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Tim Lenton

Director, Global Systems Institute and Chair in Climate Change and Earth System Science, University of Exeter

Tim Lenton is the founding Director of the Global Systems Institute and Chair in Climate Change and Earth System Science at the University of Exeter. He has more than 25 years of research experience in studying the Earth as a system, and developing and using models to understand its behaviour. His books “Revolutions that made the Earth” (with Andrew Watson) and “Earth System Science: A Very Short Introduction” have popularised a new scientific view of our planetary home. Professor Lenton co-authored the “Planetary Boundaries” framework and is renowned for his work identifying climate tipping points. This award-winning work has led him on to examine positive tipping points within our social systems which could help accelerate progress towards a more sustainable future.

Professor Lenton’s accolades include: Philip Leverhulme Prize 2004, European Geosciences Union Outstanding Young Scientist Award 2006 Times Higher Education Award for Research Project of the Year 2008; the Royal Society of London William Smith Fund, 2008; the Royal Society Wolfson Research Merit Award, 2013. Tim is a member of the Earth Commission, an ISI Highly Cited Researcher, and in the top 100 of the Reuters ‘Hot List’ of the world’s top climate scientists.

He is also a Turing Fellow, a Fellow of the Linnean Society, Geological Society and the Society of Biology.