Vera Melinda Galfi is an assistant professor at VU Amsterdam. Her research focuses on understanding atmospheric and climate extreme events, employing a multi-faceted approach that includes physical, mathematical (statistical), and machine learning methodologies. According to Melinda, understanding the properties of extreme events is intricately linked to the characteristics of the dynamical systems producing them, thereby contributing to a more profound comprehension of the climate system and vice versa.
Melinda is one of the few scientists who pioneered the application of large deviation theory in climate sciences, particularly in the study of persistent extreme events like heatwaves. Her work has given rise to the concept of “typicality of extreme events” within climate science, shedding new light on the understanding of these phenomena.
She holds a degree in Meteorology from the University of Hamburg, where she also completed her PhD in Earth System Sciences. Her doctoral thesis, titled “Mathematics of extreme events in atmospheric models”, explored the applicability of extreme value theory and large deviation theory to geophysical extreme events. She was awarded with the AGU’s Donald L. Turcotte award for her PhD work. Melinda pursued Postdoctoral research in Hamburg and in Uppsala (Sweden), before joining the Climate Extremes group at VU Amsterdam as an assistant professor.