In May 2025 researchers including Professor John Taylor and Professor Jerome Neufeld from the Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics were joined by an audience of Cambridge alumni for a live webinar discussing how their latest ice‑sheet research and modelling are deepening our understanding of the challenges posed by rising sea levels.
Glaciers and ice sheets from Greenland to Antarctica are losing ice faster than ever, adding vast amounts of water to the ocean and accelerating global sea‑level rise. What drives this rapid mass loss, and how do ice sheets melt? Our ability to understand melting ice sheets is an important aspect of predicting future sea levels, and understanding the impacts on low‑lying coasts and communities worldwide.
The discussion featured recent work by John Taylor, Professor of Oceanography in the Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics (DAMTP), Dr Rebecca Dell from the Scott Polar Research Institute and Dr Rachael Rhodes from the Department of Earth Sciences. The discussion was chaired by Jerome Neufeld, Professor of Earth and Planetary Fluid Dynamics in DAMTP and the Department of Earth Sciences.
This was part of our Future of Physical Sciences series of live online events for alumni, sharing insights and ideas from the wide range of Cambridge research through informal discussion with the researchers involved. The webinar discussion was recorded on 13 May 2025, and includes a Q&A with the audience.