Stephan Gruber is a professor of physical geography with expertise in mountain polar environments. His research focuses on permafrost-related phenomena and aims to predict ice loss and ground hazards as a result of his research group's projects. His work bridges fundamental and applied research, combining field observations with computer simulations, centered on collaborations with government, industry, and academic groups from different disciplines. From 2013 to 2023, he held a Canada Research Chair in Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation in Northern Canada. He previously worked as a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Zurich, Switzerland, and Université de Savoie, France. Gruber has studied at various institutions including Zurich, Switzerland (PhD in Natural Science, 2005), Giessen, Germany (MSc in Physical Geography, 2000), and others. Key roles in climate change reports include being the coordinating lead author for the cryosphere section of Canada’s Changing Climate Report in 2026, and the scientific director for the NSERC Permafrost Partnership Network for Canada from 2023 to 2029. His research involves quantifying permafrost thaw, focusing on the loss of ice in subsurface materials and the physical changes in ground characteristics. His research training group utilizes computer simulations and high-performance computing environments to analyze ground thermal regimes.