American Geophysical Union Recognizes Sorooshian's Service to Science

CHEE professor Armin Sorooshian has been awarded the American Geophysical Union's Joanne Simpson Medal for his research on airborne aerosol particles and their effects on climate.

The medal honors exceptional mid-career scientists who have made transformative scientific advances, demonstrated strong leadership, and provided outstanding service to science and society.

“As AGU’s mission is to partly advance discovery in Earth sciences and its benefit for humanity and the environment, I feel my research aligns perfectly, as the impacts of airborne particulates and clouds extend from health to climate,” Sorooshian said. “Particles lead to the most deaths globally of any environmental cause, and the interactions between particles and clouds are a leading uncertainty in understanding of climate change and rainfall patterns.”

Sorooshian has been honored for his achievements many times, including by AGU, who selected him for the Atmospheric Sciences Ascent Award four years ago. He was also recognized with the Office of Naval Research Young Investigator Program Award in 2010. Within the College of Engineering, Sorooshian was the da Vinci fellow in 2018 and the Doctoral Dissertation Advisor Award winner in 2022.

He has led several high-profile research projects, including a $30 million NASA-funded study investigating clouds over the western North Atlantic Ocean that have a critical role in our planet's energy balance. This year, a team led by Sorooshian won NASA’s Group Achievement Award.

The broader impact of Sorooshian’s work involves training the next generation of scientists to combat the challenges associated with aerosols and atmospheric studies. Sorooshian – who holds co-appointments in hydrology and atmospheric sciences, public health, and optical sciences – says working with the next wave of engineers has been at the foundation of his faculty career, and everything begins with his students in mind.