J. Marshall Shepherd facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
J. Marshall Shepherd
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| Born | |
| Alma mater | Florida State University |
| Awards | Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers Media Achievement Award from the Association of American Geographers AAAS Award for Public Engagement with Science NCSE Friend of the Planet Award (2021) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Meteorology, atmospheric sciences |
| Institutions | University of Georgia |
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| Doctoral advisor | Peter S. Ray |
James Marshall Shepherd is an American scientist. He studies weather and climate. He is a professor at the University of Georgia. He also leads the university's program for atmospheric sciences.
In 2013, he was the president of the American Meteorological Society. He won a special award in 2020 for sharing science with the public. In 2021, he became a member of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering.
Early Life and School
Shepherd grew up in Canton, Georgia. He first became interested in meteorology (the study of weather) in the sixth grade. He had planned a science project about bees. But he changed his mind after finding out he was allergic to them. He decided to study the weather instead.
He went to Florida State University (FSU). He earned three degrees there. He got his bachelor's degree in 1991. He received his master's degree in 1993. In 1999, he earned his Ph.D. (doctorate degree) in physical meteorology. He was the first African-American person to get a Ph.D. in meteorology from FSU.
Scientific Work
Shepherd worked at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). He was a research meteorologist there for twelve years. In 2006, he joined the geography department at the University of Georgia.
He also served on the NOAA Science Advisory Board. NOAA stands for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. In 2014, he received the Captain Planet award. This award was for his work in climate science. It also recognized his efforts to raise awareness about global climate.
Shepherd writes articles for Forbes magazine. He also writes for Weather Underground, a weather service. In 2013, he was the President of the American Meteorological Society.
His Ideas and Views
Shepherd has written about how global warming might affect different groups of people. He believes that African Americans might be more at risk from things like heat-related deaths.
He also spoke about the United States federal government shutdown of 2013. He said it slowed down research on global climate models in the U.S. He also noted that it stopped members of the National Weather Service (NWS) from going to a big weather conference.
TV Appearances
Shepherd has appeared on popular TV shows. These include the Today Show and Larry King Live. Since July 2014, he has hosted his own show. It's called "Weather Geeks" and airs on the Weather Channel. He also appeared on Face the Nation in 2014.
Awards and Honors
Shepherd has received many awards for his work.
- In 2004, he won a NASA Presidential Early Career Award.
- In 2014, he received a Media Achievement Award. This was from the Association of American Geographers.
- In 2019, he won the Climate Communication Prize. This award is from the American Geophysical Union.
- In 2020, he received the AAAS Award for Public Engagement with Science. This award is for scientists who share their work with the public.
In 2021, Shepherd achieved a rare honor. He was elected to three important academies in one year:
- The National Academy of Sciences
- The National Academy of Engineering
- The American Academy of Arts and Sciences
He was the first professor from the University of Georgia to be elected to all three. In 2022, he was named the SEC Professor of the Year.
