Sheeba Chenoli

Sheeba N. Chenoli is an Associate Professor in the Department Of Geography at the University of Malaya Chenoli's interest of research revolves around polar meteorology, teleconnection between the Antarctic and tropical latitudes, precipitation in the Antarctic, climate change in the Antarctic, and sever wind patterns in Antarctica. Dr. Chenoli is chair for an action group, approved by SCAR in 2016, on Tropical and Antarctic Teleconnections (TATE).

Early Life and Education

Chenoli began her higher education at Calicut University, India where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Physics, Mathematics, and Chemistry. She continued her education by earning two master's degrees in Meteorology and in Atmospheric sciences at Cochin University of Science and Technology, India. At the University of Malaya, Malaysia she earned her PhD in Antarctic Meteorology, where she is also a lead researcher in tropical-polar teleconnections and Antarctic meteorology.

Career and Impact

As a lead researcher at the University of Malaya and National Antarctic Research Centre (NARC), Chenoli works towards bridging the atmospheric gap between the tropics and the poles by taking a deeper look at how shifts in the polar climate influence tropical weather patterns. Chenoli tracks how climate processes, like El Niño (from Indian Oceans and the tropical Pacific) cause climate abnormalities in the Antarctic. She uses satellite data, climate modeling, and ground based technology like automatic weather stations and Doppler Sodar wind profiling systems to track global teleconnections and to confirm atmospheric links to climate changes.

Beyond her research efforts, Chenoli also works towards building connections between the scientific community and the general public (seen through her involvement with the "Bite-Size Climate" initiative). Not only does she put effort in connecting communities to climate science and advocacy, but she also takes great efforts towards presenting her teams findings to the International Commission on Polar Meteorology (ICPM) to connect with other scientists and researchers. Chenoli also contributes to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) which is the United Nations Environmental Programme's (UNEP) way of assessing and understanding the gravity of climate change.

Honors and Awards

  • Asian Polar Science Fellowship (2015): By the Korean Polar Research Institute (KOPIR), Dr. Chenoli was awarded this competitive fellowship.
  • Anugerah Cemerland Universiti Malaya (2022): Also known as ACUM, the University of Malaya awarded this to Dr. Chenoli for her persistent research and for her innovative and inclusive teaching.
  • Keynote Speaker of SCAR Lecture (2024): Dr. Chenoli was selected by SCAR to give a lecture, "Decoding the Intricate Link Between the Tropics and Antarctica", on how monsoons are impacted by sea ice variability and its interconnections with the frozen landscapes, ocean, atmosphere, and even forests. This was the 46th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM) in Kochi, India.

Selected Publications