2020 Awards and Honors Recipients

Award Recipients at Annual

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 2020 recipients who will receive their award or honor at the 100th AMS Annual Meeting in Boston, Massachusetts.

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

Jane Lubchenco

Veerabhadran Ramanathan

Julia M. Slingo

Award Winners

THE CARL-GUSTAF ROSSBY RESEARCH MEDAL

Julia M. Slingo
For cutting-edge research on the physics and dynamics of the tropical atmosphere, leading to significant advances in seamless weather and climate modeling

THE HYDROLOGIC SCIENCES MEDAL

Marc B. Parlange
For fundamental contributions to the theory, modeling, and measurement of boundary layer turbulence in hydrometeorology and hydrology

THE HENRY STOMMEL RESEARCH MEDAL

Arnold L. Gordon
For pioneering observational studies that have fundamentally advanced our understanding of Southern Ocean and inter-basin circulation

THE VERNER E. SUOMI TECHNOLOGY MEDAL

Joshua Wurman
For the innovative design, development, and provision of mobile Doppler radars, making possible unprecedented high-resolution wind and precipitation observations in high-impact weather

THE SVERDRUP GOLD MEDAL

Peter R. Gent
For fundamental contributions to understanding the ocean’s role in climate and its representation in Earth system models

THE JULE G. CHARNEY MEDAL

Qiang Fu
For pioneering contributions to the theory and practice of atmospheric radiative transfer and its critical linkages to climate and climate change

THE DAVID AND LUCILLE ATLAS REMOTE SENSING PRIZE

Ping Yang
For sustained, seminal contributions to developing light-scattering and radiative transfer models and datasets for remote sensing of ice clouds and dust aerosols

THE CHARLES FRANKLIN BROOKS AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING SERVICE TO THE SOCIETY

Robert M. Rauber, CCM
For extraordinary contributions that have had a significant impact on the Society as publications commissioner, chief editor, and service on numerous STAC and other committees

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

Carolina S. Vera
For unselfish devotion to advancing and communicating climate science to decision makers and stakeholders in South America and across the world

THE AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING SERVICES BY A CORPORATION

Ball Aerospace
For designing and building proven advanced remote-sensing instruments and spacecraft enabling timely, accurate weather predictions and environmental monitoring to ensure a Weather Ready Nation

THE KENNETH C. SPENGLER AWARD

Joseph B. Klemp, William C. Skamarock, John Michalakes, Jimy Dudhia, Wei Wang, Jordan Powers, David O. Gill, Michael Duda, Kelly Werner, Ming Chen, Cindy Bruyere, James Bresch, Ying-Hwa (Bill) Kuo, Zhiquan Liu, Dale Barker, Xiang-Yu Huang, and Jamie Bresch
For enabling and supporting a community of research and operational weather modeling through the Advanced Research version of the Weather Research and Forecasting Model (WRF-ARW)

THE AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO THE ADVANCE OF APPLIED METEOROLOGY

Robert D. Sharman
For transformative research into aircraft turbulence, leading to the development of innovative operational turbulence reporting and forecasting systems

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

Carl Mazzola, CCM
For updating and facilitating the development of meteorological standards for the nuclear industry, and providing innovative consulting services to clients with utmost integrity

THE CHARLES E. ANDERSON AWARD

Gregory S. Jenkins
For tireless and sustained contributions to the promotion of diversity in atmospheric science through education, community service, and engaging students in internationally-focused research

THE FRANCIS W. REICHELDERFER AWARD

Jeff Lindner
For lifesaving communication of critical weather and flood information to the residents of the Houston area during catastrophic flooding from Hurricane Harvey

THE HELMUT E. LANDSBERG AWARD

Alberto Martilli
For leadership in the field of urban boundary-layer science, and seminal contributions to the modeling of urban canopy processes

THE AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN BIOMETEOROLOGY

Elizabeth Pattey
For pioneering the development of systems that measure surface layer turbulence and the nocturnal boundary layer to quantify particulate matter and trace gas fluxes

BANNER I. MILLER AWARD

Jun A. Zhang, David S. Nolan, Robert F. Rogers, and Vijay Tallapragada
For their paper, “Evaluating the impact of improvements in the boundary layer parameterization on hurricane intensity and structure forecasts in HWRF,” which significantly advanced the prediction of hurricanes in an operational numerical weather prediction model

SPECIAL AWARD

NOAA/National Weather Service Forecast Office, Houston/Galveston, Texas
For bravery and dedication in providing accurate and timely life-saving services in confronting catastrophic flooding from Hurricane Harvey, despite enduring personal loss and prolonged stress

THE EDWARD N. LORENZ TEACHING EXCELLENCE AWARD

John A. Knox
For innovative and engaging approaches to teaching and mentoring, and tireless efforts in support of life-long student learning

THE JOANNE SIMPSON MENTORSHIP AWARD

Anne R. Douglass
For patient guidance and boundless encouragement of young scientists, and for leading by example as a researcher, writer, and project scientist

THE LOUIS J. BATTAN AUTHOR’S AWARD—ADULT

Jeff Goodell
For The Water Will Come, an engaging and informative consideration of a subject that is critically important to a broad audience

THE LOUIS J. BATTAN AUTHOR’S AWARD—K–12

Megan Herbert and Michael E. Mann
For The Tantrum That Saved the World, which engages readers with empathy and compassion and empowers them to help save animals and people from the threat of climate change

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

Paul Voosen
For clearly written and compelling journalism that highlighted a new and innovative effort using artificial intelligence to improve climate projections

THE AWARD FOR BROADCAST METEOROLOGY

Alan Sealls, CBM
For a career of providing weather information to the public in relatable, entertaining terms, and for benefiting students of all ages and the meteorological community

THE AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN SCIENCE REPORTING BY A BROADCAST METEOROLOGIST

Kait Parker
For educating the public on the causes and harmful consequences of climate change, through daily reporting and documentary projects

THE CLARENCE LEROY MEISINGER AWARD—EARLY CAREER

Elizabeth A. Barnes
For fundamental contributions to our understanding of the extratropical circulation and its response to climate change

THE HENRY G. HOUGHTON AWARD—EARLY CAREER

Matthew R. Kumjian
For outstanding and pioneering contributions that have advanced our understanding of precipitation physics through the novel use and application of dual-polarization radar observations

THE NICHOLAS P. FOFONOFF AWARD—EARLY CAREER

Laure Zanna
For exceptional creativity in the development and application of new concepts in ocean and climate dynamics

THE CHARLES L. MITCHELL AWARD

Jeffrey S. Tongue
For a career devoted to improving the safety and efficiency of aviation throughout our National Airspace System

THE AWARD FOR AN EXCEPTIONAL SPECIFIC PREDICTION

NOAA/National Weather Service Forecast Office, Omaha/Valley, Nebraska
For accurate, timely, and life-saving predictions of hydrometeorological conditions that led to the catastrophic, historic spring flooding across Nebraska in March 2019

LOCAL CHAPTER OF THE YEAR AWARD

Asheville, North Carolina
For excellent outreach and support to students, providing effective networking opportunities, and notable interactions with the national Society

LOCAL STUDENT CHAPTER OF THE YEAR AWARD

Ohio University, Ohio
For outstanding commitment to providing educational, mentoring, and networking opportunities to members, and for exemplary community service

THE SPIROS G. GEOTIS STUDENT PRIZE

David Schvartzman
For his paper, “Design of Practical Pulse Compression Waveforms for Polarimetric Phased Array Radar”

2021 Lecturers

THE ROBERT E. HORTON LECTURER IN HYDROLOGY

Terri S. Hogue
For pioneering work on land-atmosphere-water interactions in urban environments

THE WALTER ORR ROBERTS LECTURER

Walker S. Ashley
For extraordinary, interdisciplinary contributions to the scientific intersection of extreme weather and societal vulnerability

Editor's Award Winners

Journal of Atmospheric Science

Adele Igel
For numerous highly thoughtful, constructive, well-written and timely reviews in the area of cloud physics

Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology

Brian Squitieri
For several insightful, careful reviews that were useful to the editor and the authors

Journal of Climate

Isla R. Simpson
For a large number of detailed reviews that substantially improved the quality of manuscripts

Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology

Sebastian Torres
For providing thorough reviews that have helped the decision-making process in controversial situations

Monthly Weather Review

Eric Gilleland
For timely reviews that expose the importance of novel research while contributing to improved and ultimately impactful manuscripts

Weather and Forecasting

Casey Davenport
For consistently providing timely, balanced, constructive, and thorough reviews, while accepting all review invitations

Journal of Physical Oceanography

Jacob O. Wenegrat
For outstanding and prompt reviews on a wide variety of topics, spanning the subfields of several of the journal’s editors

Journal of Hydrometeorology

Ardeshir Ebtehaj
For consistently thorough and timely reviews of submissions describing highly complex mathematical concepts

Weather, Climate, and Society

Serge Soula
For reviews of a challenging manuscript that were instrumental in helping the authors make it ready for publication

Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society

Timothy P. Boyer
For exceptionally careful, thoughtful, and constructive reviews that helped authors greatly improve their manuscripts

Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society

Robert M. Banta
For thorough, insightful, and impartial reviews of a particularly provocative manuscript

Journal of Climate

Agus Santoso
For consistently high-quality reviews on various topics in tropical climate dynamics

Journal of Climate

Sergey K. Gulev
For timely, detailed reviews and advice that consistently ensured the high caliber of manuscripts accepted for publication

Monthly Weather Review/Weather and Forecasting

Glen Romine
For providing numerous high-quality reviews that consistently assisted authors in improving their papers

Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology

Phil Bergmaier
For several insightful, careful reviews that were useful to the editor and the authors

Journal of Hydrometeorology

Xiaodong Chen
For numerous thorough reviews of submissions on the modeling of land-atmosphere interactions

Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences

Christopher E. Holloway
For thorough and insightful reviews in the area of tropical convection

Fellows

Ping Chang

Donna J. Charlevoix

Jeffrey L. Collett, Jr.

John Cortinas

Paul J. DeMott

Lesley-Ann L. Dupigny-Giroux

James Bearer Edson

Michael B. Ek

Alejandro V. Garcia, CBM

Wojciech W. Grabowski

Bart Geerts

Hoshin V. Gupta

Janice W. Huff

Stephen A. Klein

John A. Knox

Wen-Chau Lee

Ellie (Zhiyong) Meng

Marc Parlange

Courtney J. Schumacher

Adam H. Sobel

Juanzhen (Jenny) Sun

Wassila Mamadou Thiaw

Mingfang Ting

Carolina Vera

Claudia Wagner-Riddle

Tammy M. Weckwerth

Ming Xue