Tiffany A. Shaw received the James R. Holton Junior Scientist Award at the 2011 AGU Fall Meeting, held 5–9 December in San Francisco, Calif. The award recognizes outstanding research contributions by a junior atmospheric scientist within 3 years of his or her Ph.D.
Citation
The Atmospheric Sciences section of AGU awards the 2011 James R. Holton Junior Scientist Award to Tiffany A. Shaw, an assistant professor at Columbia University. As one of her nominators said, “Tiffany is an exceptionally promising young scientist. She combines a deep understanding of the theoretical foundation of atmospheric sciences with a keen desire to apply it to tackle complex applied issues, such as modeling of gravity waves, study of monsoonal flows, or analysis of moist processes in the stormtracks.” Another pointed out that “Tiffany is an outstandingly talented young scientist who has first-rate mathematical skills and the ingenuity needed to crack tough problems, but also has the physical intuition and motivation to carry her theory through to applications.” She has already published 14 journal articles in major journals, and another letter summarized, “there is no doubt in my mind that she is the best atmospheric scientist of her generation.”
Response
I would like to thank AGU and the members of the James R. Holton Junior Scientist Award Committee for this award. As an atmospheric dynamicist, I am humbled to be the recipient of an award named after Jim Holton, a dynamicist who had such a profound impact on the field. It is also a privilege to be put in the company of the previous recipients of the award. Given the increasing complexity of climate and Earth system models, it is more important than ever to have a solid foundation in geophysical fluid dynamics and to use that foundation to elucidate the fundamental aspects of the system and its response to external forcing.
I have many people to thank: First, Ted Shepherd, my thesis supervisor, for his support and guidance over the years and for helping to shape me into the scientist I am today; my postdoctoral advisors, Olivier Pauluis and Judith Perlwitz, who have helped me to grow as a scientist; Lorenzo Polvani and Adam Sobel for their support and mentorship; and, finally, all my collaborators, my family, and my friends, who have enriched my research and my life.
—Tiffany A. Shaw, Columbia University, Palisades, N. Y.