Dr. Jonathan Overpeck

Professor

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Biography

Jonathan T. Overpeck is the Samuel Graham Dean and a William B. Stapp Collegiate Professor at the University of Michigan's School for Environment and Sustainability. An interdisciplinary climate scientist, Overpeck is an expert in climate change, climate-vegetation interactions, and earth history. He has authored or co-authored over 230 publications with over 60,000 citations. Overpeck's work focuses on integrating climate science with public higher education, emphasizing inclusion and community impact. He has contributed significantly to understanding climate variability, abrupt climate change, monsoon dynamics, and drought hydroclimate, among other areas. His research has defined the widely used term 'megadrought' and revealed the role of temperature in severe droughts and aridification in North America. Overpeck has served on various national and international scientific advisory committees and is involved in multiple assessment reports for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. In 2024, he was elected to the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, recognizing his extensive contributions to climate science and policy.

Research Interests

Awards

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Elected U.S. National Academy of Sciences

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Elected Fellow American Geophysical Union

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Radical Center Award

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Elected Fellow American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

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Leading Edge Researcher Award

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NOAA Oceanic Atmospheric Research Outstanding Scientific Paper Award

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Nobel Peace Prize

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Shared Winner Atmospheric Science Librarians International’s Scientific Technical Category

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Bjerknes Lecturer

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John Simon Guggenheim Fellowship Award

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Prof. T.M. Harris Medal

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Walter Orr Roberts Award

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Department of Commerce Gold Medal

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Department of Commerce Outstanding Performance Award

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Department of Commerce Bronze Medal

Requirements for University of Michigan

Master Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3.5
TOEFL
Total
Required:84
GRE General
Verbal
Required:155
Verbal Percentile
Required:50
Quantitative
Required:168
Quantitative Percentile
Required:50
Analytical Writing
Required:3.6
Writing Percentile
Required:50
Prerequisites
Bachelor degree in engineering, physics, or mathematics Calculus Physics
Application Checklist
  • Rackham Graduate School Application
  • Official Transcripts
  • 3 Letters of Recommendation
  • Academic Statement of Purpose
  • Personal Statement
  • CV/Resume
Specialization Notes

Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science