Dr. Warren M. Washington was an acclaimed climate scientist and scholar who advised six U.S. presidents on climate change and served as chair of the National Science Board.
- Died: October 18, 2024 (Who else died on October 18?)
- Details of death: Died in Colorado at the age of 88.
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Dr. Warren M. Washington’s legacy
When Warren M. Washington earned his doctorate in meteorology from Pennsylvania State University, he became only the second ever Black American to do so, an accomplishment that set the stage for the highly respected career to come. In 1963, he joined the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), climbing to senior scientist by 1975 and becoming one of the world’s foremost experts in climate science.
Washington served for a time as chair of the National Science Board and was advisor to six consecutive U.S. Presidents. His work culminated in his receiving the National Medal of Science from President Barack Obama, and in 2020, having an award named in his honor by the American Meteorological Society.
His published works include “An Introduction to Three-Dimensional Climate Modeling,” written with Claire L. Parkinson, which is now considered essential reference material in climate science. Models he helped develop led to NCAR becoming one of the world’s premier climate centers.
Other awards Washington earned include the National Weather Service Modernization Award, the Biological and Environmental Research Program Exceptional Service Award for Atmospheric Science, the 20th Century Pioneers in Atmospheric Sciences Award at Howard University, and many others. He was inducted into the Portrait Collection of African Americans in Science, Engineering, and Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences in 1997.
On addressing climate change:
“We’re one of the few countries that isn’t trying to set targets and come up with schemes to cut back on the use of fossil fuels. What’s encouraging is that the young people we interact with who understand something about how climate change works are helping to influence elections. But there’s a lot more that could be done.”—Interview with the Society of Physics Students, 2020
Tributes to Dr. Warren M. Washington
Full obituary: National Center for Atmospheric Research
