UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Sukyoung Lee, professor of meteorology and atmospheric science at Penn State, has been named the John T. Ryan Jr. Faculty Fellow in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences. The fellowship is awarded to outstanding faculty to further their contributions in teaching, research and public service.
“I am very happy to receive this support,” said Lee. “This fellowship will enable me to support some of my graduate students and the research that we conduct together.”
Lee’s research focuses on the general, large-scale circulation of the atmosphere, including mid-latitude storm tracks and jet streams. More recently, Lee has researched the effect of the large-scale atmospheric circulation patterns on Arctic warming and sea ice decline. She has also begun applying her knowledge about the workings of the atmospheric circulation to better understand oceanic fronts in the southern ocean.
“Professor Lee’s work on Arctic warming is critically important to the field of atmospheric sciences,” said David Stensrud, department head and professor of meteorology, “She couldn’t be more deserving of the Ryan Faculty Fellowship.”
Lee received a bachelor of science in meteorology from Seoul National University in South Korea, a master of science in meteorology from the University of Oklahoma, and another master of science and doctorate in atmospheric and oceanic sciences from Princeton University. After earning her doctorate in 1991, Lee worked as a postdoctoral fellow at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado, and as a research associate at the University of Colorado, before joining Penn State’s faculty in 1994. She has co-authored more than 70 papers and has received several honors for her research.
The John T. Ryan, Jr. Faculty Fellowship was created through a gift from the estate of Penn State alumnus John T. “Jack” Ryan Jr., who received his bachelor of science in mining engineering from the University in 1934. He was named an Alumni Fellow of the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences in 1991. Ryan was also a former president of the Penn State Alumni Association.