GFDL’s Legacy of Awards and Honors

GFDL has a rich legacy of creativity and excellence, which is reflected in the exceptional achievements of our scientists and the recognition they have received. The lab has been developing opportunities for exploration and collaboration since 1955, and our innovations have made critical contributions to NOAA’s applications and operations since the agency was founded.

Our scientists are among the most influential and decorated in weather, ocean, and climate sciences. We are proud to be home to dozens of recipients of prestigious awards, including the Nobel Prize and the Crafoord Prize, as well as members of the National Academy of Sciences. Scientists listed here performed their award-winning work at GFDL.

Nobel Prizes

2021 – Syukuro “Suki” Manabe, Nobel Prize in Physics, “for the physical modelling of Earth’s climate, quantifying variability and reliably predicting global warming.”
2007 – 30 GFDL Scientists, Nobel Peace Prize, “for their efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change, and to lay the foundations for the measures that are needed to counteract such change” by contributing to the International Panel on Climate Change Fourth Assessment Report.

National Academy of Sciences

2025 – Venkatachalam Ramaswamy was elected to the National Academy of Sciences
2024 – P.C.D. (Chris) Milly was elected to the National Academy of Engineering
2022 – Kirk Bryan Jr., Alexander Agassiz Medal
2003 – Isaac Held was elected to the National Academy of Sciences
1990 – Syukuro “Suki” Manabe

Crafoord Prize

2018 – Syukuro “Suki” Manabe

Benjamin Franklin Medal in Earth and Environmental Sciences

2015 – Syukuro “Suki” Manabe

BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Awards

2017 – Syukuro “Suki” Manabe
2011 – Isaac Held

Volvo Environmental Prize

1997 – Syukuro Manabe

Blue Planet Prize

1992 – Syukuro Manabe

American Geophysical Union Awards and Honors expand/collapse

2024 – Lucas Harris, Ascent Award
2024 – P.C.D. “Chris” Milly, Robert E. Horton Medal
2023 – Vaishali Naik, Piers J. Sellers Global Environmental Change Mid-Career Award
2022 – Ming Zhao, Ascent Award
2021 – Thomas Delworth, Bert Bolin Global Environmental Change Award and Lecture
2020 – Venkatachalam Ramaswamy, Jule Gregory Charney Lecturer
2019 – Nadir Jeevanjee, James R. Holton Award
2018 – Angel Adames-Coraliza, James R. Holton Award
2018 – Isaac Held, Roger Revelle Medal
2018 – Yi Ming, Ascent Award
2017 – Larry Horowitz, Ascent Award
2017- Karin van der Wiel, James R. Holton Award
2017 – Gabriel Vecchi, Ascent Award
2016 – Isaac Held, Bjerknes Lecture
2015 – Paul Ginoux, Ascent Award
2013 – Massimo Bollasina, James R. Holton Award
2011 – Arlene Fiore, James B. Macelwane Award
2010 – Syukuro “Suki” Manabe, Bowie Medal
2005 – Arlene Fiore, James R. Holton Award
1993 – Syukuro “Suki” Manabe, Revelle Medal

American Meteorological Society Awards and Honors expand/collapse

2025 – Nadir Jeevanjee, Henry G. Houghton Award
2024 – Ronald Stouffer, Syukuro Manabe Climate Research Award
2022 – Venkatachalam Ramaswamy, Carl-Gustaf Rossby Research Medal
2020 – Rong Zhang, Bernhard Haurwitz Lecturer
2016 – Venkatachalam Ramaswamy, Walter Orr Roberts Lecturer in Interdisciplinary Sciences award
2015 – Ngar-Cheung (Gabriel) Lau, The Bernhard Haurwitz Memorial Lecturer
2015 – Yi Ming, Henry G. Houghton Award
2015 – P.C.D. “Chris” Milly, Robert E. Horton Lecturer Award
2013 – Gabriel A. Vecchi, The Clarence Leroy Meisinger Award
2009 – Kirk Bryan, The Henry Stommel Research Medal
2008 – Isaac Held, Carl Gustaf Rossby Award
2001 – Brian Soden, Henry G. Houghton Award
1999 – Isaac Held, Bernhard Haurwitz Memorial Lecturer
1997 – Syukuro “Suki” Manabe, Honorary Member
1996 – Yoshio Kurihara, The Jule G. Charney Medal
1994 – Jerry Mahlman, Cal-Gustaf Rossby Research Medal
1994 – Venkatachalam Ramaswamy, Henry G. Houghton Award
1993 – Abraham H. Oort, The Jule G. Charney Medal
1992 – Syukuro “Suki” Manabe, Rossby Research Medal
1991 – Kikuro Miyakoda, The Carl-Gustaf Rossby Research Medal
1991 – Joseph Smagorinsky, The Charles Franklin Brooks Award for Outstanding Service to the Society
1990 – Ngar-Cheung. (Gabriel) Lau, Meisinger Award
1987 – Isaac Held, Meisinger Award, “American Meteorological Society
1987 – Syukuro “Suki” Manabe, 2nd Half Century Award
1985 – S. George Philander, The Sverdrup Gold Medal
1984 – Yoshio Kurihara, The Banner I. Miller Award
1980 – Joseph Smagorinsky, The Cleveland Abbe Award for Distinguished Service to the Atmospheric and Related Sciences
1978 – Jerry D. Mahlman, Editor’s Award-Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorological Monographs
1972 – Joseph Smagorinsky, Carl-Gustaf Rossby Award
1970 – Kirk Bryan, The Sverdrup Gold Medal
1967 – Syukuro “Suki” Manabe, Meisinger Award
1967 – Joseph Smagorinsky, The Clarence Leroy Meisinger Award

American Geophysical Union Fellows expand/collapse

2023 – Rong Zhang
2020 – Thomas Knutson
2020 – Gabriel Lau
2018 – Tom Delworth
2017 – Stephen Griffies
2012 – Ronald Stouffer
2011 – Arlene Fiore
2008 – Venkatachalam Ramaswamy
2005 – John Robert Toggweiler
1998 – Hiram Levy
1995 – Isaac Held
1967 – Syukuro “Suki” Manabe

American Meteorological Society Fellows expand/collapse

2019 – Leo Donner
2019 – Rong Zhang
2018 – Shian-Jiann Lin
2015 – Tom Delworth
2014 – P.C.D. “Chris” Milly
2013 – Tom Knutson
2007 – Ronald Stouffer
2006 – Venkatachalam Ramaswamy
2000 – Ants Leetmaa
1998 – Joseph Smagorinsky
1994 – Kikuro Miyakoda
1994 – Isidoro Orlanski
1993 – Kirk Bryan
1993 – Isaac Held
1993 – Yoshio Kurihara
1993 – Ngar-Cheung (Gabriel) Lau
1993 – Jerry D. Mahlman
1993 – Syukuro “Suki” Manabe
1993 – Abraham H. Oort
1993 – S. George Philander
1993 – Gareth Williams

American Physical Society Fellow

2021 – Venkatachalam Ramaswamy

American Association for the Advancement of Science Fellows

2020 – Isaac Held
2019 – Leo Donner
2016 – Venkatachalam Ramaswamy
1997 – Syukuro “Suki” Manabe

World Climate Research Program/World Weather Research Program

2019 – Baoqiang Xiang, International Prize for Model Development

World Meteorological Organization

2013 – Massimo Bollasina, Yi Ming, and Venkatachalam Ramaswamy, Norbert Gerbier Mumm International Award
2003 – Venkatachalam Ramaswamy, et al., Norbert Gerbier Mumm International Award
1998 – Benjamin D. Santer, et al. (co-authors: A. H. Oort, V. Ramaswamy, M. D. Schwarzkopf, R. J. Stouffer), Norbert Gerbier Mumm International Award

European Geophysical Society

2014 – Stephen Griffies, Nansen Medal
1998 – Syukuro “Suki” Manabe, Milankovich Medal

Royal Meteorological Society

2006 – Syukuro “Suki” Manabe, Honorary Member

Royal Society of Canada

1995 – Syukuro “Suki” Manabe, Member, “Foreign Member”

Academia Europaea

1994 – Syukuro “Suki” Manabe, Foreign Member

Japan Meteorological Society

2000 – Syukuro “Suki” Manabe, Honorary Member
1966 – Syukuro “Suki” Manabe, Fujiwara Award

Japan Academy (Gakushiin)

2009 – Syukuro “Suki” Manabe, Member; Foreign Member (Kyaku-In)

Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology

2008 – Syukuro “Suki” Manabe, Fellow

Asahi Glass Foundation

1992 – Syukuro “Suki” Manabe, Blue Planet Prize

Asahi News Cultural Foundation

1995 – Syukuro “Suki” Manabe, Asahi Prize (Asahi-Sho)

Kyoto Prefecture/City

2009 – Syukuro “Suki” Manabe, Induction to Earth Hall of Fame, “Kyoto”

McGill University

2004 – Syukuro “Suki” Manabe, Honorary Doctor of Science

Presidential Awards expand/collapse

2025 – Nadir Jeevanjee, Early Career Award for Engineers and Scientists
2023 – Thomas Delworth, Meritorious Rank Award
2018 – Venkatachalam Ramaswamy, Distinguished Rank Award
2010 – Isaac Held, Distinguished Rank Award
2009 – Charles Stock, Early Career Award for Engineers and Scientists
2008 – Yi Ming, Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers
2006 – Arlene Fiore, Early Career Award for Engineers and Scientists
2005 – Venkatachalam Ramaswamy, Meritorious Rank Award
1993 – Jerry Mahlman, Distinguished Rank Award
1980 – Joseph Smagorinsky, Distinguished Rank Award