September 4th, 2018
GFDL Senior Research Scientist Isaac Held has been selected to receive the 2018 Roger Revelle Medal from AGU, “for pioneering advances in the fundamental understanding of the spatial structure of atmospheric circulation systems and water vapor in climate change.” Dr. Held has been making sustained, essential contributions to the advancement of our understanding of interactions between large-scale atmospheric dynamics and climate change for more than four decades.
The Roger Revelle Medal is given each year to one honoree in recognition of “outstanding contributions in atmospheric sciences, atmosphere-ocean coupling, atmosphere-land coupling, biogeochemical cycles, climate or related aspects of the Earth system.” Recipients are also selected for their leadership in the field, as well as the overall impact of their science. Dr. Held will be recognized at the AGU Fall Meeting Honors Ceremony in mid-December, in Washington, D.C.
Dr. Held has dedicated his career to the study of atmospheric and ocean fluid dynamics since joining GFDL in 1978. His work has had a profound influence on our understanding of the structure of atmospheric circulation systems and the role of water vapor, the most important greenhouse gas. These contributions have been crucial in deciphering the major tropical circulations and climate patterns, and their impact on the North American and European climates.
Dr. Held’s scientific achievements have earned him many distinctions. In 2003 he was elected to the United States National Academy of Sciences. He is a Fellow of both the American Meteorological Society and the American Geophysical Union. He has also received the Meisinger Award, the Carl-Gustaf Rossby Research Medal (both from the American Meteorological Society), the BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award for Climate Change, and numerous other awards. Dr. Held has authored 190 peer-reviewed papers, spanning atmospheric dynamics, circulation, and climate. He is a lecturer with rank of Professor in the Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences Program, a collaborative graduate program with Princeton University.