Akintomide Afolayan Akinsanola, PhD

Dr. Akinsanola is broadly interested in how large-scale tropospheric circulation influences regional climate and climatic extremes. He utilizes varieties of climate models and observations to better understand climate dynamics, especially processes that impact monsoon systems as well as tropical and mid-latitude precipitation. His research also involves identifying sources of climate model biases and reducing climate change uncertainty at regional scales.

Interested in joining our Lab?

I am actively seeking highly motivated undergraduate and graduate students, and postdocs who are interested in utilizing regional and Earth system models, and observations to understand the dynamics of the climate system, better quantify extreme weather/climate events and address the critical challenges posed by earth’s changing climate. For prospective candidates, please email a copy of your CV and a brief description of your interests to Dr. Akinsanola (aakinsan@uic.edu).

Complete list of publications on Google Scholar and Research Gate

• Akinsanola AA, Jung C, Wang J, and Kotamarthi VR (2024) Evaluation of precipitation across the contiguous United States, Alaska, and Puerto Rico in multi-decadal convection-permitting simulations. Scientific Reports. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-51714-3
• Akinsanola AA, Kooperman GJ, Hannah WM, Reed KA, Pendergrass AG, and Hsu W-C (2023) Evaluation of present-day extreme precipitation over the United States: an inter-comparison of convection and dynamic permitting configurations of E3SMv1. Environmental Research Climate. https://doi.org/10.1088/2752-5295/ad0f9e
• Hsu, W-C, Kooperman GJ, Hannah WM, Reed KA, Akinsanola AA, and Pendergrass AG (2023) Evaluating mesoscale convective systems over the US in conventional and multiscale modeling framework configurations of E3SMv1. JGR Atmospheres. https://doi.org/10.1029/2023JD038740
• Adebiyi AA, Akinsanola AA, and Ajoku OF (2023) The misrepresentation of the Southern African Easterly Jet in models and its implications for aerosol, clouds, and precipitation distributions. Journal of Climate. https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-23-0083.1
• Reed KA, Stansfield AM, Hsu W-C, Kooperman GJ, Akinsanola AA, Hannah WM, Pendergrass AG, and Medeiros B. (2023) Evaluating the simulation of CONUS precipitation by storm type in E3SM. Geophysical Research Letters. https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GL102409
• Kooperman GJ, Akinsanola AA, Hannah WM, Pendergrass AG, and Reed KA (2022) Assessing two approaches for enhancing the range of simulated scales in the E3SMv1 and the impact on the character of hourly US precipitation. Geophysical Research Letters. https://doi.org/10.1029/2021GL096717
• Faye A and Akinsanola AA (2021) Evaluation of extreme precipitation indices over West Africa in CMIP6 models. Clim Dyn. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-021-05942-2
• Akinsanola AA, Ogunjobi KO, Abolude AT and Salack S (2021) Projected changes in wind speed and wind energy potential over West Africa in CMIP6 models. Environ. Res. Lett. 16 044033
• Akinsanola AA, Kooperman GJ, Reed KA, Pendergrass AG and Hannah WM (2020) Projected changes in seasonal precipitation extremes over the United States in CMIP6 simulations. Environ. Res. Lett. 15 104078. https://doi.org/10.1088/17489326/abb397
• Monrie PA, Wainwright CM, Sidibe M, and Akinsanola AA (2020) Model uncertainties in climate change impacts on Sahel precipitation in ensembles of CMIP5 and CMIP6 simulations. Clim Dyn. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-020-05332-0
• Akinsanola AA, Kooperman GJ, Pendergrass AG, Hannah WM, and Reed KA (2020) Seasonal representation of extreme precipitation indices over the United States in CMIP6 present-day simulations. Environ. Res. Lett. 15 094003. https://doi.org/10.1088/17489326/ab92c1
• Akinsanola AA, W. Zhou, T. Zhou and N. Keenlyside (2020) Amplification of synoptic to annual variability of West African summer monsoon rainfall under global warming. npj Clim Atmos Sci 3,21. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41612-020-0125-1
• Akinsanola AA and W. Zhou (2019) Projection of West African summer monsoon rainfall in dynamically downscaled CMIP5 models. Clim Dyn 53, 81–95. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-018-4568-6
• Akinsanola AA and W. Zhou (2019) Dynamic and thermodynamic factors controlling increasing summer monsoon rainfall over the West African Sahel. Clim Dyn 52, 4501–4514. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-018-4394-x

• 2022 – till date, Editorial Board Member, Communications Earth and Environment (Nature)
• 2022, Review Panel - Office of Biological and Environmental Research (BER), U.S. DOE Office of Science

B.Tech., Meteorology, 2011, Federal University of Technology Akure, Nigeria

M.Tech., Meteorology, 2015, Federal University of Technology Akure, Nigeria

Ph.D., Climate Science, 2019, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR

Postdoctoral Research Associate, 2019 – 2021, University of Georgia

Postdoctoral Appointee, 2021 – 2022, Argonne National Laboratory, USA

Assistant Atmospheric Scientist, 2022, Argonne National Laboratory, USA

Join Appointment, 2022 – till date, Argonne National Laboratory, USA