Warren Washington is a brilliant and celebrated atmospheric scientist whose efforts have garnered him a multitude of prestigious awards, including the National Medal of Science and the Nobel Peace Prize. Washington was born in Portland, Oregon in 1936, a time in which African Americans comprised only 1% of the state’s entire population. Although he was the target of racial discrimination throughout his life, Washington never let those difficult barriers hold him back. After becoming the second African American to earn a Ph.D. in atmospheric science, Washington went on to work for the National Center for Atmospheric Research. Over the years, he has worked to develop highly advanced atmospheric models aimed at better understanding the effects of climate change. His never-ending research dramatically expands our knowledge of the world around us, and Washington continues to be an inspiration to all.
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This blog post was written by Clarisse Goetzen, an ACE Student Fellow at the University of California – Davis. Clarisse’s work at ACE focuses on environmental policy.