2021 Awards and Honors Recipients

AMS is pleased to recognize outstanding individuals and organizations of the weather, water, and climate community through its Awards and Honors program. Join us in congratulating the 2021 recipients.

A photo gallery of the recipients is available, as well as the AMS 2021 Awards Brochure, which includes bios.

AMS would like to thank its members and friends for nominating colleagues and peers who are so deserving of these awards.

Jump to: Honorary Members | Award Winners | Editor's Award Winners | Fellows

Honorary Members

Sir Robert Watson

Professor, University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom

Florence Rabier

Director-General, European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, Reading, United Kingdom

William H. Hooke

Associate Director and Senior Policy Fellow, American Meteorological Society, Washington DC

Award Winners

THE CARL-GUSTAF ROSSBY RESEARCH MEDAL

David S. Battisti

Professor, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington

For original, insightful contributions to understanding climate variability for phenomena ranging from the El Niño/Southern Oscillation and the Pacific Decadal Oscillation to paleoclimate

THE HYDROLOGIC SCIENCES MEDAL

Soroosh Sorooshian

Distinguished Professor, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California

For ingenious, groundbreaking work on surface hydrology and the remote sensing of precipitation that has profoundly impacted the field of hydrometeorology

THE HENRY STOMMEL RESEARCH MEDAL

Bo Qiu

Professor, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, Hawaii

For seminal contributions using observations, models, and theory to understand the dynamics of the North Pacific Ocean circulation and its role in the climate system

THE VERNER E. SUOMI TECHNOLOGY MEDAL

Eric A. Smith

Retired Professor / NASA Mission Scientist / CRCES Senior Scientist, Tallahassee, Florida

For innovative technological achievements that fundamentally changed the use of satellite observations in meteorology and hydrometeorology

THE SVERDRUP GOLD MEDAL

Sarah T. Gille

Professor, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California

For seminal work on ocean circulation and air-sea interaction in the Southern Ocean and their impact on the cryosphere, ocean ecosystems, and Earth’s climate

THE JULE G. CHARNEY MEDAL

Clara Deser

Senior Scientist, NCAR, Boulder, Colorado

For fundamental insights into the structure, genesis, and predictability of decadal variability in the atmosphere, ocean, and cryosphere

THE WARREN WASHINGTON RESEARCH AND LEADERSHIP MEDAL

James W. Hurrell

Professor, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado

For highly influential climate system research, and a distinguished and impactful record of national and international leadership

THE CHARLES FRANKLIN BROOKS AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING SERVICE TO THE SOCIETY

Xubin Zeng

Professor and Director, Climate Dynamics and Hydrometeorology Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona

For skillful and effective service in senior leadership roles that has materially improved the Society’s meetings and other activities

THE CLEVELAND ABBE AWARD FOR DISTINGUISHED SERVICE TO THE
ATMOSPHERIC AND RELATED SCIENCES

Frederick H. Carr

Professor Emeritus, School of Meteorology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma

For tireless, selfless, wide-ranging service to the community that has had an immeasurable impact on the nation’s weather, water, and climate efforts

THE EDWARD N. LORENZ TEACHING EXCELLENCE AWARD

Sonia G. Lasher-Trapp

Professor, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois

For creating active learning and welcoming classroom environments, expanding student experiences, and advocating for women in science

THE ROBERT H. AND JOANNE SIMPSON MENTORSHIP AWARD

Daphne LaDue

Senior Research Scientist, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma

For generous, thoughtful, and caring mentorship to students and their supervisors during more than 20 years of directing the Oklahoma Research Experience for Undergraduates program

THE KENNETH C. SPENGLER AWARD

Robert G. Goldhammer

IAEM Liaison, NWS and WMO WeatherReady Nation(s) Programs, International Association of Emergency Managers

For forging extensive collaboration and partnerships linking emergency management and the weather, water, and climate enterprise

THE JOANNE SIMPSON TROPICAL METEOROLOGY RESEARCH AWARD

Kerry H. Cook

Professor, Jackson School of Geosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas

For expanding our knowledge of the physics and dynamics of tropical monsoon regimes, especially the West African Monsoon and related phenomena, using observations and models

THE SYUKURO MANABE CLIMATE RESEARCH AWARD

Joyce E. Penner

Professor, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan

For scientific leadership in merging atmospheric aerosols and their chemistry with climate models to understand the breadth of human activities driving climate change

THE AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO THE ADVANCE OF APPLIED METEOROLOGY

David P. Ruth

Division Chief, NOAA, Silver Spring, Maryland

For extraordinary leadership in developing and implementing software for primary National Weather Service systems, including the Interactive Forecast Preparation System and National Digital Forecast Database

THE HENRY T. HARRISON AWARD FOR OUSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS BY A CONSULTING METEOROLOGIST

Elizabeth J. Austin, CCM

CEO and Founder, WeatherExtreme Ltd., Fallbrook, California

For serving the meteorological profession, her clients, and the Society with integrity and professionalism over the course of an exemplary career

THE CHARLES E. ANDERSON AWARD

Kandis Y. Boyd

Deputy Divisional Director, Division of Grants and Agreements, Office of Weather and Air Quality, National Science Foundation, Alexandria, Virginia

For career-long efforts through mentoring, education, and community service to champion diversity for women and under-represented minorities to promote a more inclusive workforce

THE FRANCIS W. REICHELDERFER AWARD

Chad M. Gravelle

Techniques Development Meteorologist, NOAA/NWS Southern Region Headquarters, Fort Worth, Texas

For leadership, dedication, and the innovative use of technology in preparing forecasters to integrate GOES-R imagery and associated products into NWS operations

THE HELMUT E. LANDSBERG AWARD

Hiroyuki Kusaka

Professor, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki Japan

For advancements in urban canopy modeling, adopted by international research communities, and pioneering contributions to downscaling past, current, and future urban climates

THE AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN BIOMETEOROLOGY

Gabriel G. Katul

Professor, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina

For major theoretical advances in formulating surface-atmosphere exchanges of mass, energy, and momentum, and distilling theory into reduced numerical models to study these exchanges

SPECIAL AWARD

Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) International Team

For providing a stellar example of international collaboration to produce novel satellite observations that have transformed atmospheric chemistry research, especially air quality and health applications

SPECIAL AWARD

Jason P. Samenow

Weather Editor and Chief Meteorologist, Washington Post, Washington, DC

For years of exemplary, groundbreaking journalism and outstanding articles that entertain, inform, and educate the public about weather, climate, and the environment

LOUIS J. BATTAN AUTHORS’ AWARD – ADULT

Christopher Dewdney

Author, Freelance, Ontario, Canada

For 18 Miles: The Epic Drama of Our Atmosphere and its Weather, a story for broad audiences that weaves the evolution of the atmosphere with the history of civilization from its beginning to today

LOUIS J. BATTAN AUTHORS’ AWARD – K-12

Becca Hatheway, Kerry Zarlengo, and Lisa Gardiner

For What’s Up in the Atmosphere? Exploring Colors in the Sky, a delightful, comprehensive story that walks young children through the scientific process to explore aerosols and air quality measurement

THE AWARD FOR DISTINGUISHED SCIENCE JOURNALISM IN THE ATMOSPHERIC AND RELATED SCIENCES

Jonathan Mingle

Freelance Journalist, Lincoln, Vermont

For transforming an evolving, complex topic into a gripping narrative on the process, progress, and inherent uncertainty of methane’s role in the changing climate system

THE AWARD FOR BROADCAST METEOROLOGY

Ginger Zee, CBM

Chief Meteorologist, ABC News, New York City, New York

For an accomplished broadcasting career, and whose passion has inspired young women to pursue science and whose courage has advanced the cause for mental health

THE AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN SCIENCE REPORTING BY A BROADCAST METEOROLOGIST

Deborah Martorell

Senior Meteorologist, WAPA TV, Guaynabo, Puerto Rico

For going beyond the forecast to explain the effects of hurricanes, droughts, and earthquakes on Puerto Rico

THE CLARENCE LEROY MEISINGER AWARD

Russ S. Schumacher

Associate Professor, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado

For fundamental advances in our understanding of flash-flood-producing storms and other mesoscale weather phenomena through innovative analyses of observations and model simulations

THE HENRY G. HOUGHTON AWARD

Kerri A. Pratt

Associate Professor, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan

For pioneering field and theoretical studies that have significantly advanced the understanding of atmospheric chemistry in the Arctic boundary layer

THE NICHOLAS P. FOFONOFF AWARD

Eleanor Frajka-Williams

Principal Research Scientist, National Oceanography Centre, England, United Kingdom

For innovative contributions to observing and understanding the physical mechanisms responsible for variability of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation

THE AWARD FOR EARLY-CAREER PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT

Lawrence C. Gloeckler, III

Product Manager, Resilience360/Riskpulse, San Marcos, California

For exceptional efforts to advance private-sector applications of meteorology, and a passionate commitment to bridge the gap between academic training and the needs of industry

THE CHARLES L. MITCHELL AWARD

John M. Brown

Meteorologist, Earth Prediction Advancement Division, NOAA/Global Systems Laboratory, Boulder, Colorado

For selfless dedication during more than four decades of service in developing forecast techniques, advancing model performance, training forecasters, and forecasting for large field programs

THE AWARD FOR EXCEPTIONAL SPECIFIC PREDICTION

Bryan T. Smith

Mesoscale/Outlook Forecaster, Storm Prediction Center, Norman, Oklahoma

For a highly specific and accurate prediction of a strong supercell event with long lead time that saved lives

LOCAL CHAPTER OF THE YEAR AWARD

North Florida Local Chapter

For expanding its professional development and networking opportunities for members, while strengthening its presence in both the community and with the national organization

LOCAL STUDENT CHAPTER OF THE YEAR AWARD

University of Oklahoma Student Chapter

For providing students with unique career, education, and service opportunities, and expanding the reach of the chapter to benefit members, alumni, and the local community

Lecturers

BERNHARD HAURWITZ MEMORIAL LECTURER

Rong Zhang

Senior Scientist, NOAA/GFDL, Princeton, New Jersey

For advancing scientific understanding of the causes and impacts of Atlantic multidecadal variability and Arctic sea ice variations through insightful analysis of models and observations

THE ROBERT E. HORTON LECTURER IN HYDROLOGY

Wade Crow

Research Physical Scientist, USDA ARS Hydrology and Remote Sensing Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland

For developing data analysis techniques that enabled important advances in the scientific and operational application of terrestrial remote sensing products

THE WALTER ORR ROBERTS LECTURER

Abigail L. S. Swann

Associate Professor, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington

For fundamental, interdisciplinary advancements in discovering the processes by which terrestrial ecosystems influence climate, and for outstanding communication between the atmospheric and biological sciences

Editor's Award Winners

Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society

Kelly Mahoney

Research Meteorologist, NOAA/Physical Sciences Laboratory, Boulder, Colorado

For insightful, thorough, and constructive reviews that contributed to improving impactful manuscripts

Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society

Blair Trewin

Senior Research Scientist, Australian Bureau of Meteorology, Melbourne, Australia

For exemplary, thoughtful reviews that significantly improved manuscripts through careful attention to critical details

Earth Interactions

Trenton Ford

Illinois State Climatologist, University of Illinois' Prairie Research Institution, Champaign, Illinois

For providing thorough and quality reviews that were helpful for the authors and resulted in improved manuscripts

Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology

Alex Cannon

Research Scientist, Climate Research Division of Environment and Climate Change Canada, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

For consistently producing great reviews and exemplifying consistent, selfless service to the discipline

Journal of Atmospheric Science

Edmund Chang

Professor, School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York

For numerous constructive, insightful, and thorough reviews

Journal of Climate

Dietmar Dommenget

Associate Professor, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia

For providing timely and constructive reviews on a wide range of topics

Journal of Climate

Francis Zwiers

Director, Pacific Climate Impacts Consortium, University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

For consistently insightful reviews on some of the journal’s most challenging papers

Journal of Climate

Qinghua Ding

Associate Professor, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California

For providing numerous constructive reviews on various topics in climate dynamics

Journal of Hydrometeorology

Jackson Tan

Associate Scientist, Universities Space Research Association at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland

For insightful and timely reviews of numerous manuscripts in the field of precipitation remote sensing

Journal of Physical Oceanography

Jörn Callies

Assistant Professor, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California

For deeply constructive reviews in a wide variety of subdisciplines

Journal of Physical Oceanography

Daniel Whitt

Project Scientist, Climate and Global Dynamics Laboratory, NCAR, Boulder, Colorado

For well thought-out reviews of some particularly difficult papers, as well as many other high-quality reviews

Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology

John Abraham

Thermal Scientist, University of St. Thomas, Saint Paul, Minnesota

For exceptionally prompt reviews of a number of papers

Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology

Gabriel Diaz-Hernandez

Professor and Senior Researcher, Institute of Environmental Hydraulics of Cantabria, Spain

For reviewing numerous papers in a timely fashion

Monthly Weather Review

Rachel Mauk

Research Scientist, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio

For providing insightful, timely, and constructive reviews that helped authors to improve the quality of their manuscripts

Monthly Weather Review

Michael Scheuerer

Data Scientist, Norwegian Computing Center, Oslo, Norway

For providing a large number of high-quality reviews extremely quickly

Weather and Forecasting/Monthly Weather Review/Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology

John Knaff

Meteorologist, NOAA/NESDIS/Center for Satellite Applications and Research, Fort Collins, Colorado

For providing multiple rigorous, timely, and constructive reviews across three AMS journals, and also for contributing consistently excellent reviews over a period of many years

Weather and Forecasting

Michael Coniglio

Research Meteorologist, National Severe Storms Laboratory, Norman, Oklahoma

For consistently providing high quality, constructive, and rigorous reviews that help to uphold the high standards of AMS journals

Weather, Climate, and Society

Graham Clarkson

Senior Research Fellow and Project Manager, University of Reading, Reading, United Kingdom

For exceptionally thorough, insightful, and committed reviews of a challenging manuscript

Fellows

Uma S. Bhatt

Professor, University of Alaska Fairbanks,
Fairbanks, Alaska

Kandis Y. Boyd

Deputy Divisional Director, Division of Grants and Agreements, Office of Weather and Air Quality, National Science Foundation, Alexandria, Virginia

Brian A. Colle

Professor, Stony Brook University,
Stony Brook, New York

Sarah Gille

Professor, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California

Rebecca Haacker

Director of Education and Outreach, NCAR, Boulder, Colorado

Marika M. Holland

Senior Scientist, Climate and Global Dynamics Laboratory, NCAR, Boulder, Colorado

William Hsieh

Professor Emeritus, Deptartment of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia

Jean-Francois Lamarque

Senior Scientist, NCAR, Boulder, Colorado

Maureen McCann, CCM, CBM

Meteorologist, Spectrum News 13, Orlando, Florida

Amy McGovern

Professor, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma

Laura L. Pan

Senior Scientist, NCAR, Boulder, Colorado

Kyaw Tha Paw U

Professor, Department of Land, Air and Water Resources, University of California, Davis, California

Walter A. Petersen

Deputy Chief of the Science Research and Projects Division, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Alabama

Bo Qiu

Professor, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, Hawaii

Danny E. Satterfield, CBM

Chief Meteorologist, WBOC TV, Salisbury, Maryland

Adrian J. Simmons

Consultant, European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, United Kingdom

Janet Sprintall

Research Physical Oceanographer, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California

W. James (Jim) Steenburgh

Professor, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah

Yukari N. Takayabu

Professor, Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute of the University of Tokyo, Chiba, Japan

Robert J. (Jeff) Trapp

Profesor, Department of Atmospheric Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois

Huug M. van den Dool

Consultant, NOAA/NWS/NCEP, College Park, Maryland

Susan C. van den Heever

Professor, Department of Atmospheric Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado

Junhong Wang

Professor, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, New York

Matthew C. Wheeler

Principal Research Scientist, Bureau of Meteorology, Melbourne, Australia

Robert Wood

Professor, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington