Joanne Simpson

Dates

March 23, 1923 – March 4, 2010

Authorized Form of Name

Simpson, Joanne

Additional Forms of Names

Gerould, Joanne

Malkus, Joanne S.

Malkus, Joanne Starr

Simpson, J. S. (Joanne Starr)

Simpson, Joanne, 1923-2010

Biography

Abstract

Being the first woman to ever earn a Ph.D. in Meteorology is just one of Joanne Simpson's many accomplishments. She also served as President of the American Meteorological Society, Chief Scientist for meteorology at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, and was awarded the International Meteorological Organization Prize of the World Meteorological Organization.

Important Dates

March 23, 2012Birth, Boston (Mass.).

1943B.Sc degree, University of Chicago, Chicago (Ill.).

1945M.A degree in Meteorology, University of Chicago, Chicago (Ill.).

1949Ph.D in Meteorology, University of Chicago, Chicago (Ill.).

1951 – 1960Research Meteorologist, Woods Hole Oceanographica Institute, Woods Hole (Mass.).

1960 – 1965Professor, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles (Calif.).

1962Awarded the Meisinger Award, American Meteorological Society.

1963Advisory Panel member (1962-1965); and Director (1965-1966), Project Stormfury.

1965 – 1974Director, Experimental Meteorology Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

1967 – 1972Awarded the U.S. Department of Commerce Gold (1972) and Silver (1967) medals.

1974Professor, University of Virginia, Charlottesville (Va.).

1979Chief Scientist for Meteorology, Severe Storms Branch, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt (Md.).

1982Awarded the NASA Medal for Exceptional Scientific Achievement, NASA.

1983Awarded the Carl-Gustaf Rossby Research Medal, American Meteorological Society.

1986 – 1997Project Scientist, Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission, NASA and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency.

1988Member, National Academy of Engineering.

1989President, American Meteorological Society.

1994Awarded the William Nordberg Memorial Award for Earth Sciences, NASA.

1994Fellow, American Geophysical Union.

1999Honorary Member, Royal Meteorological Society.

2002Awarded the International Meteorological Organisation Prize, World Meteorological Organization.

2006Member, American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

approx. 1946Instructor, Illinois Institute of Technology.

Occupation

Meteorologist and atmospheric scientist.

Places

Subjects

Meteorology.

Relationships

People

Advisors & Collaborators

Riehl, Herbert, 1915-

Advisor, University of Chicago.

Rossby, Carl-Gustaf

Advisor, University of Chicago.

Additional

Bennett, Charles L. (Charles Leonard), 1956-

Both employed at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.

Gehrels, Neil

Both employed at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.

Institutions

Major Positions

Goddard Space Flight Center

Chief Scientist for Meteorology, Severe Storms Branch.

Illinois Institute of Technology

Instructor.

United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Project Scientist, Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission; Chief Scientist for Meteorology, Goddard Space Flight Center; Awarded the William Nordberg Memorial Award for Earth Sciences (1994); and the NASA Medal for Exceptional Scientific Achievement (1982).

United States. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Director, Experimental Meteorology Laboratory.

University of California, Los Angeles

Professor.

University of Virginia

Professor.

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Research Meteorologist.