Páll Einarsson wins a prestigious Swedish research prize

Páll Einarsson, professor emeritus of geophysics at UI, has won the prestigious Rossby Prize from the Swedish National Committee for Geophysics. The prize, which is awarded every few years, recognises both Páll’s contributions to science and his efforts to improve public understanding of geophysics and its significance in our society. It is also an acknowledgement of the remarkable collaborative spirit that Páll has demonstrated throughout his research career. 

The Rossby Prize was established in 1966 and Páll is the first Icelander to win it. The prize, named for the Swedish meteorologist Carl-Gustaf Rossby, is managed by the Swedish National Committee for Geophysics, which is part of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.

Prize for pioneering research, teaching and scientific outreach

Páll Einarsson is one of Iceland’s most respected earth scientists and also one of the most prolific researchers in the discipline. The Academy’s statement explains that Páll was chosen in recognition of his efforts to improve public understanding of geophysical phenomena in the areas of seismology and geology. 

“With his pioneering research into the geophysical processes at the Mid-Atlantic Ridge in Iceland and the North Atlantic, Páll Einarsson has not only expanded our knowledge but also inspired future generations of earth scientists by educating and guiding both undergraduate and graduate students.”

The University of Iceland is delighted to see Páll acknowledged for his achievements in teaching, because he has a long and distinguished teaching career behind him. He has taught courses in physics, geophysics, seismology, volcanology and plate tectonics. For the past two decades, most of his teaching efforts have been dedicated to courses for international students studying at UI for one or two semesters. He has also supervised numerous graduate students, both Master’s and doctoral students.
 
The Academy’s statement also praises Páll for his clear interpretation of scientific data and commitment to sharing that knowledge, improving our ability to assess seismic and volcanic hazards. This is vital if we, as a society, are to take well founded decisions concerning earthquake warnings and evacuations.

Páll Einarsson is one of the best known earth scientists in Iceland, thanks to his regular work as a media spokesman helping us all to interpret the implications of volcanic and seismic activity. It is wonderful to see Páll’s work in scientific outreach recognised, although it is not for the first time. In 2015, he was honoured with the Knight's Cross of the Order of the Falcon for his contributions to education and research in the field of Icelandic earth sciences. He also won the 2018 Nordic Geoscientist Prize for his work in knowledge transfer to the government and the general public, as well as his achievements in research.

A remarkable scientist 

Páll Einarsson is professor emeritus at the UI Faculty of Earth Sciences and has research facilities at the UI Institute of Earth Sciences. His research focuses on tectonic deformations, seismic activity, the physics of volcanic eruptions and magma movements, the inner workings of volcanoes, and the formation of the earth’s crust. 

As listed on the UI Web of Science, he has written articles on earthquakes and tectonic movements in Iceland, earthquakes at the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, the Krafla Fires, Hekla eruptions, Krafla’s magma chamber, the creation of the crust beneath Hekla and Eyjafjallajökull, source faults of earthquakes in South Iceland, earthquakes and eruptions in Eyjafjallajökull 1994-2010, earthquakes and eruptions in Bárðarbunga 1996-2015, volcanic systems under the Vatnajökull glacier, Grímsvötn eruptions, seismic activity at Katla, fissure swarms in Icelandic volcanic systems, and many more topics. Many of these studies were completed in collaboration with large teams of scientists, international and Icelandic.

Interested in natural sciences since primary school

Páll Einarsson was born in Reykjavík in 1947 and attended a local primary school, Melaskóli, where he immediately showed a strong interest in the natural sciences. His shell collection from when he was 12 has been displayed at the school since 1963. He then went to Hagaskóli, going on to graduate from Reykjavík College (MR). He completed a prediploma in physics from the University of Göttingen in 1970 before heading to Columbia University in New York, where he completed an MPhil degree in 1970 and a PhD in 1975. 

After graduation, he began working at the UI Science Institute, where one of his main responsibilities was setting up and managing a network of seismographs across Iceland. This was used to monitor seismic activity in Iceland until the improved digital network took over in 1990. Páll worked as a professor of geophysics form 1994 to 1997 and again from 1999 until his retirement in 2017.

Páll Einarsson is also a musician. He studied at the Reykjavík College of Music in his younger years and is a talented player of the cello and double bass. For many years, he has been chair of the Society for Supporters of the Iceland Symphony Orchestra and also leads the cello section.
 
Páll will accept the Rossby Prize at a formal event at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences on 17 January 2025.