September 25th, 2024
Lucas Harris, Deputy Division Leader of the Weather and Climate Dynamics Division at GFDL, has been honored with the 2024 American Geophysical Union (AGU) Atmospheric Sciences Ascent Award. This award recognizes his outstanding research and leadership in high-resolution atmospheric model development and its applications for weather and climate predictions. The Ascent Award is presented annually to exceptional mid-career scientists affiliated with AGU’s Atmospheric Sciences section.
A leading figure in the field of atmospheric model development, Dr. Harris specializes in the use of high-resolution models that span from regional to global scales. Since 2019, he has led the Finite-Volume Cubed-Sphere Dynamical Core (FV3) team at GFDL, developing and applying the System for High-resolution prediction on Earth-to-Local Domains (SHiELD). This high-resolution modeling system plays a key role in NOAA’s Unified Forecasting System and includes a variety of research configurations that enhance weather predictions from daily to seasonal scales.
Under his leadership, GFDL has advanced tropical cyclone track prediction, severe storm forecasting, and climate modeling of high-impact atmospheric phenomena. Dr. Harris also successfully leads NOAA’s Global-Nest Initiative, aimed at building next-generation global-to-regional and global storm-resolving models for improved extreme weather predictions. His work with the X-SHiELD global storm-resolving model includes progressive multi-year simulations exploring the impacts of global warming on severe weather, setting a new standard in high-resolution climate modeling.
“Dr. Harris is already establishing himself as a leader in the emerging field of global storm-resolving models for climate studies, effectively ushering in a new era of kilometer-scale climate modeling,” said Tom Knutson, Division Leader of GFDL’s Weather and Climate Dynamics Division.
Dr. Harris’s collaborative efforts extend beyond GFDL, contributing to the development of the Hurricane Analysis and Forecasting System and working closely with NOAA’s Environmental Modeling Center and other partners. His technical innovations have addressed significant challenges in high-resolution modeling, enabling multi-year global simulations at 3 kilometer grid spacing and managing the extensive data output essential for scientific analysis.
His achievements are also reflected in his impressive publication record, which includes 58 peer-reviewed papers, an H-index of 25, and over 2,900 citations. His contributions have earned recognition beyond AGU, including an Honorable Mention for the World Weather Research and World Climate Research Programmes International Prize for Model Development.
Dr. Harris holds a Ph.D. in Atmospheric Sciences and an M.S. in Applied Mathematics, both from the University of Washington, providing a strong foundation for his innovative contributions to atmospheric modeling.