Jason Dunion, Ph.D. – a Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies (CIMAS) meteorologist affiliated with NOAA’s Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML) – has been awarded the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), the most prestigious award granted by the U.S. government to exceptional scientists and engineers in the early stages of their careers.
He received the PECASE award, “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.”
Dunion has dedicated his scientific career to innovative research examining tropical cyclone genesis, data collection, data assimilation, and modeling with AOML’s Hurricane Research Division. He has also been an instrumental leader of the NOAA Hurricane Field Program.
His work on the inhibiting effects of the Saharan Air Layer’s dusty, warm, dry air and intense winds have been integral to understanding hurricane formation. He also identified a daily signal from hurricanes, one that moves away from the storm each night and could represent a fundamental, yet previously unrecognized, process in tropical cyclones worldwide.
Along with pioneering scientific advancements, Dunion has dedicated his time to mentoring students and training the next generation of hurricane researchers. As a recipient of this award, Dunion’s outstanding achievements to date, along with his significant potential to foster new technical and scientific advancements that align with NOAA’s mission as the steward of the atmosphere and oceans, are commemorated.
Nearly 400 early-career scientists across 14 governmental agencies were honored with a PECASE award under the Biden Administration—Dunion was one of eight recipients within NOAA and NOAA Cooperative Institutes. Click here to view the full list of PECASE awardees.