Graduate and Doctorate (1989) in Physics from Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul. His field of expertise is Atmospheric Sciences. Full Professor at Federal University of Brazil in the Physics Department. At the current time he’s acting as Director from the National Centre for Monitoring and Early Warning of Natural Disasters – CEMADEN. He is the Chair of the Standing Committee for Disaster Risk Reduction from WMO. Previously he was the Director for Research and Development Policy and Programs of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI) of the Brazil, Scientific Director of the Brazilian Meteorological Society and Head of National Centre of Weather Forecast and Climatic Studies (CPTEC).