Raphael is a professor of geography and the Institute of the Environment and Sustainability at UCLA
Adapted from UCLA Newsroom
Ashley Kruythoff/UCLA
Marilyn Raphael, professor of geography within UCLA’s Division of Social Science, has been elected to the National Academy of Sciences for her achievements in original research. Raphael joins three other UCLA professors who form part of a new class of 120 members and 30 international members, the academy announced on April 29.
Membership in the academy is among the most prestigious honors in the United States scientific community, requiring election by a scholar’s peers. The nongovernmental organization now has 2,662 active members, who can be called on by the federal government to provide their expertise on issues regarding science and technology.
Raphael is a climate scientist who studies global climate change, atmospheric circulation, and the complex dynamics behind how and why Antarctica’s sea ice levels vary from season to season. Her recent research indicates that melting Antarctic Sea ice is becoming far less likely to recover, suggesting the continent’s ice system is undergoing a major transformation.
“It is a tremendous honor to be elected to the National Academy of Sciences,” she said. “I feel grateful to have my research and service be valued so highly by the community. I look forward to working with the academy to advance its mission of ‘fostering a broad understanding of science,’ especially in the Antarctic.”
Raphael is the author of more than 60 academic papers, many of them highly cited, and is the co-author of “The Encyclopedia of Weather and Climate Change: A Complete Visual Guide,” which received the Most Popular Book award from Atmospheric Science Librarians International. Her work and writing continues to shape both academic inquiry and public understanding of polar climate dynamics.
A UCLA faculty member since 1998, Raphael is the former director of the UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability and the former chair of UCLA’s geography department. A past president of the American Association of Geographers and former co-chair of the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research’s expert group on sea ice processes, Raphael serves on the National Academies Board on Atmospheric Sciences and Climate and is co-lead of the World Climate Research Programme’s Polar Climate Predictability Initiative.
In addition to her research, she has been active in mentoring students and advocating for the inclusion of traditionally underrepresented groups in climate science.
This story was adapted from an article originally published via UCLA’s Newsroom.