Gottfried Kirchengast studied Physics, Geophysics and Meteorology at the University of Graz, where he has headed the self-founded research group for Atmospheric Remote Sensing and Climate Systems since 1996. In 1998, he obtained 1.1. million euros worth of research funding with the prestigious START Award, Austria`s most lucrative and well-known award for emerging scientists under the age of 35 - in 1999, he obtained the Josef Krainer Honorary Award. In 2003, Kirchengast was finally appointed to the highly esteemed Chair for Geophysics in Graz as a university professor. Since the beginning of 2005, he has headed the self-initiated centre for Climate and Global Change, and in 2006 he obtained the GRAWE Award in the field of science due to his research activities on the theme of climate change. In 2008, Kirchengast became a member of the "Jungen Kurie" (young curia) ofthe Austrian Academy of the Sciences. Alongside his activities in Graz, Kirchengast has held numerous research residencies at German and American universities as well as worldwide guest lectures.
