What happens when 100 early-career researchers, leading scientists, and AI experts from 20 countries, including Australia, Taiwan, Canada and India, come together to tackle some of the most pressing challenges facing our planet?
Our new highlight video takes you back to the ELLIS Winter School 2026 on "AI for Earth System, Hazards & Climate Extremes", held from 16–20 March 2026 at the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), Greece.
Co-organized by AI4PEX, MeDiTwin, and ELLIS Unit Jena, the five-day school brought together over 100 MSc students, PhD candidates, postdoctoral researchers, and early-career professionals working at the intersection of artificial intelligence, climate science, Earth system modelling, and environmental hazards. Participants explored how AI can support the understanding, monitoring, forecasting, and impact assessment of floods, wildfires, droughts, heatwaves, and other climate extremes.
A week of learning, collaboration, and innovationThe programme combined keynote lectures, hands-on tutorials, challenge projects, and interactive discussions, creating a unique environment for interdisciplinary exchange. Participants engaged with topics including:
- Machine learning for Earth system and climate science
- Hybrid and physics-informed AI
- Explainable and trustworthy AI
- Causal machine learning
- Foundation models and AI agents
- Uncertainty quantification
- Climate extremes, hazards, and impact assessment
A total of 15 keynote speakers shared their expertise, while participants worked in teams on 20 research challenge projects supported by tutors and high-performance computing resources. These projects provided an opportunity to apply newly acquired methods to real-world climate and environmental problems and fostered collaborations across disciplines and institutions.
Building the next generation of AI for Earth scienceBeyond technical training, the school emphasized the importance of developing AI methods that are not only powerful but also interpretable, physically consistent, and actionable. Discussions covered responsible AI, uncertainty quantification, causal reasoning, science communication, and stakeholder engagement — highlighting the growing need to connect scientific advances with societal impact.
Participants repeatedly highlighted the value of interacting with researchers from diverse backgrounds, gaining hands-on experience, and building new international networks. The school created a vibrant community where AI researchers and Earth scientists could learn from each other and develop a shared vision for the future of environmental AI.
More than a training eventThe Winter School also strengthened collaborations between AI4PEX, MeDiTwin, ELLIS Unit Jena, Climate AI Nordics, and many other institutions represented by participants and speakers. The event demonstrated the growing momentum of the AI-for-Earth community and the importance of interdisciplinary cooperation in addressing climate and environmental challenges.
Beyond the scientific programme, social activities, networking opportunities, and collaborative group work helped create a welcoming and inspiring atmosphere that many participants described as one of the highlights of the week.
Watch the highlightsTo capture the energy, enthusiasm, and collaborative spirit of the school, a professional highlight video was produced during the event.
We would like to extend our sincere thanks to Olyvon for their in-kind sponsorship and outstanding video production. Their support enabled us to document the experience and share it with a wider audience, ensuring that the impact of the school extends well beyond the week itself.
We are also deeply grateful to our sponsors and supporters, including OroraTech, ICEYE, and ESA Academy, whose contributions helped make the Winter School more accessible. Their support enabled several participants to attend the event who otherwise might not have been able to join, contributing directly to a more diverse and inclusive learning environment.
Finally, we thank all speakers, tutors, mentors, participants, and partner organizations for their enthusiasm, expertise, and commitment. Together, you made the ELLIS Winter School 2026 an inspiring week of learning, collaboration, and innovation at the intersection of AI and Earth system science.
🎥 Watch the video below and relive a week of AI, climate science, collaboration, and innovation.
📍 Athens, Greece 📅 16–20 March 2026 👥 100 participants 🎤 15 keynote speakers 🌎 from 20 countries 💡 20 challenge projects 🤝 Organized by AI4PEX, MeDiTwin, ELLIS Unit Jena 🎥 Video production by Olyvon 🎓 Travel support provided through sponsorship from OroraTech, ICEYE and ESA Academy