About the Director
Dr. Alexander E. (Sandy) MacDonald directs NOAA's Earth System Research Laboratory and also serves as Deputy Assistant
Administrator for Research Laboratories and Cooperative Institutes, positions he has held since they were both created in 2006.
Dr. MacDonald, a meteorologist, previously led NOAA's Forecast Systems Laboratory, which is now ESRL's Global Systems Division.
He is widely published in the fields of atmospheric modeling, statistics, dynamics, and meteorological systems. Dr. MacDonald
has received numerous awards, including three Presidential Rank Awards and a Gold Medal. He also holds the patent for Science
On a Sphere®, a luminous, animated globe installed in museums around the world to educate the public about Earth and other
planets. Dr. MacDonald earned a Ph.D. and M.S. in Meteorology from the University of Utah, and is a former Air Force officer.
EDUCATION
- Ph.D. in Meteorology (Minor in Computer Science), University of Utah, 1975
- M.S. in Meteorology, University of Utah, 1973
- B.S. in Mathematics/Physics, Montana State University, 1967
- USAF Weather Course Certificate in Meteorology, St. Louis University, 1968
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PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
- 2006 - Present
- Deputy Assistant Administrator, Laboratories and Cooperative Institutes, OAR
Director, Earth System Research Laboratory, NOAA
- 1988 - 2006
- Director, Forecast Systems Laboratory, NOAA
- 1983 - 1988
- Director, Regional Observing and Forecasting Services (PROFS), ERL, NOAA
- 1980 - 1982
- Chief, PROFS Exploratory Development Group, ERL, NOAA
- 1975 - 1980
- Techniques Improvement Meteorologist, Scientific Services Division, Western Region NWS, NOAA
- 1973 - 1975
- University of Utah - Research Fellowship
- 1971 - 1973
- University of Utah - Instructor, Synoptic Meteorology Laboratory
- 1967 - 1971
- Officer, U.S. Air Force
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MEMBERSHIP IN PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES
- Fellow American Meteorological Society
- Fellow Colorado State University Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere (CIRA)
- National Weather Association
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RESEARCH INTERESTS
- Dr. MacDonald has published in atmospheric modeling, statistics, dynamics, and meteorological systems. His interests are applications of science and technology to improve operational forecasting.
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ACTIVITIES
- 2005
- Patent #6,937,210, "Projecting Images on a Sphere", Alexander E. MacDonald
- 2002
- Patent #6,421,010, "Atmospheric Sondes and Method for Tracking", R.B. Chadwick and A.E. MacDonald
- 1994
- Executive Committee Member, AMS; AMS Fellow
- 1993
- Developed GLOBE Program (a Vice-Presidential Initiative)
- 1992
- Councilor, AMS three-year appointment
- 1983 - Present
- Lecturer at numerous AMS chapters throughout the United States.
- 1987 - Present
- Member, AMS Committee on Aviation, Range, and Aerospace Meteorology
- 1984 - Present
- Member, Panel on Mesoscale Research, NRC
- 1988 - Present
- Fellow with the Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere - Colorado State University
- 1983 - 1988
- Set up workstations to allow demonstrations of PROFS' unique capabilities to a large number of federal agencies, e.g., FAA, NWS, NESS, NESDIS, AF, AWS, DOD, and numerous universities.
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AWARDS
- 2011
- Co-recipient of NOAA Bronze Medal for "Developing a NOAA Administrative Order on Scientific Integrity Policy and accompanying Handbook on Scientific Misconduct"
- 2008
- Finalist for the Service To America Awards
- 2007
- Presidential Rank Award; Meritorious
- 2003
- Tech Museum Laureate Award
- 2001
- Presidential Rank Award; Meritorious
- 2001
- The Federal 100 Award
- 1997
- Presidential Rank Award; Distinguished
- 1993
- Department of Commerce Gold Medal for his leadership in Technology Transfer
- 1980
- Department of Commerce Bronze Medal for his Accomplishments in the National Weather Service Automation of Field Operations and Services Program
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