2023 A&WMA Honorary Membership
Honorary Membership, not exceeding two each year, may be conferred upon individual A&WMA members who have attained eminence in some field related to the mission and objectives of the Association or who have rendered valuable service to the Association. Honorary members shall have the privileges of individual members and shall pay no dues. The nominator must also be a current A&WMA member.
A&WMA commends Judy Chow and awards her with an Honorary Association Membership.
Dr. Judith C. Chow is the Nazir and Mary Ansari Chair in Entrepreneurialism and Science and Research Professor in the Division of Atmospheric Sciences (DAS) at the Desert Research Institute (DRI; http://www.dri.edu) of the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE). She has more than 40 years of experience in atmospheric, air quality, and environmental health research and education. She received her Doctor of Science degree in Environmental Health Science and Physiology from Harvard University in 1985 and has been an A&WMA member 40+ years. Dr. Chow is a member of the graduate faculty in the Department of Environmental Science and Atmospheric Sciences Program at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR), where she advises graduate students working on Master and Doctoral degrees. As founder and leader of DRI’s Environmental Analysis Facility (EAF), she heads a group of research scientists and technicians in developing and applying advanced analytical methods to characterize suspended atmospheric particles for source attribution and their effects on health, climate, visibility, ecosystems, and cultural artifacts. Her current research includes developing methods to obtain more information from archived samples of existing monitoring networks using thermal and mass spectrometric technologies; improving detection of brown carbon in speciation network samples; applying microsensors to human exposure estimates and fugitive dust control; and simulating source profile changes using a photochemical flow tube reactor. Current and recent projects include assessment of contributions from seaport operations to adverse air quality in southern California; measuring real-world emissions in Canada’s Oil Sands Region; designing air quality networks in developing countries for the World Bank; and evaluating effects of photochemical aging on biomass burning emissions. She has been principal investigator or a major collaborator on more than 50 large atmospheric studies and many smaller ones.
Dr. Chow has served in a variety of leadership positions recognized at local, national, and international levels. These include membership on A&WMA’s Board of Directors (2007-2010), an A&WMA Vice President (2010), chair and member of the Publications Committee (1995-present), Editorial Review Board (1998-present), EM Editorial Advisory Committee (2002-2006), and Critical Review Committee (1995-present), Measurement Division Chair (1998-2002) and Air Group Coordinator on the Technical Council (2001-2004), and participation on several Technical Coordinating Committees (TCC) such as Visibility and Radiative Transfer (APV) and Measurement Technologies and Instrumentation (AAM). Dr. Chow is a fixture at the annual meeting, not having missed one since her first in 1980. Dr. Chow was instrumental in establishing A&WMA’s Eastern Sierra Chapter and the China Section. She is a strong believer in local participation to improve the environment. Proceeds from A&WMA’s 1998 International Specialty Conference chaired by Dr. Chow on “PM2.5 : A Fine Particle Standard” were used by the Eastern Sierra Chapter to establish an Environmental Education Award (2011-2020) for outstanding efforts by local schools and teachers in environmental education.
Her service on the Critical Review and Publications Committees began in 1995 and she has authored or co-authored 98 contributions to the Association’s Journal. She received the 2016 Arthur C. Stern Distinguished Paper Award. She is a Chartered member of the U.S. EPA’s Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC), a recipient of the California Air Resources Board’s Haagen-Smit Clean Air Award, as well as A&WMA’s Frank Chambers, Charles Gruber, and Fellow Awards. Dr. Chow is the principal author or co-author of more than 500 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters with more than 31,000 cumulative citations per Web of Science. She is also recognized as one of Stanford University’s “Top 2% of the Worlds’ Most Cited Scientists.”
Judith C. Chow