowadays – collaborating with any future scientist could be amazing.
What?
- do you like to do in your free time?
Protest for democracy, peace and the release of the hostages.
When?
- do you find inspiration for your research?
Talking with my brilliant students and colleagues is a goldmine of ideas. Also talking with researchers in tangent research communities is enlightening.
Where?
- is your favorite travel destination?
Swiss Alps, markets in small villages or big cities – hard to choose!
Why?
- did you choose your specific research topic(s)?
I like that meteorology considers phenomena on different scales that are all equally important. The integration of dynamical and physical processes is very complex, so it keeps surprising me how coherent patterns often emerge.
How?
- do you deal with setbacks?
I try not to take things personally, and jump immediately to the next opportunities.
…or?
Attend a party or be the host?
Mmm not so much a party animal…
Museum or movie theatre?
Museum.
Sneakers or dress shoes?
Sneakers.
Optimist or pessimist?
I hold on to my optimism even during the current difficult times. Hoping for a better future for science and humanity.
Ambition or comfort?
Ambition for sure! Makes life interesting.
See the future or change the past?
Change the future! We all matter and have responsibility for our future, personally and professionally.
The interview was conducted by Nicole Kilian and has been edited and condensed for clarity.
Image sources: Shira Raveh-Rubin
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Shira Raveh-Rubin and her team.