Vital Statistics

Degrees and Appointments

• B.S., 1938, Winona Teachers’ College, Winona, MN
• Hired by Department of Meteorology, University of Wisconsin–Madison (UW–Madison), 1948
• Ph.D., 1953, University of Chicago
• Chair, Department of Meteorology, UW–Madison, 1950–52, 1954–57
• Associate Program Director for Atmospheric Sciences, National Science Foundation, 1962
• Chief Scientist, U.S. Weather Bureau, 1964
• Founded SSEC, 1965
• Began GARP with Jules Charney and Pierre Morel, 1970s
• Brought to SSEC a group of researchers from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 1977
• Founded jointly with NOAA, the Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies at SSEC, 1980

Accomplishments

• Developed flat plate radiometer to measure Earth’s heat balance, late 1950s
• First meteorological experiment on Explorer VII, 1959
• Conceived spin-scan camera technology for geostationary orbit, 1963
• Proposed a Visible Infrared Spin-Scan Radiometer Atmospheric Sounder, 1971
• Directed development of McIDAS, 1970s
• Member, Venus/Mercury Imaging Science Team, 1973
• Member, Mariner/Jupiter/Saturn Imaging Science Team
• Member, Pioneer Venus Science Steering Group and directed Net Flux Radiometer development, late 1970s
• Advised on use of GPS for meteorology, 1990s