Sobel Receives 2026 AMS Joanne Simpson Tropical Meteorology Research Award

We are proud to announce that Columbia Engineering Professor Adam Sobel has been awarded the 2026 Joanne Simpson Tropical Meteorology Research Award by the American Meteorological Society. This prestigious honor recognizes Prof. Sobel’s groundbreaking contributions to the field of tropical meteorology.

Joanne Simpson (1923-2010) was a pioneer of 20th century atmospheric science who made important contributions to our understanding of cumulus clouds, hurricanes, and the tropical atmospheric circulation. She was the first woman to be awarded a PhD in meteorology in the U.S., and played a critical role in the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission, the first satellite mission to measure precipitation from space using radar.

Prof. Sobel was recognized “for advancing understanding of tropical meteorology through transformative approaches, including the weak temperature gradient approximation and moisture-mode theory.” His innovative research has significantly deepened scientific insight into the dynamics of tropical weather and climate systems.

As a professor of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics, and of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Prof. Sobel’s work focuses on the physics of climate and weather, with a particular emphasis on the tropics. In recent years, his research has increasingly addressed the societal risks posed by extreme weather events and climate change.

He is the author or co-author of over 200 peer-reviewed scientific papers and the acclaimed book Storm Surge, which explores the science and human impact of Hurricane Sandy. His insights have also reached broader audiences through numerous op-eds and public engagements.

Over the past six months, Sobel has delivered a series of invited talks across the U.S. and Europe, including two sponsored named lectures. His engagements began in April with the Ogura Lecture at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, followed in June by participation in the Columbia University–National Technical University of Athens Workshop on Infrastructure and Energy Sustainability in a Changing Climate in Athens, Greece. He continued his speaking schedule with a July visit to Stony Brook University, the Zurich Insurance Advisory Council for Catastrophes meeting in Zurich, Switzerland, in September, and a talk at ETH Zurich later that month. In October, Sobel presented at the Institute at Brown for Environment and Society in Providence, Rhode Island (watch video). His recent series of talks concluded in November with the Werner A. Baum Lecture at Florida State University in Tallahassee.

To learn more about Sobel and his work, check out his podcast Deep Convection and visit his Substack.