The American Meteorological Society (AMS) recently announced the recipients of its 2026 awards, with two alumni from the School of Atmospheric Sciences at Nanjing University, among the honorees!
Professor Zhuo Wang of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign elected 2026 AMS Fellow
Professor Wang, currently a faculty member in the Department of Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, has long been dedicated to research in tropical meteorology, polar cyclones, and climate dynamics. She has achieved a series of groundbreaking, internationally influential results in areas such as the mechanisms of typhoon formation and their interannual-to-seasonal variability. Professor Wang serves as the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences and Co-Chair of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Working Group on Tropical Meteorology Research (WGTMR). She has also held key academic leadership roles, including Chair of the AMS Committee on Tropical Meteorology and Tropical Cyclones and Co-Chair of the U.S. CLIVAR/PPAI Scientific Steering Group.
Founded in 1919, the AMS is one of the world's most authoritative societies in meteorology and atmospheric sciences, with over 13,000 members worldwide. The title of AMS Fellow is awarded to no more than 0.2% of its members annually, recognizing top scientists who have made pioneering and sustained outstanding contributions to meteorological, hydrological, and climate sciences. Professor Wang's election not only acknowledges her individual accomplishments, but also underscores the enduring excellence of Nanjing University's atmospheric sciences program.
Congratulations to Professor Zhuo Wang!
Dr. Xiaomin Chen's Team at the University of Alabama in Huntsvill awarded the AMS Banner I. Miller Award
Dr. Xiaomin Chen's team developed a high-wind boundary layer parameterization scheme that has advanced the intensity, including rapid intensification, and forecast skill of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)'s operational hurricane forecast model, HAFS. This breakthrough has led to major improvements in predicting tropical cyclone rapid intensification, providing critical technical support for enhancing hurricane forecasting accuracy and disaster prevention and mitigation efforts.
Dr. Chen is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Atmospheric and Earth Science of University of Alabama in Huntsville. His research focuses on different aspects of tropical cyclones, including rapid intensification, boundary layer processes, and numerical modeling and forecasts. His research utilizes a combination of observations and numerical simulations to improve the understanding and modeling of boundary-layer processes in high-wind conditions. He received the Northern Gulf Institute Research Competitive Award and NOAA AOML Outstanding Paper Award. Besides, Dr. Chen serves in the editorial board of several prestigious international journals, including Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences. He also served as a co-rapporteur of the WMO's 10th International Workshop on Tropical Cyclones (IWTC-10) report.
The Banner I. Miller Award is given for an outstanding contribution to the science of hurricane and tropical weather forecasting published in a journal with international circulation during the 48 months prior to the deadline for nominations. The award is selected every other year (typically in a year between biennial Conferences on Hurricanes and Tropical Meteorology) and is presented to the authors of the publication. This recognition not only underscores the significant influence of Dr. Chen's research but also highlights the growing academic contributions of Chinese scientists in the global meteorological community.
Congratulations to Dr. Xiaomin Chen and his team!