SoMAS Distinguished Professor Minghua Zhang Elected as AGU Fellow

Minghua Zhang, Distinguished Professor in Stony Brook University's School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (SoMAS), has been elected a 2026 Fellow of the American Geophysical Union (AGU).

Zhang has been a member of the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (SoMAS) faculty since 1990 and is affiliated with the Institute for Advanced Computational Science (IACS). He has served as dean of SoMAS from 2010-2016, associate dean from 2003-2010, and director of the Institute for Terrestrial and Planetary Atmospheric Sciences.

The AGU Fellows program recognizes members who have made exceptional contributions to Earth and space science through a breakthrough, discovery, or innovation in their field. Fellows act as external experts, capable of advising government agencies and other organizations outside the sciences upon request.

AGU Fellows must demonstrate scientific eminence in the Earth and space sciences through achievements in research, as demonstrated by one or more of the following: breakthrough or discovery; innovation in disciplinary science, cross-disciplinary science, instrument, data set, or methods development; or sustained scientific impact.

Nominees are expected to have shown exemplary leadership in following and promulgating AGU values. This leadership may include but is not limited to fostering equity, integrity, diversity, and open science; mentoring; public engagement and communication.

"We are delighted with the long overdue recognition of our colleague Minghua Zhang as a new Fellow of the American Geophysical Union," said Paul Shepson, dean of the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences. "Minghua's 38-year career at SoMAS has involved substantial, important, and sustained contributions to advancing the understanding of climate feedback processes and improving community climate models. He fits the bill as the ideal AGU Fellow, combining his insightful science with exemplary service to the community, including as editor-in-chief of the Journal of Geophysical Research-Atmospheres from 2017-2022, after 10 years as associate editor."

"We are excited about this well-deserved recognition for Minghua. He is an outstanding and well-respected scientist who is internationally known for his numerous contributions to climate science," said Brian Colle, professor and head of the Atmospheric Sciences Division in SoMAS. "He also has selflessly served in various leadership positions, and many students and faculty have benefited from his mentoring over the years."

Zhang's research concerns numerical modeling of climate and global climate change. This includes development and analysis of parameterization components in general circulation models, diagnostic study of physical processes and feedback processes in the climate system, modeling and analysis of past and future climate changes, by using models and satellite measurements as well as other observations.

Zhang is Principal Investigator of the US Department of Energy's Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program (ARM) and the Climate Change and Prediction Program (CCPP), Principal Investigator of the NASA Modeling and Analysis Program (MAP), and a past recipient of the Early Faculty Award of the National Science Foundation. He has authored or co-authored more than 100 papers and two books​ on climate and atmospheric sciences, is an elected member of the Eurasian Academy of Sciences, Fellow of American Meteorological Society, ​ and a co-recipient of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize for his work with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

Each year, AGU celebrates those who have made significant contributions to the Earth and space sciences, recognizing individuals and teams for their outstanding accomplishments in research, education, science communication and outreach. Honorees will be celebrated at AGU26 in San Francisco, CA in December. The 2026 honorees embody this year's meeting theme, "Where Science Connects," with their groundbreaking contributions, which have profoundly impacted the scientific community and will continue to influence generations to come.