Britney Schmidt, associate professor of astronomy in the College of Arts and Sciences and of earth and atmospheric sciences in Cornell Engineering, has been named a laureate of the Blavatnik National Awards for Young Scientists by the Blavatnik Family Foundation and The New York Academy of Sciences. 

Schmidt received the award for “advancing climate science and planetary habitability studies through groundbreaking research on ice-ocean interactions and innovative exploration of Earth’s polar regions and icy planetary bodies,” according to a Blavatnik Foundation statement.

Schmidt is laureate for physical sciences and engineering; two other  scientists were named laureates in life and chemical sciences.

The three laureates will each receive $250,000, the largest unrestricted scientific prize offered to America’s most promising faculty-level scientific researchers under 42, according to the Blavatnik Foundation. The awardees and finalists will be celebrated in a gala ceremony on Oct. 1, at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.

“Britney is truly a pioneer in the field of climate change research. We need scientists like Britney who can harness multiple disciplines to address the challenges of climate change and it’s good to see her important, innovative work recognized by this award,” said Peter John Loewen, the Harold Tanner Dean of Arts and Sciences.

“Britney is an exemplary researcher and collaborator,” said Lynden Archer, the Joseph Silbert Dean of Engineering. “She is, in my view, precisely the sort of trailblazer this award was designed to recognize and celebrate.”

Schmidt and her team designed, built and deployed Icefin, a remotely operated vehicle that provides unprecedented insights into Antarctic ice shelf melting and ocean circulation. Schmidt’s work solves key problems in ice dynamics and interaction with the ocean and offers novel comprehensive views of sub-ice environments. This research shows how interactions between the ice, ocean and seafloor control how glaciers respond to the warming ocean.

Schmidt also applies Earth-based ice studies to solar system icy worlds to further understanding of extraterrestrial environments. Her contributions have earned widespread recognition, including inclusion in Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People of 2023.

“I am lucky to work with an amazing team and collaborations that make this work possible,” Schmidt said. “I’m deeply honored by this recognition, motivating emboldened dedication to understanding and caring for our planet and its people at a critical crossroads.”

Schmidt received a B.S. in physics from the University of Arizona and a Ph.D. in geophysics and space physics from the University of California, Los Angeles. She’s worked on numerous NASA projects, including the Dawn and Europa Clipper missions and the Europa Lander and LUVOIR Space Telescope mission concepts. 

Linda B. Glaser is news and media relations manager for the College of Arts and Sciences.