image: University of Miami Professor and Oceanographer, Lynn “Nick” Shay, Ph.D., has been elected a Fellow of the American Meteorological Society, the nation's leading professional society for scientists in the atmospheric and related sciences. view more
Credit: Image courtesy of Bob Soto/UM
MIAMI -- University of Miami (UM) Professor, Lynn "Nick" Shay, Ph.D., has been elected a Fellow of the American Meteorological Society (AMS), the nation's leading professional society for scientists in the atmospheric and related sciences. Shay teaches meteorology and physical oceanography at the UM Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science. The honor of Fellow is given to an individual for recognition of outstanding contributions to the atmospheric or related oceanic or hydrologic sciences, or their applications, during a substantial period of years.
"With only two-tenths of one percent of the AMS membership being elected to AMS Fellow each year, Dr. Shay is part of a very select group of individuals who have been awarded this honor," said Keith Seitter, Executive Director for AMS.
Shay's research interests include: upper ocean response and coupled atmosphere-ocean interactions, coastal ocean circulation processes, surface wave current interactions and atmospheric and oceanic boundary layer interactions. His activities center largely on studies of tropical cyclones (hurricanes) and other weather phenomena from experimental and empirical perspectives using measurements from aircraft, satellite, buoy and land based radar. An expert on the circulation of the Loop Current, Shay's research team was responsible for providing deep ocean temperature, current and salinity profiles acquired from National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) research aircraft to improve the ocean forecasting models during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. He is part of a team awarded funds to work with the Gulf of Mexico Research Institute to study the effects of hurricane forced upwelling and mixing processes on the oil released.
"We are extremely proud to have Dr. Nick Shay recognized as a Fellow by one of the nation's most esteemed scientific organizations, the American Meteorological Society," said Dr. Roni Avissar, Dean of UM's Rosenstiel School. "We all know at the Rosenstiel School that he is a superb scientist who is greatly contributing to the research, education and outreach missions of our school. Therefore, we are delighted to see that his peers outside of the University also have high esteem for his numerous achievements."
A prolific researcher and writer, Shay has published more than 85 papers in peer-reviewed journals and book chapters and has served as Co-Chief and now Associate Editor of the AMS Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology. He also serves on the editorial board of Elsevier's Dynamics of Atmosphere and Oceans.
Throughout his distinguished career, Shay has held several leadership positions he co-chaired the NSF/NOAA United States Weather Research Program on Hurricanes at Landfall; served on NASA Hurricane Science Team, served on the NSF/NOAA Eastern Pacific of Climate (EPIC) Experimental Committee; was rapporteur for upper ocean impacts on tropical cyclones during World Meteorological Organization (WMO) International Workshops on Tropical Cyclones; served as panel member for WMO International Workshops on Tropical Cyclone Landfall Processes, served as co-chair on the NOAA Hurricane Forecast Improvement Project Observing Committee; was on the Board of Directors for the Southeast Coastal Ocean Observing Regional Association (SECOORA), serving on its science and policy committees; participated on the Gulf of Mexico Ocean Observing System Regional Association (GCOOS-RA) observing committee, is an elected member on the National High Frequency Radar Steering Committee on Surface Current Mapping for NOAA's Integrated Ocean Observing System and the National Federation of Regional Associations; and served on the AMS Tropical Meteorology and Hurricane Committee.
He has also served on the University National Oceanographic Laboratory System's Scientific Committee on Airborne Oceanographic Research and was a NOAA Cooperative Institute Marine and Atmospheric Science (CIMAS) Fellow from 2004 to 2010. Shay has also served on a review panel for the US Navy Research Laboratory on Coastal Ocean Remote Sensing Programs.
Shay received several notable awards, including best NOAA Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory paper in 2000 and U.S. Naval Research Laboratory paper in 1990. More recently, he was among the group of atmospheric scientists recently recognized by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for efforts to study the creation and intensification of hurricanes during the Genesis and Rapid Intensification Processes (GRIP) experiment last year.
Shay joined UM in 1989 as an Assistant Research Professor after completing a Postdoctoral fellowship at the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School where he received a Ph.D. and a M.S. in Physical Oceanography while working in the Meteorology Department. He worked at the Naval Oceanographic Office as an oceanographer after receiving his B.S. in Physical Oceanography from Florida Institute of Technology.
About the American Meteorological Society
Founded in 1919, the AMS has a membership of more than 12,000 professionals, professors, students, and weather enthusiasts. AMS publishes nine atmospheric and related oceanic and hydrologic journals, sponsors multiple conferences annually, and directs numerous education and outreach programs and services. For more information see http://www.ametsoc.org.
About the University of Miami's Rosenstiel School
The University of Miami's mission is to educate and nurture students, to create knowledge, and to provide service to our community and beyond. Committed to excellence and proud of the diversity of our University family, we strive to develop future leaders of our nation and the world. Founded in the 1940's, the Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science has grown into one of the world's premier marine and atmospheric research institutions. Offering dynamic interdisciplinary academics, the Rosenstiel School is dedicated to helping communities to better understand the planet, participating in the establishment of environmental policies, and aiding in the improvement of society and quality of life. For more information, please visit http://www.rsmas.miami.edu.