David Barriopedro is a researcher at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid, where he obtained his PhD in Atmospheric Sciences in 2007. He was hired as a researcher by the Centro de Geofísica da Universidade de Lisboa (CGUL-IDL) from 2008 to 2011. His main research line is extratropical climate variability, with special emphasis on those atmospheric circulation systems with high impact on temperature and precipitation. His scientific interests also include the analysis of extreme episodes (heat waves and droughts) in the Mediterranean region and the climate of the past. He has published 33 papers in international peer-reviewed journals, including a Science paper. He was awarded for “his important contribution to the understanding of heat waves and blocking dynamics in the Mediterranean region, his contribution to the second MedCLIVAR book and active participation to MedCLIVAR activities” during the MedCLIVAR conference 2012 held in Madrid.