The Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center at The Ohio State University has achieved an unprecedented milestone, securing over $15 million in new research grants during fiscal years 2022 and 2023, marking a historic record in its illustrious 63-year history.

This remarkable success encompasses support from multiple government agencies, funding more than thirty groundbreaking projects. Among the notable grants, Extension Professor and State of Ohio Climatologist Aaron Wilson received $1.5 million from the National Institute of Food & Agriculture. Earth Sciences Professor Demián Gómez secured $2.7 million from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Geography Professor Zhengyu Liu and Computer Science Professor Han-Wei Shen were awarded $1.3 million from the U.S. Department of Energy.

Funded projects range from improving climate information services to observing changes in the Earth system from space to modeling blowing snow and ocean circulation. The Volo and the Heising-Simons Foundations also funded the ice core paleoclimatology program.

Founded as the Institute of Polar Studies in 1960, the mission of the Byrd Center is to foster interdisciplinary research in polar regions and global climate and to provide science education and outreach to a broad audience.