March 16 - 20, 2026 | National Technical University of Athens (Greece).

The Joint Winter School on “AI for Earth Hazards & Climate Extremes” is a 5-day hands-on program hosted by the MeDiTwin and AI4PEX projects, bringing together leading experts and early-career researchers to explore the latest advances in artificial intelligence for extreme event analysis. The school offers a combination of theoretical lectures, hands-on training, and real-world applications, focusing on cutting-edge AI techniques to improve modelling, understanding, and impact assessment of Earth hazards and climate extremes.

Event Details

When: March 16 - 20, 2026
Location: National Technical University of Athens - Patission Campus (map)
Format: in-person (hands-on)
Working Language: English
Participant Fees: 350 €

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Registration

Deadline: 15. December 2025, 23:00 CET

Ready to join us?

The form has four sections. Be aware that you will be asked for the following:

CV (PDF format, 2 pages)
Motivation statement (1200 characters)
Impact statement (1200 characters)

Who is it for?

We welcome Master’s and PhD students, postdoctoral researchers, and professionals eager to explore the latest advances in AI, data analytics, and environmental sciences. Whether you come from academia, research, or industry, if you’re curious and ready to learn, this winter school is for you!

See full eligibility details in the call (PDF)

MeDiTwin will offer a limited number of scholarships to international students to attend our Joint Winter School. Selection will prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), with a focus on applicants from low-income or widening countries. We look forward to supporting you to join this exciting career advancement opportunity in Athens, Greece!

Join us to:

Apply AI to Climate Extremes
Use AI tools and methods to model, monitor, and predict extreme weather and climate events in real-world scenarios.
Understand and Explain Models
Learn how to make AI models more transparent, physics-informed, and causally grounded to improve trust and understanding.
Assess and Communicate Results
Develop skills to interpret results and communicate findings effectively to scientists, decision-makers, stakeholders, and the public.
Collaborate and Exchange Ideas
Work with experts in AI and climate science and connect with other researchers from different backgrounds.

Key Pillars

DATA

The foundation of all analyses, focused on the detection, harmonization, and integration of diverse data sources, from in-situ measurements and remote sensing observations to derived products, to ensure accuracy, consistency, and reliability across applications.

MODELING

Development of models for monitoring, forecasting, and impact assessment across spatial and temporal scales, combining physical principles with statistical and machine learning methods to capture complex Earth system dynamics and improve predictive performance.

TRUSTWORTHINESS

Advancement of explainability, causal reasoning, and attribution to identify drivers of change and assess impacts, combined with uncertainty quantification and robustness analysis to ensure transparent and reliable outcomes.

COMMUNICATION

Bridge between science and action, using AI tools such as large language models and digital twins to support operationalization, policy development, informed decision-making, and responsible risk communication.

Programme

Speakers

DATA

Ramon Fuentes Franco
Rossby Centre, Swedish Metorological and Hydrological Institute

Dominik Schumacher
ETH Zurich

MODELING

Markus Reichstein
ELLIS Unit Jena, Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry

Hongmei Li
Helholtz Centre Hereon, University Hamburg, Max Planck Institute of Meteorology

Pedram Ghamisi
Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf

TRUSTWORTHINESS

Gustau Camps-Valls
Universitat de València

Mrinalini Kochupillai
Hanken School of Economics

COMMUNICATION

Zisoula Ntasiou
Fire Leutnant Colonel, Hellenic Fire Corps

Julia Gottfriedsen
Orora Tech

Fangfei "Fei" Lan
Lausanne University

More speakers will be announced soon!

Zero2Hero Tutors

Said Ouala
IMT Atlantique

Mohanad Albughdadi
European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts

Christian Reimers
Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry

Homer Durand
University of Valencia

Challenges Tutors

Mikhail Ivanov
SMHI

Ariana Olivelli
Flanders Marine Institute

Nikolaos Papadopoulos
National Technical University of Athens

Marta Sapena
University of Valencia

Said Ouala
IMT Atlantique

Fangfei "Fei" Lan
University of Lausanne

Georgios Athanasiou
National Technical University of Athens

Mohanad Albughdadi
European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts

Homer Durand
University of Valencia

Emiliano Díaz Salas-Porras
University of Valencia

Vitus Benson
Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry

Angelos Zavros
National Technical University of Athens

Nikolaos-Ioannis Bountos
National Technical University of Athens

Ioannis Prapas
Manteo.io

Xu Shan
Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry

Sujan Koirala
Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry

Reda ElGhawi
Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry

Shijie Jiang
Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry

Nathan Mankovich
University of Valencia

Vasileios Tsironis
National Technical University of Athens

Valsamis (Makis) Ntouskos
National Technical University of Athens

Christina Karakizi
National Technical University of Athens, Hellenic Space Center

Alexander Winkler
Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry

More tutors will be announced soon!

Partners & Organisation

The school is hosted by the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) as part of the MeDiTwin Project. It is co-organized by MeDiTwin & AI4PEX partners and the ELLIS Unit Jena, bringing together leading European institutions in AI and climate science.

Further Information

Steering Committee
Organizing Committee

Check out our official Winter School Website .