• Senior Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies
  • University Distinguished Professor, Atmospheric Sciences
  • David Bullock Harris Chair in Geosciences

Administrative Contact

Lisa Grimaldo

lgrimaldo@tamu.edu

979-458-6957

Ping Yang

Biography

Dr. Ping Yang is a University Distinguished Professor of Atmospheric Sciences and holds the David Bullock Harris Chair in Geosciences. He serves as Senior Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies in the College of Arts and Sciences. He holds respective B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in theoretical physics, atmospheric physics and meteorology. Dr. Yang joined the Texas A&M faculty in 2001 as a member of the Department of Atmospheric Sciences, where his research focuses on light scattering, radiative transfer and satellite-based remote sensing. He holds joint appointments in Physics and Astronomy and Oceanography. Dr. Yang has supervised 29 doctoral dissertations and 20 master’s theses, and his research is supported by the National Science Foundation, Department of Energy, Department of Transportation, Office of Naval Research, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and National Aeronautics and Space Administration. He is a fellow of the American Physical Society, Optical Society of America, Electromagnetics Academy, American Geophysical Union, American Meteorological Society and American Association for the Advancement of Science. Dr. Yang has served as associate dean for research in the College of Geosciences (2019-2022) and Head of Atmospheric Sciences (2012-2018). He received the 2017 NASA Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal and was named the 2022 Distinguished Texas Scientist by the Texas Academy of Science.

Educational Background

  • Ph.D., University of Utah

Awards & Honors

  • Distinguished Texas Scientist (2022), Texas Academy of Science: Each year, the Board of Directors of the Texas Academy of Science honors one researcher in Texas as the Distinguished Texas Scientist.
  • Van de Hulst Light-Scattering Award (2022): this award, sponsored by Elsevier biennially, is the most prestigious award in the field of electromagnetic and light scattering by particles. The award selection was determined by an international committee composed of at least 20 leading experts in the field, as stated in the call for nominations.
  • University Distinguished Professor (elected 2020), Texas A&M University. In 2020 "Seven Texas A&M University scholars have earned the university's highest faculty honor by being named Distinguished Professors. The 2020 class of University Distinguished Professors includes faculty from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, the College of Engineering, the College of Geosciences, the School of Law, and the College of Science.”
  • David and Lucille Atlas Remote Sensing Prize by AMS for “For sustained, seminal contributions to developing light-scattering and radiative transfer models and datasets for remote sensing of ice clouds and dust aerosols.”
  • Elected (2019) Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). According to AAAS, “In a tradition stretching back to 1874, these individuals (Fellows) are recognized for their extraordinary achievements across disciplines. Examples of areas in which nominees may have made significant contributions are research; teaching; technology; services to professional societies; administration in academe, industry, and government; and communicating and interpreting science to the public.”