Eugenia Kalnay
Encyclopedia
Eugenia Kalnay is an Argentine meteorologist and a Distinguished University Professor of Atmospheric and Oceanic Science at the University of Maryland, College Park
in the United States
. She is the recipient of the 54th International Meteorological Organization
Prize in 2009 from the World Meteorological Organization
for her work on numerical weather prediction
, data assimilation
, and ensemble forecasting
. As Director of the Environmental Modeling Center of the National Centers for Environmental Prediction
(NCEP), Kalnay published the 1996 NCEP reanalysis paper, entitled “The NCEP/NCAR 40-year reanalysis project”, which is one of the most cited papers in the geosciences. She is listed as the author or co-author on over 120 scientific papers and wrote the book “Atmospheric Modeling, Data Assimilation and Predictability,” which was published by Cambridge University Press
in 2003.
and received her undergraduate degree in meteorology
from the University of Buenos Aires
in 1965. In 1971, Kalnay became the first woman to receive a PhD
in meteorology from MIT, where she was advised by Jule Charney. She then became the first female professor in the MIT Department of Meteorology. From 1987 to 1997, Kalnay was the Director of the Environmental Modeling Center
(EMC) of the National Centers for Environmental Prediction
(NCEP), National Weather Service
(NWS) and oversaw the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis
project and numerous other projects in data assimilation
and ensemble forecasting
. After leaving NCEP, Kalnay became the Robert E. Lowry Chair of the School of Meteorology at the University of Oklahoma
. In 2002, Kalnay joined the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Science at the University of Maryland, College Park
and served as chair of the department. Along with James A. Yorke
, she co-founded the Weather/Chaos Group at the University of Maryland, which has made discoveries of the local, low-dimensionality of unstable atmospheric regions and the development of the Local Ensemble Kalman filter
and Local Ensemble Transform Kalman Filter data assimilation methods. In addition to the Atmospheric and Ocean Department (AOSC), Kalnay has appointments in the Institute for Physical Science and Technology (IPST) and the Center for Computational Science and Mathematical Modeling (CSCAMM), also at the University of Maryland, College Park. In 2008, she was selected as the first Eugenia Brin Endowed Professorship in Data Assimilation.
Among the scientific methods Kalnay has pioneered are the breeding method, which was introduced, along with Zoltan Toth, as a method to identify the growing perturbations in a dynamical system
. She was also co-author on papers introducing the ensemble methods of Lag Averaged Forecasting (LAF) and Scaled LAF (with Ross N. Hoffman and Wesley Ebisuzaki).
, the American Meteorological Society
and the American Association for the Advancement of Science
. She is a member of the National Academy of Engineering
(1996), a foreign member of the Academia Europaea
(2000), and a member of the Argentine National Academy of Physical Sciences (2003).
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. She is the recipient of the 54th International Meteorological Organization
International Meteorological Organization
The International Meteorological Organization was the first organization formed with the purpose of exchanging weather information among the countries of the world. It was born from the realization that weather systems move across country boundaries and knowledge of pressure, temperature,...
Prize in 2009 from the World Meteorological Organization
World Meteorological Organization
The World Meteorological Organization is an intergovernmental organization with a membership of 189 Member States and Territories. It originated from the International Meteorological Organization , which was founded in 1873...
for her work on numerical weather prediction
Numerical weather prediction
Numerical weather prediction uses mathematical models of the atmosphere and oceans to predict the weather based on current weather conditions. Though first attempted in the 1920s, it was not until the advent of computer simulation in the 1950s that numerical weather predictions produced realistic...
, data assimilation
Data assimilation
Applications of data assimilation arise in many fields of geosciences, perhaps most importantly in weather forecasting and hydrology. Data assimilation proceeds by analysis cycles...
, and ensemble forecasting
Ensemble forecasting
Ensemble forecasting is a numerical prediction method that is used to attempt to generate a representative sample of the possible future states of a dynamical system...
. As Director of the Environmental Modeling Center of the National Centers for Environmental Prediction
National Centers for Environmental Prediction
The United States National Centers for Environmental Prediction delivers national and global weather, water, climate and space weather guidance, forecasts, warnings and analyses to its Partners and External User Communities...
(NCEP), Kalnay published the 1996 NCEP reanalysis paper, entitled “The NCEP/NCAR 40-year reanalysis project”, which is one of the most cited papers in the geosciences. She is listed as the author or co-author on over 120 scientific papers and wrote the book “Atmospheric Modeling, Data Assimilation and Predictability,” which was published by Cambridge University Press
Cambridge University Press
Cambridge University Press is the publishing business of the University of Cambridge. Granted letters patent by Henry VIII in 1534, it is the world's oldest publishing house, and the second largest university press in the world...
in 2003.
Life
Kalnay was born in ArgentinaArgentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
and received her undergraduate degree in meteorology
Meteorology
Meteorology is the interdisciplinary scientific study of the atmosphere. Studies in the field stretch back millennia, though significant progress in meteorology did not occur until the 18th century. The 19th century saw breakthroughs occur after observing networks developed across several countries...
from the University of Buenos Aires
University of Buenos Aires
The University of Buenos Aires is the largest university in Argentina and the largest university by enrollment in Latin America. Founded on August 12, 1821 in the city of Buenos Aires, it consists of 13 faculties, 6 hospitals, 10 museums and is linked to 4 high schools: Colegio Nacional de Buenos...
in 1965. In 1971, Kalnay became the first woman to receive a PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in meteorology from MIT, where she was advised by Jule Charney. She then became the first female professor in the MIT Department of Meteorology. From 1987 to 1997, Kalnay was the Director of the Environmental Modeling Center
Environmental Modeling Center
The Environmental Modeling Center , improves numerical weather, marine and climate predictions at the National Centers for Environmental Prediction , through a broad program of research in data assimilation and modeling...
(EMC) of the National Centers for Environmental Prediction
National Centers for Environmental Prediction
The United States National Centers for Environmental Prediction delivers national and global weather, water, climate and space weather guidance, forecasts, warnings and analyses to its Partners and External User Communities...
(NCEP), National Weather Service
National Weather Service
The National Weather Service , once known as the Weather Bureau, is one of the six scientific agencies that make up the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the United States government...
(NWS) and oversaw the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis
NCEP/NCAR Reanalysis
The NCEP/NCAR Reanalysis reanalysis data set is a continually updating gridded data set representing the state of the Earth's atmosphere, incorporating observations and numerical weather prediction model output dating back to 1948...
project and numerous other projects in data assimilation
Data assimilation
Applications of data assimilation arise in many fields of geosciences, perhaps most importantly in weather forecasting and hydrology. Data assimilation proceeds by analysis cycles...
and ensemble forecasting
Ensemble forecasting
Ensemble forecasting is a numerical prediction method that is used to attempt to generate a representative sample of the possible future states of a dynamical system...
. After leaving NCEP, Kalnay became the Robert E. Lowry Chair of the School of Meteorology at the University of Oklahoma
University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
. In 2002, Kalnay joined the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Science at the University of Maryland, College Park
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
and served as chair of the department. Along with James A. Yorke
James A. Yorke
James A. Yorke is a Distinguished University Professor of Mathematics and Physics and chair of the Mathematics Department at the University of Maryland, College Park. He and Benoit Mandelbrot were the recipients of the 2003 Japan Prize in Science and Technology...
, she co-founded the Weather/Chaos Group at the University of Maryland, which has made discoveries of the local, low-dimensionality of unstable atmospheric regions and the development of the Local Ensemble Kalman filter
Ensemble Kalman filter
The ensemble Kalman filter is a recursive filter suitable for problems with a large number of variables, such as discretizations of partial differential equations in geophysical models...
and Local Ensemble Transform Kalman Filter data assimilation methods. In addition to the Atmospheric and Ocean Department (AOSC), Kalnay has appointments in the Institute for Physical Science and Technology (IPST) and the Center for Computational Science and Mathematical Modeling (CSCAMM), also at the University of Maryland, College Park. In 2008, she was selected as the first Eugenia Brin Endowed Professorship in Data Assimilation.
Among the scientific methods Kalnay has pioneered are the breeding method, which was introduced, along with Zoltan Toth, as a method to identify the growing perturbations in a dynamical system
Dynamical system
A dynamical system is a concept in mathematics where a fixed rule describes the time dependence of a point in a geometrical space. Examples include the mathematical models that describe the swinging of a clock pendulum, the flow of water in a pipe, and the number of fish each springtime in a...
. She was also co-author on papers introducing the ensemble methods of Lag Averaged Forecasting (LAF) and Scaled LAF (with Ross N. Hoffman and Wesley Ebisuzaki).
Positions
Kalnay is a fellow of the American Geophysical UnionAmerican Geophysical Union
The American Geophysical Union is a nonprofit organization of geophysicists, consisting of over 50,000 members from over 135 countries. AGU's activities are focused on the organization and dissemination of scientific information in the interdisciplinary and international field of geophysics...
, the American Meteorological Society
American Meteorological Society
The American Meteorological Society promotes the development and dissemination of information and education on the atmospheric and related oceanic and hydrologic sciences and the advancement of their professional applications. Founded in 1919, the American Meteorological Society has a membership...
and the American Association for the Advancement of Science
American Association for the Advancement of Science
The American Association for the Advancement of Science is an international non-profit organization with the stated goals of promoting cooperation among scientists, defending scientific freedom, encouraging scientific responsibility, and supporting scientific education and science outreach for the...
. She is a member of the National Academy of Engineering
National Academy of Engineering
The National Academy of Engineering is a government-created non-profit institution in the United States, that was founded in 1964 under the same congressional act that led to the founding of the National Academy of Sciences...
(1996), a foreign member of the Academia Europaea
Academia Europaea
Academia Europæa is a European non-governmental scientific academy founded in 1988. Its members are scientists and scholars who collectively aim to promote learning, education and research. It publishes European Review through Cambridge Journals....
(2000), and a member of the Argentine National Academy of Physical Sciences (2003).
Awards
Kalnay has received a number of major awards, including:- 54th International Meteorological OrganizationInternational Meteorological OrganizationThe International Meteorological Organization was the first organization formed with the purpose of exchanging weather information among the countries of the world. It was born from the realization that weather systems move across country boundaries and knowledge of pressure, temperature,...
Prize (2009) from the World Meteorological OrganizationWorld Meteorological OrganizationThe World Meteorological Organization is an intergovernmental organization with a membership of 189 Member States and Territories. It originated from the International Meteorological Organization , which was founded in 1873... - First Eugenia Brin Professorship in Data Assimilation (2008)
- American Meteorological SocietyAmerican Meteorological SocietyThe American Meteorological Society promotes the development and dissemination of information and education on the atmospheric and related oceanic and hydrologic sciences and the advancement of their professional applications. Founded in 1919, the American Meteorological Society has a membership...
Jule G. Charney Award (1995) - National Aeronautics and Space Administration gold medal for Exceptional Scientific Achievement (1981)