University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources climate scientist Daniel Swain has been selected for two national science communication awards, UC ANR announced Oct. 30. The recognition highlights his work explaining climate and extreme weather to public audiences, including California’s shifts between very wet and very dry conditions.
Swain is a recipient of the Eric and Wendy Schmidt Awards for Excellence in Science Communications in the early-career research scientist category. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine give the awards in partnership with Schmidt Sciences, according to UC ANR.
He also will receive Climate One’s 2026 Stephen H. Schneider Award for Outstanding Climate Science Communication. That award recognizes a natural or social scientist who combines scientific contributions with clear communication to a broad public.
Outreach on weather and water extremes
Swain joined UC ANR’s California Institute for Water Resources in 2024. His outreach spans livestreams, long-form writing and social media, with real-time explanations of California weather and climate. UC ANR reports that he gives more than 200 interviews annually and was quoted in nearly 800 media stories in September 2026.
His research includes “hydroclimate whiplash,” the rapid swing between extremely wet and dry weather. UC ANR describes that work as examining changes occurring globally as the climate warms, with further intensification expected as warming continues.
Explaining fast-changing conditions
The release also points to Swain’s coverage of the January 2025 Palisades and Eaton fires in Los Angeles. During those fires, he provided repeated YouTube updates explaining how wind and terrain influenced fire movement.
The Schmidt awards considered work published or aired in 2025. A selection committee chose recipients from more than 750 entries, with 24 awards distributed across eight categories covering research scientists, journalists and science communicators, UC ANR said.
