Among the highest distinctions are four new AMS Honorary Members: atmospheric scientist Inez Fung, former AMS executive director Keith Seitter, climate and atmospheric scientist J. Marshall Shepherd, and longtime NOAA leader Louis W. Uccellini. Honorary Membership is reserved for individuals whose scientific achievements, applications, leadership, or service have had an exceptional influence on the atmospheric, oceanic, or hydrologic sciences. Their selection reflects the increasingly interdisciplinary nature of modern Earth-system science, in which climate, weather, society, and policy are tightly connected.

The Carl-Gustaf Rossby Research Medal will go to Rong Fu for pioneering observations of the atmospheric water cycle and land-atmosphere coupling. These processes describe how moisture moves between soil, vegetation, and the atmosphere, influencing rainfall, drought, and fire weather. Paola Cessi will receive the Henry Stommel Research Medal for advancing understanding of the ocean’s large-scale meridional overturning circulation, a system that transports heat, carbon, and nutrients around the planet. Sharon Nicholson, honored with the Hydrologic Sciences Medal, is recognized for foundational work on dryland hydroclimatology, particularly across Africa, where rainfall variability directly affects food and water security.

Other major science medals highlight the global machinery driving weather and climate. Renhe Zhang will receive the Sverdrup Gold Medal for clarifying Asian monsoon variability and its relationship with Northwest Pacific ocean-atmosphere interactions and El Niño–Southern Oscillation. Christian Kummerow will be awarded the Verner E. Suomi Technology Medal for transforming precipitation measurement through satellite microwave remote sensing. By detecting how raindrops, ice particles, and cloud structures interact with microwave radiation, such systems provide critical observations over oceans and remote regions where ground-based instruments are scarce.

David Thompson will receive the Jule G. Charney Medal for research into climate variability, stratospheric influences on global change, and the reliability of observed temperature records. Venkatachalam Ramaswamy will receive the Warren Washington Research and Leadership Medal for influential research on radiation-climate interactions and his leadership of NOAA’s Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory. The Jagadish Shukla Earth System Predictability Prize will recognize Xin-Zhong Liang, whose regional Earth-system models integrate atmospheric, hydrologic, ecological, and human influences to improve decision support for climate-sensitive communities.

The awards also emphasize the infrastructure and public institutions that make scientific progress possible. Eric DeWeaver is being honored for two decades of leadership in the National Science Foundation’s Climate and Large-Scale Dynamics Program, while Jim Mather is recognized for strengthening the scientific reach and accessibility of a major atmospheric observing facility. The National Weather Service AI Language Translation Program Team will receive the Francis W. Reichelderfer Award for developing the agency’s first artificial-intelligence-powered multilingual weather translation system. The technology is designed to make urgent forecasts and warnings accessible to people who may not receive life-saving information in English.

Several awards focus on mentorship, inclusion, and the human side of science. Jennifer D. Small Griswold will receive the Edward N. Lorenz Teaching Excellence Award for connecting atmospheric science with culture, place, and community while supporting students from diverse backgrounds. Isha Renta López will receive the Robert H. and Joanne Simpson Mentorship Award for expanding STEM access among Hispanic and Latin communities through science communication and engagement. Mona Behl will receive the Charles E. Anderson Award for advancing diversity and equity through organizational change, advocacy, and sustained mentorship in the geosciences.

Research addressing immediate societal challenges is also prominent. David Nolan will receive the Joanne Simpson Tropical Meteorology Research Award for work combining theory, field measurements, and numerical modeling to improve understanding of hurricane dynamics and forecasting. John Mitchell will receive the Syukuro Manabe Climate Research Award for developing and applying climate models that revealed how greenhouse gases and aerosols influence human-caused climate change. Sara Pryor is recognized for advancing renewable-energy research through actionable science, international collaboration, and mentorship, while Claudia Wagner-Riddle is honored for explaining the processes controlling greenhouse-gas emissions from agricultural ecosystems.

The 2027 recipients further include scientists working on urban meteorology, boundary-layer turbulence, ocean dynamics, and climate extremes. Shiguang Miao is being honored for research that improves urban forecasting, disaster-risk reduction, and resilience. John Albertson will receive an award for connecting turbulence physics with environmental challenges through simulations and field experiments. Early-career honors go to Ángel Adames Corraliza for moisture-mode theory in tropical dynamics, Aaron Piña for bridging science, policy, and community service, Zhiwei Zhang for research on submesoscale ocean dynamics, and Karen McKinnon for studying how internal variability and land-atmosphere feedbacks shape extreme temperatures and precipitation.

Forecasting and communication awards underscore the direct connection between atmospheric science and public safety. The National Weather Service office in Paducah, Kentucky, will receive the Award for an Exceptional Specific Prediction for life-saving forecasts during historic high-impact weather events in spring 2025. Jason Sippel will receive the Charles L. Mitchell Award for improving hurricane prediction through the operational use of reconnaissance observations. Broadcast meteorologists Jay Trobec and Drew Anderson are recognized for global leadership and for making topics ranging from earthquakes to auroras understandable through engaging scientific storytelling.

The AMS will also honor the Farthest North Chapter as its Local Chapter of the Year and the CU Boulder American Meteorological Society Chapter as its Local Student Chapter of the Year. Lectureships will recognize Jeffrey Pierce for research linking atmospheric particles with air quality, climate, and human health; Ashok Mishra for work on drought propagation and water security; and Daniela Domeisen for research into stratosphere-troposphere coupling and subseasonal prediction. The National Lightning Safety Council will receive a Special Award for 25 years of public education and advocacy, while 28 scientists will become AMS Fellows. Together, the selections illustrate a field moving rapidly from observation and theory toward prediction systems, inclusive communication, and practical tools for a safer world.

Subject of Research: Weather, water, climate science, atmospheric and oceanic research, forecasting, Earth-system modeling, scientific communication, and public safety.

Article Title: AMS Announces 2027 Honors Recognizing Breakthroughs in Climate Science, Forecasting, and Public Safety

Web References: https://www.ametsoc.org/ams/about-ams/ams-awards-honors/2027-award-and-honors-recipients; https://annual.ametsoc.org/2027/

Keywords: American Meteorological Society, AMS Awards 2027, climate science, meteorology, atmospheric science, hydrology, oceanography, hurricanes, drought, Earth-system modeling, artificial intelligence, weather forecasting, renewable energy, lightning safety, science communication

With increasing global urgency to understand and mitigate the impacts of climate change, the facilitation of unrestricted access to high-quality scientific literature represents a pivotal stride in fostering equitable knowledge dissemination. IPCC authors from developing nations, who often face institutional or financial barriers to accessing critical resources, will now have unencumbered entry to AMS’s repository of cutting-edge research. This inclusivity ensures a more diverse base of expertise contributing to the scientific rigor of AR7, and ultimately strengthens the legitimacy and international relevance of the report.

AMS’s portfolio encompasses an expansive range of disciplines integral to climate science, including atmospheric chemistry and physics, oceanography, hydrology, and beyond. The accessibility of this scholarly corpus allows researchers to integrate multidimensional perspectives on Earth’s climate system, facilitating comprehensive synthesis and nuanced interpretation of evolving data. Importantly, the peer-review process upheld by AMS serves as a hallmark of scientific integrity, underpinning the reliability and validity of research findings that inform global climate policy.

Dave Stensrud, President of the American Meteorological Society, emphasized the organization’s commitment to broadening access to trusted scientific knowledge, underscoring the role of AMS in nurturing a global scientific community that reflects diverse voices and expertise. This ethos aligns with the principles of transparency and collaboration that are foundational to IPCC’s assessment processes, which aim to provide policymakers with robust, evidence-based insights derived from the collective work of hundreds of scientists worldwide.

The partnership not only reduces access disparities but also augments the capacity of IPCC authors to keep abreast of rapid scientific advancements. The acceleration in climate-related research outputs demands timely integration into assessment reports to ensure that policy recommendations are informed by the latest empirical evidence and theoretical developments. As global climate challenges evolve, the dynamic interplay between research dissemination platforms and international assessment mechanisms becomes increasingly critical.

Moreover, AMS’s role extends beyond publication access. As a nonprofit society, it actively convenes scientific forums, fosters professional development, and facilitates interdisciplinary collaboration that drives innovation in atmospheric and related sciences. By linking these activities with IPCC’s assessment frameworks, AMS helps to cultivate a vibrant ecosystem where climate knowledge is continuously refined, scrutinized, and translated into actionable understanding.

IPCC Chair Jim Skea lauded this new collaboration as a “timely and much-valued contribution,” highlighting its importance in empowering researchers worldwide to evaluate the burgeoning body of climate science comprehensively. The initiative reflects a broader movement within the scientific publishing community towards open access and cooperative engagement, setting a precedent that AMS hopes will inspire similar arrangements with other leading publishers.

Additionally, AMS has joined forces with the American Geophysical Union (AGU) to create the U.S. Climate Collection, a carefully curated compendium of climate research papers that will be freely accessible to scientists, policymakers, and the public. This illustrates AMS’s proactive stance in democratizing scientific information and facilitating knowledge exchange critical to addressing climate risks and identifying viable mitigation strategies.

The strategic alignment between AMS and IPCC represents a significant step in reinforcing the infrastructure of climate science communication. By making authoritative scientific literature readily available, the partnership addresses one of the core challenges that have historically limited the inclusiveness and comprehensiveness of global climate assessments—access to relevant, peer-reviewed research regardless of geographic or economic constraints.

Furthermore, the integration of AMS’s resources into the IPCC assessment process promises to enrich the scientific foundation upon which climate policy deliberations are constructed. This synergy is essential as the AR7 report seeks to not only synthesize current understanding of human-induced climate change but also project potential future scenarios and evaluate mitigation and adaptation pathways with unprecedented precision.

The collaboration symbolizes a recognition of the interconnected nature of scientific inquiry and policy formulation, where fostering global partnerships and leveraging collective expertise are paramount. It signals to the international community that sustained efforts towards open, inclusive, and transparent scientific dissemination are indispensable to advancing climate action and meeting the global goals set by the Paris Agreement.

In conclusion, AMS’s partnership with the IPCC exemplifies a transformative approach to scientific collaboration in the climate arena. By dismantling barriers to information access and promoting diversity among contributing experts, this initiative strengthens the credibility, comprehensiveness, and impact of forthcoming climate assessments. It is a vital milestone in the global endeavor to understand, communicate, and confront the multifaceted challenges posed by climate change.

Subject of Research: Climate Science, Scientific Publishing, International Scientific Collaboration

Article Title: American Meteorological Society Partners with IPCC to Expand Access to Climate Science Research for Seventh Assessment Report

News Publication Date: Not specified in the provided content

Web References: www.ametsoc.org

Keywords: Scientific publishing, scientific journals, scientific associations, nongovernmental organizations, international cooperation, climate change, climate data, atmospheric science, climatology, anthropogenic climate change, climate change effects

The American Meteorological Society’s critique underscores a central tenet in the practice of science: accurate characterization of scientific understanding is paramount, especially when informing policies with wide-reaching environmental and societal implications. AMS asserts that each identified flaw in the DoE report independently contravenes established scientific methodologies. Consequently, a comprehensive re-evaluation and correction of all five foundational flaws must precede any public dissemination. Only through such rigorous reassessment can the report’s conclusions be expected to cohere with the extensive body of climate science research and the findings of authoritative entities such as the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM), the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), and AMS itself.

Central to the AMS’s position is the reaffirmation of five robust conclusions concerning climate change, each grounded in decades of meticulous research and validated by independent expert evaluation worldwide. The first critical conclusion establishes that the Earth’s climate system is unequivocally changing. The rate and magnitude of this change far exceed historical variability observed throughout human history, thereby signaling unprecedented transformations in atmospheric and oceanic processes. This conclusion is supported by a myriad of empirical datasets, including satellite observations, paleoclimate reconstructions, and global temperature records, which collectively form an irrefutable evidentiary basis.

At the heart of AMS’s reaffirmed conclusions lies the recognition of anthropogenic influence as the primary driver of contemporary climate change. Human activities, most notably the combustion of fossil fuels, have significantly increased concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. This enhanced greenhouse effect is the principal mechanism accelerating global warming, triggering comprehensive shifts in climate patterns. The scientific consensus on this point emerges from diverse lines of evidence, such as carbon isotope analysis, climate modeling, and observational studies, each converging to implicate human-induced emissions as the dominant causal factor.

Equally important is the acknowledgement of the multifaceted harms engendered by climate change. AMS emphasizes that the impacts are not theoretical projections but ongoing threats affecting biodiversity, ecosystems, human health, and socioeconomic stability. The increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, rising sea levels, and disruptions to agriculture exemplify the tangible consequences already manifesting worldwide. These impacts are intensifying over time, amplifying risks to vulnerable populations and biodiversity, and necessitating urgent response measures informed by sound science.

On the response front, AMS asserts the existence of a broad spectrum of scientifically validated options for mitigating the dangers posed by climate change. These include both mitigation strategies aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adaptation techniques designed to enhance resilience to climate impacts. Effective response measures draw on interdisciplinary research spanning economics, engineering, environmental science, and social sciences, emphasizing the importance of integrated approaches tailored to specific regional and sectoral contexts.

Crucially, AMS highlights the overwhelming agreement within the scientific community regarding these core conclusions. The degree of consensus across independent experts and institutions worldwide fortifies the credibility of the current climate science paradigm. This convergence counters misinformation and underscores the reliability of climate assessments when conducted under rigorous methodological standards. The statement demonstrates that dissenting views generally lack the robust empirical foundation that characterizes mainstream scientific understanding.

The AMS’s call for a rigorous reassessment of the DoE’s report arises from its commitment to preserving the integrity of climate science communication. The presence of foundational flaws, if uncorrected, risks eroding public trust and impeding evidence-based policymaking. The society’s statement implicitly advocates for transparency in research methodologies, clear articulation of uncertainties, and adherence to the best available science as necessary ingredients for credible synthesis reports. This approach ensures that policy decisions informed by such reports are grounded in the most accurate scientific evidence.

Moreover, this critique contributes to the broader discourse on science policy and the role of expert organizations in guiding national and international climate strategies. It exemplifies the interplay between scientific assessment and policy formulation, highlighting the responsibilities of governmental bodies to heed scientific advice and rectify inaccuracies before promulgating influential documents. The statement by AMS thus serves as a benchmark for accountability and a call to uphold the highest standards in climate science assessments.

The AMS’s detailed evaluation also implicitly underscores the complexity of climate systems and the challenges that arise in synthesizing vast amounts of data into coherent, policy-relevant reports. Each flaw identified in the DoE synthesis points to potential issues such as data selection biases, misinterpretation of statistical analyses, or incomplete consideration of interdisciplinary insights. Addressing these challenges requires collaborative efforts among scientists, policymakers, and communication experts to produce synthesis reports that are both scientifically rigorous and accessible.

The statement further reaffirms AMS’s role as a steward of atmospheric and climate science, dedicated to advancing knowledge that benefits society at large. Founded over a century ago, AMS remains at the forefront of research dissemination, professional development, and community engagement. Its publication of numerous technical journals and its orchestration of scientific conferences foster continuous dialogue and innovation in climate science, reinforcing the base from which authoritative assessments like this statement emerge.

Finally, the public release of this statement aligns with broader efforts within the scientific community to combat misinformation and promote informed action on climate change. By explicitly defending the foundational conclusions of climate science and highlighting the limitations of governmental reports, AMS positions itself as a critical voice advocating for science-based policies and societal resilience. The pursuit of accuracy in climate assessment is not merely academic but instrumental in shaping humanity’s response to one of the defining challenges of our era.

Subject of Research: Climate change assessment and critique of governmental climate synthesis reports
Article Title: The American Meteorological Society Identifies Foundational Flaws in the Department of Energy’s 2025 Climate Report
News Publication Date: Information not provided
Web References:

• https://www.ametsoc.org/ams/about-ams/ams-statements/statements-of-the-ams-in-force/the-practice-and-assessment-of-science-five-foundational-flaws-in-the-department-of-energys-2025-climate-report/
• https://www.ametsoc.org/
  Keywords: Climate change, Climatology, Scientific consensus, Scientific method, Science policy, Environmental policy, Climate policy, Scientific associations