NSF NCAR

Launched in May 2011, the NSF NCAR Distinguished Scholar program is one of the highest honors bestowed upon NSF NCAR scientists who have made significant contributions to atmospheric and related sciences and the scientific community. The award recognizes sustained, influential career achievements as scientists approach or enter retirement. 

Each Distinguished Scholar holds a four-year, renewable term in which she or he may receive non-salary financial support to foster collaboration, mentorship, and other activities involving NSF NCAR. 

Current Distinguished Scholars

Guy Brasseur

Guy Brasseur

Term: June 2024 - May 2028

Brasseur’s primary scientific interests are questions related to global change, climate variability, chemistry-climate relations, biosphere-atmosphere interactions, climate change, stratospheric ozone depletion, global air pollution including tropospheric ozone, solar-terrestrial relations.

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Kevin Trenberth

Kevin Trenberth

Term: October 2024 - September 2028

Trenberth is an expert in global warming and its influence on precipitation, drought, sea level rise, and hurricanes. His research emphasizes the analysis of observational data to understand what happens in the real world and how well computer models replicate those climate observations

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Rolando Garcia

Rolando Garcia

Term: August 1, 2024 - July 31, 2028

Dr. Garcia has fundamentally advanced the atmospheric sciences through study of observational, theoretical and numerical studies of ozone and other atmospheric constituents. He is a co-developer of the Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model (WACCM).

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Previous Distinguished Scholars

Warren Washington

Warren Washington

Washington was one of the first developers of groundbreaking atmospheric computer models in the early 1960s. Over the course of his more than 50-year career, he was an internationally recognized expert on atmospheric science and climate research, and his many community contributions include serving as President of the American Meteorological Society and as a member of the National Science Board.

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Linda Mearns

Linda Mearns

Over the course of her more than 40-year career at NSF NCAR, Dr. Mearns was a thought leader in interdisciplinary climate change research. As an interdisciplinary climate scientist, she remains renowned in regional climate change, climate change scenario formation, quantifying uncertainties, and climate change impacts on agro-ecosystems

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Criteria

The criteria for a Distinguished Scholar appointment is based on the NSF NCAR scientific and research engineering appointment criteria with an emphasis on the sustained quality, significance, and productivity of the scientific and service achievements of the nominee. The appointment criteria also cover:

  • How the nominee’s research has fundamentally advanced or changed the field.
  • How the nominee’s research has served NSF NCAR and the center/laboratory/observatory mission.
  • How that research has served the broader research community.

The NSF NCAR Distinguished Scholar program recognizes a long-standing and exceptional career that is rich in sustained service and research. For this reason, few extraordinary individuals will qualify. The appointment should be as much an honor for NSF NCAR as it is for the individual.