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Nielsen-Gammon receives awardsThis has been a year of awards for atmospheric sciences professor and Texas State Climatologist John Nielsen-Gammon. The most recent of these recognitions is being named Regents Professor by the Texas A&M Board of Regents. This award comes shortly after winning the 2011 Texas A&M Newsmaker Image award for his work with the media concerning the record-breaking drought.
Nielsen-Gammon is best known around the state for communicating the effects and long-range implications of drought to farmers, ranchers, community leaders and the state legislature. "He contributes enormously of his time and energy in service to Texas A&M and the state of Texas," atmospheric sciences professor and department head Kenneth Bowman says. As Texas State Climatologist, Nielsen-Gammon has been tireless in responding to media requests concerning the Texas drought, ranging from interviews with Texas daily and weekly newspapers to major broadcast networks, the New York Times and other national and international news outlets. His work earned him the Texas A&M Newsmaker Image Award for 2011, the second time in a row that the College of Geosciences has received this recognition. Dedicated to communicating science to the public, Nielsen-Gammon has earned a significant following through his popular blog Climate Abyss in the Houston Chronicle. "Part of my job as state climatologist is community outreach, and if that means speaking to the media I will gladly do it," Nielsen-Gammon says. "Knowing about the weather and climate helps people make the best decisions, whether it's what to wear today, when to plant next year, or where to live next decade." Richard Carlson, Professor and holder of Dudley J. Hughes Chair in Geology and Geophysics (2003) By George Hale Contact: Karen Riedel |
Nielsen-Gammon was chosen for his teaching and research contributions as a professor of atmospheric sciences in the College of Geosciences and for his service as Texas State Climatologist. As a professor at Texas A&M, he has received multiple teaching awards and has created a significant amount of material for two undergraduate meteorology classes. A prolific researcher, Nielsen-Gammon investigates weather-related events such as jet streams, extreme rainfall, and land and sea breezes. In air quality research, he provides field forecasting support and diagnostic analysis of ozone in Houston and Dallas for the Texas Air Quality Studies. He also works on drought monitoring and forecasting, air pollution and climatology and methods to improve the climate data record.