July 8th, 2025
Venkatachalam “Ram” Ramaswamy, Director of GFDL, has been elected to the National Academy of Sciences (NAS). His election to the NAS highlights a career dedicated to foundational research, scientific leadership, productive collaborations, and the advancement of computational Earth System models, producing practical benefits for society and trustworthy information for real-world decision-making.
“I am deeply honored to be elected to the National Academy of Sciences,” said Ramaswamy. “I look upon this recognition as a reflection of the collaborative teamwork at GFDL, our multiple partnerships, and our shared focus on advancing the scientific knowledge of the Earth’s weather and climate. I am grateful to have contributed to research that supports the understanding and prediction of the Earth System, delivering science-based developments in service of the public.”
This honor recognizes his distinguished contributions to weather and climate science and leadership in advancing Earth system modeling. Ramaswamy has served as Director of GFDL since 2008, leading the development of models that have enhanced understanding of weather and climate processes and improved predictive capabilities of the Earth System across timescales. His own research has provided fundamental insights into radiative interactions involving greenhouse gases, aerosols, and clouds, their effects on weather and climate processes, the heat balance of the Earth System, and the hydrological cycle.
Ramaswamy is currently the only NAS member at NOAA. Over the history of the agency, he is the sixth NOAA scientist to become a member, the fifth from NOAA Research, and the third from GFDL. His academic background includes Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Physics and Astrophysics from the University of Delhi (India), and a Ph.D. in Atmospheric Science from the State University of New York at Albany. He was a postdoctoral Fellow in the Advanced Study Program at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado, before joining GFDL in 1985.