David M Holland

David Michael Holland is a Canadian-American climate scientist and mathematician known for his research on the interaction between polar ice sheets and ocean dynamics. He is a professor of Mathematics and Atmosphere/Ocean Science at New York University, Director of the Environmental Fluid Dynamics Laboratory in New York City, and former Director of the Center for Sea Level Change at New York University Abu Dhabi. He received National Science Foundation CAREER Award in 2000.

He has developed model and predict sea-level changes caused by climate change, combining fieldwork in the Earth's most remote regions with computational techniques.

Education He graduated from Memorial University of Newfoundland in 1985 with a B.Sc. in Physics and a B.A. in Mathematics. He then pursued graduate studies, earning a M.Sc. in Physical Oceanography in 1987. He completed his Ph.D. in Atmosphere-Ocean Science at McGill University in 1993. Holland served as the Director of the Center for Atmosphere-Ocean Science at NYU's Courant Institute from 2008 to 2013 and has been the Director of the Center for Sea Level Change at NYU in New York and Abu Dhabi since 2013.

Research His work focuses on understanding the mechanisms by which significant sea level changes could arise from the ice sheets of Greenland and Antarctica in the coming decades. Holland applies advanced mathematical techniques to data collected in remote environments, particularly from his fieldwork in Greenland and Antarctica, where he has spent over 10 years.

He continues to collect data on glaciers in these regions to improve computer models that project global sea level change based on the interaction between ice sheets and warming ocean waters.

His publications include studies on Jakobshavn Isbræ in Greenland, ice-shelf melting, and Antarctic ice-sheet dynamics.

In 2007, Holland's mathematical models of glacier dynamics, particularly for Greenland’s Jakobshavn glacier, were validated through field observations.

Holland’s methods include using helicopters to lower sensors into icy waters and developing techniques to penetrate thick ice shelves for data collection.

Holland is an advocate for developing glacier forecasting systems, akin to weather forecasting, to predict the impacts of climate change on polar ice and global sea levels.

Holland has highlighted the global risks, stating that the destabilization of Antarctica’s ice sheets could lead to sea level rises of up to 10 meters, with devastating consequences for coastal regions worldwide.

Personal life Holland is married to Denise Holland, who collaborates with him as a field and logistics coordinator at NYU.

Selected publications