Dr. Karina von Schuckmann, Mercator Ocean’s Senior Advisor for Ocean Science for Policy, has been awarded the Petersen Excellence Professorship for her research on Ocean warming, the Earth energy imbalance and its role in monitoring and understanding climate change.
Dr. h.c. Klaus Wichmann and Dr. Christian Zöllner (Petersen Foundation), Frank Spiekermann, Administrative Director of GEOMAR and laudator Prof. Dr. Peter Brandt (from left to right) congratulated Dr. Karina von Schuckmann (second from left) on receiving the award. Photo credit: Sarah Uphoff
The award, launched in 2009 by the Prof. Dr. Werner Petersen Foundation, honours outstanding scientists for their research achievements and promotes international collaboration, particularly in marine and climate science. Dr. Schuckmann accepted the award at the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research in Kiel.
Why this award matters for climate and Ocean science
The Excellence Professorship includes a research stay at the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel. During this time, award winners conduct specialised courses for early-career researchers, deliver public lectures, and develop joint research projects with colleagues in Kiel.
In her keynote address, “The Global Ocean – Guardian of Global Warming,” Dr. von Schuckmann emphasised the Ocean’s role as a central player and one of the greatest victims of climate change.
A leader in Ocean research
Dr. von Schuckmann is part of the scientific direction of Mercator Ocean, Director of the Copernicus Ocean State Report and served as the lead author of the IPCC SROCC and AR6 reports (Working Group I). Dr. von Schuckmann will also be lead author of the Upcoming Seventh Assessment Report (AR7). She contributed to the WMO State of the Climate and the IOC-UNESCO Ocean Report and is a member of several international expert groups on climate science as well as the European Academy of Sciences.
“The warming of the Ocean shows unequivocally that the Earth has fallen out of its energy balance. It indicates that the climate system is operating under persistently warmer conditions,” she told audiences during her presentation.
What others had to say
Dr. hc Klaus Wichmann, Chairman of the Prof. Dr. Werner Petersen Foundation, said:
“With Dr. Karina von Schuckmann, we are honouring a scientist whose work particularly highlights the global importance of marine research. Her commitment to understanding the complex changes in the Ocean and making them visible to policymakers and society is exemplary. Since 2009, our foundation’s Excellence Initiative has been promoting outstanding scientific achievements and contributing to strengthening Schleswig-Holstein as a location for cutting-edge international research.”
Prof. Dr. Katja Matthes, Director of GEOMAR, congratulated the award winner:
“With her outstanding work on the Earth’s energy balance and global Ocean warming, she represents excellent and solution-oriented research. I am very much looking forward to welcoming her back to Kiel soon for her guest stay!”
From Ocean Science to Ocean Intelligence
Dr. von Schuckmann’s work reflects Mercator Ocean International’s broader commitment to advancing ocean and climate science for society. Through initiatives such as the Copernicus Ocean State Report (OSR), her research contributes directly to improving our understanding of how the ocean is changing, and how this knowledge can guide effective climate action. The ninth edition of the OSR, released in October 2025h, revealed that every part of the ocean is now affected by the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. The report highlights widespread ocean changes that impact ecosystems, food production, economies, and human livelihoods, as well as the ocean’s capacity to regulate the global climate — providing essential knowledge to support informed and sustainable decisions.