ESSIC scientist Jaehwa Lee has been awarded the Robert H. Goddard Award for Science in recognition of his significant contributions to aerosol research, specifically, his outstanding contributions to the development and enhancement of aerosol remote sensing algorithms.
Lee’s algorithms have been successfully implemented across a range of space-based imaging instruments, including historical Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) and Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS), as well as more recent Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS), and new generation geostationary (GEO) imagers. These advancements are critical to NASA’s mission to understand the role of aerosols in Earth system.
The aerosol satellite products generated through Lee’s dedicated efforts have become integral to NASA’s Earth System Data Records. They support scientific applications, including radiation budget studies, aerosol forecasting, data assimilation, numerical model evaluation, and air quality monitoring.
The award citation highlights Lee’s exceptional achievements, stating: “For exceptional scientific achievement in creating multi-decadal high-quality aerosol records from current and historic satellites for climate and air quality research.”
The Robert H. Goddard awardees will be celebrated during a ceremony on Tuesday, Sept 24 at 10 a.m. on the NASA Goddard campus.
