Introduction
Dr. Jesse La Prade is a prominent American climatologist and atmospheric scientist recognized for his contributions to the quantitative modeling of atmospheric circulation patterns and for his advocacy of science‑based climate policy. His career spans over four decades, during which he has held faculty positions at several leading research universities, directed national climate modeling initiatives, and authored more than 250 peer‑reviewed articles. La Prade's work has had a significant influence on both the academic understanding of climate dynamics and the formulation of international agreements addressing greenhouse gas emissions.
Early Life and Education
Family Background
Jesse La Prade was born on March 12, 1954, in Asheville, North Carolina. He grew up in a family of educators; his father, Thomas La Prade, was a high‑school physics teacher, and his mother, Margaret La Prade, taught biology at the local community college. The household frequently engaged in discussions about natural sciences, and the young Jesse spent his childhood observing weather phenomena, which fostered an early fascination with atmospheric processes.
Primary and Secondary Education
During his elementary years, La Prade attended the public school system in Asheville, where he excelled in mathematics and science. At the age of twelve, he completed a state‑wide physics competition, earning a regional award that encouraged his participation in the National Junior Science Talent Search. In high school, he was a member of the astronomy club and served as class president, demonstrating early leadership skills and a commitment to academic excellence. He graduated as valedictorian from Asheville High School in 1972.
Undergraduate Studies
La Prade enrolled at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the fall of 1972, pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Physics with a minor in Mathematics. His undergraduate thesis, supervised by Professor Harold Jenkins, examined the stability of stratified fluid layers, laying the groundwork for his later research in atmospheric dynamics. He completed his undergraduate degree in 1976 with distinction, receiving the university’s Dean’s Award for Outstanding Achievement.
Graduate Studies
Following graduation, La Prade entered the Ph.D. program in Atmospheric Science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). His doctoral research, conducted under the guidance of Professor Linda Martinez, focused on the development of numerical schemes for solving the primitive equations of atmospheric motion. La Prade defended his dissertation in 1982, titled “High‑Resolution Schemes for the Predictive Modeling of Synoptic‑Scale Weather Systems.” His work contributed to the refinement of global weather forecasting models used by national meteorological agencies.
Academic and Professional Career
Postdoctoral Research
After obtaining his doctorate, La Prade accepted a postdoctoral fellowship at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder, Colorado. During his tenure from 1982 to 1984, he collaborated with the Dynamical Analysis Group on the development of a global coupled ocean–atmosphere model. His contributions were instrumental in incorporating variable topography into existing model frameworks, improving the accuracy of sea‑surface temperature projections.
Faculty Positions
In 1984, La Prade joined the faculty of the University of Colorado Boulder as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Atmospheric Sciences. He was promoted to Associate Professor in 1989 and to full Professor in 1994. His tenure at Colorado was marked by the establishment of the Atmospheric Modeling Laboratory, which focused on interdisciplinary research combining numerical modeling, data assimilation, and observational analysis.
In 2001, he accepted a position at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he served as the Chair of the Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences Department until 2010. During his chairmanship, he oversaw the expansion of the department’s research capacity, fostering collaborations with the UCLA School of Public Health and the Center for Climate Change Science.
After stepping down from the chair, La Prade continued as a Professor of Atmospheric Science at UCLA until his retirement in 2020. In 2021, he assumed a senior advisory role at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), focusing on the integration of climate model outputs into operational forecasting systems.
Research Groups and Laboratories
La Prade founded and directed the Climate Dynamics and Policy Research Center (CDPRC) at UCLA, a multidisciplinary hub that brought together climatologists, economists, and policy analysts. The center produced several influential policy briefs that informed the U.S. National Climate Assessment and international climate negotiations.
He also established the Atmospheric Modeling Laboratory (AML) at Colorado, where graduate students and postdoctoral scholars were trained in high‑performance computing and data assimilation techniques. The AML developed several open‑source tools that are now widely used in the climate modeling community.
Scientific Contributions
Atmospheric Modeling and the La Prade Algorithm
La Prade is best known for developing the La Prade Algorithm (LPA), a numerical method for solving the nonlinear shallow‑water equations with improved conservation properties. Introduced in 1990, the LPA allows for larger time steps without sacrificing stability, enabling the simulation of global atmospheric circulation at higher spatial resolutions. The algorithm has been incorporated into several major climate model intercomparison projects, including CMIP5 and CMIP6.
Beyond the LPA, La Prade contributed to the development of a stochastic parameterization scheme that incorporates the effects of sub‑grid‑scale processes on large‑scale circulation. This approach has improved the representation of atmospheric variability in climate projections, particularly regarding extreme precipitation events.
Climate Policy and International Collaboration
La Prade played a leading role in the creation of the Global Climate Policy Working Group (GCPWG) within the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). His expertise in atmospheric science informed the assessment of model uncertainties, and he co‑authored the section on “Modeling Uncertainties in Climate Projections” in the IPCC Fifth Assessment Report.
He was a key advisor to the U.S. delegation at the Paris Agreement negotiations, providing scientific evidence on the impacts of varying greenhouse gas emission pathways. His testimony helped shape the emission reduction targets adopted by several industrialized nations.
Educational Outreach and Public Communication
In addition to his research, La Prade has been an active educator, delivering public lectures and participating in science‑communication initiatives. He authored the textbook “Atmospheric Modeling: Theory and Practice,” first published in 1995, which has become a standard reference in graduate courses worldwide.
He served as the chief science editor for the journal Climate Dynamics from 2004 to 2015, overseeing peer review processes and ensuring the publication of high‑quality research. His editorial leadership helped elevate the journal’s impact factor and broaden its readership.
Publications and Edited Works
Journal Articles
Dr. La Prade has authored more than 250 peer‑reviewed journal articles. Key publications include:
- La Prade, J. (1990). “A Conservative Numerical Scheme for Shallow‑Water Dynamics.” Journal of Computational Physics, 92(3), 215–231.
- La Prade, J., & Martinez, L. (1995). “Stochastic Parameterization of Sub‑Grid Processes.” Monthly Weather Review, 123(7), 1425–1439.
- La Prade, J. (2002). “Global Climate Sensitivity to CO₂ Concentration Changes.” Geophysical Research Letters, 29(18), 2‑1.
- La Prade, J. (2010). “Uncertainties in Climate Projections: A Review.” Climate Dynamics, 34(1), 101–118.
- La Prade, J., & H. Chen (2018). “Impacts of Arctic Amplification on Mid‑Latitude Weather Patterns.” Journal of Climate, 31(5), 1675–1690.
Books and Monographs
La Prade’s textbooks and monographs have been widely used in atmospheric science education:
- La Prade, J. (1995). Atmospheric Modeling: Theory and Practice. Academic Press.
- La Prade, J. (2008). Climate Modeling and Prediction. MIT Press.
- La Prade, J. (2016). Numerical Methods for Atmospheric Dynamics. Springer.
Edited Volumes
He has edited several influential collections:
- La Prade, J. (ed.) (2001). Advances in Climate Modeling. World Scientific.
- La Prade, J., & T. Smith (ed.) (2012). Policy Implications of Climate Change. Cambridge University Press.
- La Prade, J. (ed.) (2019). Emerging Technologies in Atmospheric Science. Elsevier.
Awards and Honors
La Prade has received numerous awards recognizing his scientific achievements:
- American Meteorological Society (AMS) Fellow, 1993.
- Royal Society of London, Foreign Member, 2004.
- National Academy of Sciences, Member, 2008.
- John Dalton Medal, Royal Meteorological Society, 2011.
- UNESCO Prize for Climate Science, 2015.
- American Geophysical Union (AGU) Award for Distinguished Service to the Geophysical Sciences, 2018.
Personal Life
Outside of his professional endeavors, La Prade is an avid mountaineer and amateur photographer. He has climbed several of the world's highest peaks, including Denali and Mount Kilimanjaro. His photography, often featuring landscapes and atmospheric phenomena, has been exhibited in galleries across the United States.
La Prade married his college sweetheart, Eleanor James, in 1980. The couple has two children, both of whom pursued careers in the sciences: their son, Michael, became a marine biologist, and their daughter, Sarah, works as a data scientist in the private sector.
Legacy and Impact
Dr. La Prade’s contributions to atmospheric modeling have had lasting influence on climate science. The La Prade Algorithm remains a foundational component in many contemporary global climate models, facilitating more accurate predictions of future climate states. His integration of stochastic parameterization techniques has improved the representation of extreme weather events, a critical factor in assessing climate risks.
Beyond technical advancements, La Prade’s commitment to bridging science and policy has helped translate complex climate projections into actionable policy recommendations. His leadership in the IPCC and other international bodies has ensured that climate models inform negotiations and national climate strategies.
His dedication to education, demonstrated through textbook authorship and editorial stewardship, has shaped generations of atmospheric scientists. Students who trained under his guidance continue to apply his methods and principles in both academic research and operational forecasting.
La Prade’s legacy is also evident in the collaborative culture he fostered. The interdisciplinary centers he established at Colorado and UCLA set a precedent for integrating scientific, economic, and policy research, a model now emulated by institutions worldwide.
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