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

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

MEMBERSHIP IN PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES

Fellow American Meteorological Society

Fellow Colorado State University Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere (CIRA)

National Weather Association

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.

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.

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