Public Lecture: Science, Society, and Computation: Building Trust Across Scales - From Climate Models to LLMs

The public lecture titled Science, Society, and Computation: Building Trust Across Scales - From Climate Models to LLMs will be presented by Reto Knutti, a Professor of Climate Physics at ETH Zurich and chair of the Center for Climate System Modelling. This engaging lecture is designed for a broad audience and will explore the profound impact of computing and data on science and society. Reto Knutti's expertise lies in understanding atmospheric processes through a combination of observational data, climate model simulations, and advanced statistical methods. His contributions have significantly advanced the quantification of human impacts on climate trends and the enhancement of future climate projections.In this lecture, Knutti will discuss the evolution of climate science and how modern technologies such as Machine Learning and Large Language Models (LLMs) are reshaping our understanding of complex environmental issues. He will address critical questions regarding the balance between abundant information and genuine insight, as well as the societal implications of advancements in climate modeling and data analysis. Reto Knutti, who has played a pivotal role in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) assessment reports and has engaged with various stakeholders, including policymakers and business leaders, will provide a comprehensive look at the ongoing transformation in how we interact with science and models in our increasingly complex world. The lecture is open to the general public and participation is free, making it accessible for anyone interested in the intersection of science, technology, and society.