The President of the American Meteorological Society (AMS) reported the news that Paul Markowski is the recipient of the highly prestigious Clarence Leroy Meisinger Award, 2015. The official citation is "For advancing knowledge about the genesis of tornadoes through a rich mix of observations, theory, and numerical modeling". This Award is given to an individual in recognition of research achievement that is, at least in part, aerological in character and concerns the observation, theory, and modeling of atmospheric motions on all scales. More information about this award can be found here: The Clarence Leroy Meisinger Awardat http://www2.ametsoc.org/ams/index.cfm/about-ams/ams-awards-fellows-and-honorary-members/awards/awards-list/the-clarence-leroy-meisinger-award/

Meisinger Awardees: among active faculty

1998 - David J. Stensrud   "for his innovative research into the structure, dynamics, and predictability of mesoscale convective systems and their impact on larger scales.”

2009 - Fuqing Zhang "For outstanding contributions to mesoscale dynamics, predictability, and ensemble data assimilation.”

Dr. Fuqing Zhang is the 8th elected AMS Fellow among active Faculty members. Dr. Zhang is being recognized "for his exceptional scientific contributions in the atmospheric sciences, specifically in the areas of atmospheric dynamics and predictability, data assimilation, and ensemble forecasting of tropical cyclones". 

Fellow Criteria: "Those eligible for election to Fellow shall have made outstanding contributions to the atmospheric or related oceanic or hydrologic sciences or their applications during a substantial period of years."

Nomination to Fellow is open to AMS members. New Fellows are elected each year  by the Council at its fall meeting from a slate submitted by the Fellows Committee of not more than two-tenths of 1 percent of all AMS Members.

Both Paul Markowski and Fuqing Zhang will be recognized at the 95th AMS Annual Meeting in Phoenix Arizona (4-8 January 2015).

AMS Fellows - A complete list of past and present recipients:

AMS Fellows and Honorary Members at http://ploneprod.met.psu.edu/about-us/faculty-honors-awards-and-distinguished%20service/ams-fellows/?searchterm=ams%20fellows