Tom Ballinger

Dr. Tom Ballinger serves as a Research Assistant Professor at the International Arctic Research Center, University of Alaska Fairbanks, where he has established himself as a leading expert in Arctic weather and climate dynamics. His research portfolio focuses on high-latitude atmospheric circulation patterns and their impacts on Alaska and Greenland's climate systems, with particular emphasis on interactions between Arctic sea ice and the atmosphere at local to large scales. After completing his PhD from Kent State University in 2015, he has contributed significantly to Arctic climate science, as evidenced by his role in major climate assessments including the State of the Climate report, where his expertise helps document unprecedented changes in Arctic surface temperatures and atmospheric patterns. His work intersects with glacial ice-atmosphere processes, and he actively studies the relationship between Arctic amplification and midlatitude severe winter weather. As a recognized scholar in his field, his research has garnered over 2,000 citations, highlighting his substantial contributions to understanding Arctic change and its broader implications for global climate systems.