Other Awards and Honors
2010 Impact on Scientific Community
L. Ruby Leung and Jae Edmonds to Serve on NRC Study Committee
Dr. L. Ruby Leung, a Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) research scientist, and Dr. Jae Edmonds, chief scientist and Laboratory Fellow at PNNL's Joint Global Change Research Institute — a partnership between PNNL and the University of Maryland-have been selected to serve as members of the National Research Council's "A National Strategy for Advancing Climate Modeling" study committee. The committee is selected by the National Academy of Sciences with oversight by the Board on Atmospheric Sciences and Climate. The study is designed to develop a strategy for improving the nation's capability to accurately simulate climate and related Earth system changes. As two of the 15 committee members, a number of Leung and Edmonds' duties will include:
- Discuss the status and future of climate modeling over the next decade and beyond.
- Assist in the development of a strategic approach for identifying the priority observations, research, and decision support activities that would lead to the greatest improvements in the understanding and ability to monitor, model, and respond to climate change.
- Provide recommendations for developing a comprehensive and integrated national strategy for climate modeling over the next decade and beyond.
Leung is widely considered one of the top few researchers in the United States and the world in regional climate modeling, and is internationally recognized for her research on regional climate change and the hydrological cycle. She led important efforts in defining research priorities and needs in regional climate modeling, and coordinated community efforts to develop capabilities in community models to simulate regional climate. Her research crosses scientific disciplines to advance the state-of-the art in predicting climate change and its regional impacts.
Edmonds is well known for his contributions to the field of integrated assessment of climate change and the examination of interactions between energy, technology, policy, and the environment. He has contributed to numerous assessments including those of the UN-convened Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. During his 35 years in research and teaching, Edmonds has written or co-written hundreds of publications and presentations.
As part of the National Academies, the National Research Council advises the nation on scientific and technical matters. They bring together committees of experts in all areas of science and technology. These experts address critical national issues and give advice to the federal government and the public. (announced 12/1/2010)