Pierre Gentine

Pierre Gentine

Maurice Ewing and J. Lamar Worzel Professor of Geophysics; Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences; Professor at the Climate School; LEAP Director

Pierre Gentine investigates the continental hydrologic cycle using multi scale modeling and big data (machine learning, remote sensing, high-resolution turbulent simulations) in the context of rising CO2 concentrations.

Gentine hopes to answer questions such as what will be the future of droughts and extreme dryness/precipitations with a changing climate, and how will they impact ecosystems?

Pierre Gentine received his undergraduate degree from SupAéro, the French National Aeronautical and Space Engineering School in Applied Mathematics in Toulouse, France. He obtained a MSc and PhD in civil and environmental engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 2006 and 2010, respectively. He joined the faculty of the Department of Applied Mathematics and Applied Physics at Columbia Engineering in 2010. He is the recipient of the NASA, DOE, and NSF Early Career Award, as well as American Geophysical Union Macelwane medalist.

Research Areas

  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Computational Engineering Science
  • Data Science
  • Imaging
  • Modeling & Simulation
  • Sensing
  • Hydrologic cycle
  • Land-atmosphere interactions
  • Turbulence
  • Convection
  • Soil Moisture

Additional information

  • Professional Experience
    • Director, National Science Foundation Science and Technology Center (STC) Learning the Earth with Artificial intelligence and Physics (LEAP), Columbia University, 2021-
    • Maurice Ewing and J. Lamar Worzel Professor of Geophysics, Columbia University, 2021-
    • Full Professor, Columbia University, 2021-
    • Faculty member, Earth Institute, Columbia University (by nomination), 2018-
    • Faculty member, Data Institute, Columbia University (by nomination), 2018-
    • Tenured Associate Professor, Earth and Environmental Engineering, Columbia University, 2017-
    • Associate Professor, Earth and Environmental Engineering, Columbia University, 2016-2017
    • Junior faculty, Earth Institute, Columbia University (by nomination), 2013-2017         
    • Assistant Professor, Earth and Environmental Engineering, Columbia University, 2011-2016
  • Professional Affiliations
    • American Geophysical Union
  • Honors & Awards
    • Great Teacher Award, Society of Columbia Graduates, 2021
    • First place in INFORMS Junior Faculty Interest Group (JFIG) Paper Competition, 2020
    • NSF CAREER Award, 2020
    • Forbes 30 under 30 in science, 2016
    • IBM Faculty Award, 2016
       
  • Education
    • PhD, Operations Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    • BS, Operations Research and Engineering, Cornell University