Prof. Eric Rignot

Eric Rignot is a world-renowned glaciologist studying the impact of climate change on polar ice sheets. Using satellites, field data, and models, he has documented accelerating ice loss in Antarctica, Greenland, Alaska, and Patagonia—work widely covered by major outlets.

He was featured in the Emmy-winning HBO series VICE, where he warned that parts of West Antarctica may have passed a “point of no return,” with potential sea-level rise of up to five meters.

A Fellow of the American Geophysical Union and recipient of NASA’s Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal, he has been named among the world’s most influential researchers. He also contributes to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Nobel Peace Prize laureate (2007).

Rignot is a professor at UCI and a Senior Research Scientist at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Outside work, he enjoys trail running and time with his family.