UAH Atmospheric and Earth Science graduate students earn top honors at 106th AMS annual meeting
(L-R) UAH Atmospheric and Earth Science (AES) students Zebulon Leffler and Ethan Prunty.
Two Atmospheric and Earth Science (AES) graduate students from the at The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), a part of The University of Alabama System, were recognized with top awards at the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Meteorological Society (AMS) recently in Houston, Texas. The First Symposium on Tropical Meteorology and Climate was part of the AMS Annual Meeting, one of the premier gatherings of atmospheric scientists worldwide. The symposium recognizes excellence in student research and presentation, highlighting emerging leaders in the field.
Zebulon Leffler, a graduate research assistant in the Severe Weather Institute Radar and Lightning Laboratories (SWIRLL), earned first place in the Oral Presentation Awards at the First Symposium on Tropical Meteorology and Climate, while Ethan Prunty, also a UAH graduate student, received an Honorable Mention award, placing among the top five student presenters.
“I am genuinely surprised and honored to have received the First-Place award for my oral presentation at the AMS annual meeting,” Leffler said. “This recognition drives me to keep pursuing ground-breaking hurricane research in my field.
Both students conduct research under the mentorship of Dr. Xiaomin Chen, AES assistant professor and principal investigator at the UAH Earth System Science Center (ESSC). Chen’s work focuses on tropical cyclones, radar meteorology and atmospheric dynamics, with an emphasis on improving the understanding of storm structure and intensity, including during landfall. Through his roles, Chen supports graduate researchers in advancing hurricane science that contributes to improved forecasting and hazard awareness.
“I am extremely grateful to have received an Honorable Mention award for my first oral presentation at AMS,” Prunty said. “I am thankful for the opportunity to share my Master’s research thus far with our field, and this recognition motivated me to further my research here at UAH.”
Leffler and Prunty’s achievements underscore UAH’s continued leadership in atmospheric science research and commitment to training the next generation of scientists who will advance forecasting capabilities and deepen understanding of tropical weather and climate systems. The recognitions reflect the strength of UAH’s graduate research conducted under Dr. Chen, whose work helps advance knowledge regarding how the Gulf hurricane intensifies under the influence of land friction and strong environmental shear.
“It was a really proud moment for me when Zeb and Ethan told me they had both been selected as award winners,” Chen said. “Their achievements also inspire us to continue elevating our students’ research to an internationally recognized level.”
