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2021 AOS Alumni receive AMS Awards

January 15, 2021

The AOS department would like to recognize several of our alumni who were the recipients of 2021 AMS Award honors. Bio/info taken from the AMS Awards brochure


Daphne LaDue (M.S. 1992) is the recipient of the 2021 Robert H. and Joanne Simpson Mentorship Award
“For generous, thoughtful, and caring mentorship to students and their supervisors during more than 20 years of directing the Oklahoma Research Experience for Undergraduates program”

Dapnhe LaDue is a meteorologist-turned-social-scientist who, as one of her funded projects, has run The University of Oklahoma’s NSF-funded weather-related Research Experiences for Undergraduates program since 2001. Over 200 U.S. undergraduate students have gone through the program under her directorship, benefitting from her unique career path and innate curiosity about our disciplines. One of her greatest satisfactions is helping undergraduates learn about career opportunities to help them find a good career fit.

Eric Smith (B.S.in Mathematics, Comparative Literature, 1966) is the recipient of the Verner E. Suomi Technology Medal
“For innovative technological achievements that fundamentally changed the use of satellite observations in meteorology and hydrometeorology”

Dr. Smith received undergraduate degrees in Mathematics & Comparative Literature from UW-Madison, obtaining his MS/PhD degrees from CSU. He served as a Research Specialist at Prof. Suomi’s Space Science & Engineering Center; Research Faculty at CSU; Professor at both KAAU-Jeddah & FSU; Director of NASA-MSFC/UAH Global Hydrology & Climate Center; Assoc. Faculty at both UVa & UMD; initial GPM Mission Scientist at NASA/GSFC; Senior Scientist at CRCES (non-profit) and following retirement in 2015, he manages EAS Enterprises at home int Tallahassee

Jason P. Samenow (M.S. 2000) is the recipient of an AMS Special Award
“For years of exemplary, groundbreaking journalism and outstanding articles that entertain, inform, and educate the public about weather, climate, and the environment”

Jason Samenow is The Washington Post’s weather editor and chief meteorologist for its weather team, the Capital Weather Gang. He also provides radio forecasts for Washington’s NPR affiliate

Uma Bhatt (M.S. 1989, Ph.D. 1996) was elected as a Fellow of the AMS

Currently a Professor at University of Alaska Fairbanks, Uma was drawn to a career in climeate science after experiencing the 1983-85 drought in East Africa where she served as a Peace Corps Volunteer. She is happy to report that after a few decades as a climate reseacher, mostof her projects now connect with society. She currently focuses on seasonal forecasting of Alaska fire weather and Arctic sea ice, impacts of sea ice variations, and climate drivers of Arctic tundra vegetation change.

Congratulations on the recognition of these outstanding achievements of our alumni!