A Leader in Earth System Research
Our Mission
To conduct and transition world-class Earth system research, with a focus on the Atlantic Ocean region, to inform: the accurate forecasting of extreme weather and ocean phenomena, the management of marine resources, and an understanding of climate change and associated impacts, thereby improving ocean and weather services for the region, the nation, and the world.
Our Vision
Be the leader in Earth system research in the Atlantic Ocean region, providing trusted scientific data and knowledge to predict changes in weather, climate, oceans, and marine ecosystems.
Our Leadership
Deputy Director
Molly is a veteran sea-going oceanographer and has led numerous research projects during her 22-year tenure at AOML. Her research portfolio is strongly rooted in the Atlantic Ocean, linking ocean circulation patterns and changes to global and regional climate patterns. She skillfully manages research teams and projects, and forges partnerships with national and international research institutions, including the National Science Foundation, NASA, and the National Environmental Research Council in the UK, among others, to bring AOML science to bear.
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Molly’s research expertise includes measuring the strength of the Western Boundary Current in the North Atlantic, monitoring the meridional overturning circulation in the North Atlantic as part of the RAPID/MOCH program, managing high-density XBT observations in the Atlantic, and leading repeat hydrography and coastal carbon dioxide surveys. Molly has served in leadership roles on more than 29 hydrographic programs since 1998, including the role of chief scientist on more than a dozen of these cruises.
Molly’s scientific leadership extends well beyond the ship’s helm. Molly has served on more than 21 national and international panels including as secretary of the Physical Oceanography Section of the American Meteorological Society and the International Argo Panel, regularly providing advice and direction on national science policy and program management, including stakeholder negotiations.
Molly received her doctoral degree in 1994 from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in the field of physical oceanography. Molly is also a graduate of NOAA’s Leadership Competency Development Program and the National Weather Service’s Building Leaders for a Solid Tomorrow (BLAST) program. Molly also served as AOML’s acting deputy director in 2010, during the Deep Water Horizon oil spill, skillfully managing resources to support AOML’s scientific response.
Molly has published over 80 peer-reviewed publications in journals such as Science, the Journal of Climate, and the Journal of Geophysical Research, to name a few. Over the past ten years she has also served as a principal investigator or co-principal investigator on numerous externally funded research programs totaling more than $30 million. She is also the recipient of the Department of Commerce Bronze Medal award for her role on the Western Boundary Time Series Team.
| AOML Deputy Director
Molly Baringer, Ph.D.
Division Directors
Director
Hurricane Research Division
Ghassan Alaka, Ph.D.
Director
Ocean Chemistry & Ecosystems Division
Vacant
Deputy Director
Hurricane Research Division
Vacant
Deputy Director
Ocean Chemistry & Ecosystems Division
Jasmin John
Deputy Director
Physical Oceanography Division
Renellys Perez, Ph.D.
A History of Excellence in Research
See all awards earned by AOML staff and scientists for the past three fiscal years.
2026
| Awards | Organization | Awardees | Description |
| Honorary Fellow | American Geographical Society | Jennifer McWhorter | For advancing discovery and shaping the future of research. |
| Banner I. Miller Award | American Meteorological Society | Andrew Hazelton, Frank D. Marks, and Ghassan J. Alaka Jr. | For developing a high-wind boundary-layer parameterization scheme that advances the intensity, including rapid intensification, and forecast skill of NOAA’s operational hurricane forecast model, HAFS. |
| Fellow | American Meteorological Society | Sundararaman Gopalakrishnan | For outstanding contributions to the atmospheric or related oceanic or hydrologic sciences or their applications |
2025
| Awards | Organization | Awardees | Description |
| 50 Awards Finalist | FedScoop | Tara McQueen | For outstanding achievements of federal tech leaders, acknowledging their tireless efforts to make a positive impact in the government community and in public service. |
| Distinguished Career Award | NOAA | Molly Baringer | For your sustained leadership, innovation, and commitment to excellence throughout 30 years of service to NOAA’s Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory |
| Bronze Medal | Department of Commerce | Jasmin John | For quantifying the climate and human drivers of US wildfire trends and impacts through Earth System modeling of climate-vegetation-fire interactions |
| Administrator Award | NOAA | Sundararaman Gopalakrishnan, Hyun-Sook Kim and Xuejin Zhang | For creating the first Unified Forecast System based hurricane model, a major advancement in operational hurricane track and intensity predictions |
| Excellence in Partnering Award | National Oceanographic Partnership Program | Luke Thompson | For his leading contributions piloting the emerging Bio-GO-SHIP program |
| Bronze medal | Department of Commerce | NOAA Ambassadors | For significantly enhancing NOAA’s ability to increase awareness of its mission through impactful outreach, education, and service. |
| 2021-2022 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) | White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) | Jason Dunion | For being an exceptional and innovative atmospheric science researcher, collaborator, communicator, and student mentor, all of which have greatly benefitted NOAA, the hurricane research community, and the general public. |
| Silver Sherman Award | NOAA | Esa Peltola | For outstanding efforts in implementing Business Applications Solution (BAS) at AOML that have resulted in improving the system for all of NOAA, as well as enabled AOML to continue to provide a high level of financial and administrative services during the BAS transition. |
| Team Member of the Year Award
(Personal and Professional Excellence) |
Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research | D. Poinsettia Byrd | For professional excellence in leading the successful renovation of AOML’s coral laboratory, enhancing NOAA’s capacity for cutting-edge marine research and conservation. |
| Employee of the Year Award
(Personal and Professional Excellence) |
Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research | Nicole I. Besemer | For professional excellence in leading the successful renovation of AOML’s coral laboratory, enhancing NOAA’s capacity for cutting-edge marine research and conservation. |
| Employee of the Year Award
(Employee Development) |
Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research | Ulises F. Rivero | For excellence in leading AOML’s instrumentation group, orchestrating a successful field season with limited staff, and recruiting and retaining the next generation to ensure continued success. |
| Reubin O’D. Askew Award | Florida State University | Andrew Hazelton | Highest honor bestowed upon young alumni by the Florida State University Alumni Association that award recognizes contributions to the state, nation and university. |
2024
| Awards | Organization | Awardees | Description |
| Robert and Joanne Simpson Award | National Tropical Weather Conference | Jason Dunion | For exceptional contributions that have improved our understanding of complex atmospheric phenomenon in the field of tropical meteorology. |
| Editor’s Award | American Meteorological Society | Michael S. Fischer | For multiple high-quality and very thorough reviews that have been helpful in making critical editorial decisions about research papers submitted to the Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences. |
| Gold Medal | Department of Commerce | Joseph J. Cione
Jason P. Dunion (CIMAS) Jun A. Zhang (CIMAS) |
For deploying a small uncrewed aircraft system into the eyewall of Hurricane Ian (2022) after a multi-year collaborative effort overcoming many obstacles. |
| Silver Medal | Department of Commerce | Sang-Ki Lee
Fabian Gomez (NGI) |
For developing the first United States river chemistry dataset for regional ocean biogeochemical modeling and carbon chemistry studies in the US. |
| Bronze Medal | Department of Commerce | Jason P. Dunion (CIMAS) | For deploying 4,000 nmi on a ground-breaking mission to demonstrate the Gulfstream-IV capacity to extend scientific data collection across the Atlantic. |
| Administrator Award | NOAA-Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research | Jay Harris
Russell St. Fleur (CIMAS) |
For exceptional service overseeing the implementation of AOML’s $6M Data Center, while also providing exemplary computer support during the pandemic. |
AOML is a global leader in atmospheric, ocean, and coastal research.
Join Our Team
At AOML, we pride ourselves on developing a workforce that encourages exploration in research, career growth, and mentorship. View our open positions on this page with links to apply at USA jobs, or learn more about AOML as an organization.