When Warren Washington earned his PhD in meteorology in 1963, he was the second Black scientist to ever do so. Just years later while working at the National Center for Atmospheric Research, his collaborations developed some of the earliest global climate models, helping to predict future characteristics of Earth’s atmosphere and paving the way for scientists to study climate change.
Washington has since published almost 200 peer-reviewed research articles and books that have become the gold standard for the study of climate modeling. Throughout his career, Washington’s groundbreaking work in climate science has been recognized within academic and public spheres: he served as the first Black president of the American Meteorological Society (AMS), was a climate advisor to six US presidents, received the National Medal of Science from President Obama in 2010 and the 2019 Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement.
A true pioneer in his field, Washington dedicated his life to not only the advancement of climate science as a field of study, but to the advancement of the students and early career scientists he mentored. In 1999, Washington received the Dr. Charles Anderson Award from AMS for his outreach and mentorship initiatives, an award named after Washington’s own mentor.
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