Dr. Alexander E. (Sandy) MacDonald is the Director of the Forecast Systems Laboratory, Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, NOAA, Boulder, Colorado. He was detailed to this position on February 1, 1988 and selected permanent director in February, 1990.

Dr. MacDonald was the Director of the Program for Regional Observing and Forecasting Services (PROFS) from 1983 to 1988. From 1980 - 1982, he was Chief of PROFS' Exploratory Development Group and from 1975 - 1980 he was a Techniques Improvement Meteorologist in the Scientific Services Division, Western Region, National Weather Service in Salt Lake City, UT. He was an Air Force Officer while a member of the U.S. Air Force from 1967 - 1971.

ADDRESS

NOAA Forecast Systems Laboratory
R/FSL
325 Broadway
Boulder, CO 80305
email: Alexander.E.MacDonald@noaa.gov
phone: 303-497-6378
fax: 303-497-6821

EDUCATION

B.S. 1967 Montana State University - Mathematics/Physics

1968 St. Louis University - Meteorology (Air Force)

M.S. 1973 University of Utah - Meteorology

Ph.D. 1975 University of Utah - Meteorology (Minor in Computer Science)

OTHER PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

1971 - 1973 University of Utah - Instructor, Synoptic Meteorology Laboratory

1973 - 1975 University of Utah - Research Fellowship

MEMBERSHIP IN PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES

American Meteorological Society

National Weather Association

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Dr. MacDonald has published in atmospheric modeling, statistics, dynamics, and meteorological systems. His interests are applications of science and technology to improve operational forecasting.

ACTIVITIES

1983 - Present Lecturer at numerous AMS chapters throughout the United States.

1983 - 1988 Set up workstations to allow demonstrations of PROFS' unique capabilities to a large number of federal agencies, e.g., FAA, NWS, NESS, NESDIS, AF, AWS, DOD, and numerous universities.

1984 - Present Member, Panel on Mesoscale Research, NRC

1987 - Present Member, AMS Committee on Aviation, Range, and Aerospace Meteorology

1988 - Present Fellow with the Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere - Colorado State University

1992 Councilor, AMS three-year appointment

1993 Developed GLOBE Program (a Vice-Presidential Initiative)

1994 Executive Committee Member, AMS; AMS Fellow

AWARDS

1980 Bronze Medal - Accomplishments in NWS AFOS Program

1993 Gold Medal - Leadership in Technology Transfer

1997 Presidential Rank Award - Distinguished