Zanowski Named Skaar Professor of Oceanography
May 28, 2026
The UW–Madison Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences (AOS) is thrilled to announce Assistant Professor Hannah Zanowski as the inaugural Craig K. Skaar Professor of Oceanography.
This new fund was made possible by Cynthia R. (Skaar) Cannon, who named the professorship in honor of her brother. The Skaar Professorship will support oceanographers in AOS researching a wide range of fundamental physical and biogeochemical processes in the ocean, from deep in its past to far into its future.
Zanowski uses climate models to study various topics in polar oceanography, paleoceanography, and exoplanet oceanography. Her research interests span present and future Arctic Ocean change, ocean circulation of the Archean and its potential connection to early life on Earth, and the role of the ocean circulation in modulating habitable exoplanet climates.
“I am deeply grateful for this professorship, and I was definitely surprised to receive it”, says Zanowski. “I am looking forward to using the funds to further support graduate and undergraduate researchers in my group, while ensuring that oceanography retains a meaningful—and valued—place in the AOS department.”
AOS is thankful to the Skaar family and excited about the new frontiers in oceanography research the professorship will enable.