e-mail:
Vincent.V.Salomonson@nasa.gov

Tel#: 301-614-5631
Fax#: 301-614-5808

Biography

Vincent V. Salomonson is presently a Senior Scientist and Director of Earth Sciences (Emeritus) in the Earth Sciences Directorate at the Goddard Space Flight Center of NASA. He is also serving as the Science Team Leader for the NASA Earth Observing System (EOS) facility called the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS). Prior to being Senior Scientist he was the Director of the Earth Sciences Directorate at the Goddard Space Flight Center, NASA from 1990-2000. In that capacity he was responsible for overseeing and coordinating the activities of approximately 300 civil service scientists and engineers in the Directorate who are actively involved in research of the Earth-Atmosphere system using advanced technology along with over 700 supporting contractors, students and visiting faculty. He served at Goddard as the Deputy Director for Earth Sciences in the Space and Earth Sciences Directorate (1988-1990), Chief of the Laboratory for Terrestrial Physics (1980-1988), Project Scientist for Landsat 4 and 5 (1977-1989), the Head of the Hydrospheric Sciences Branch (1973-1980), and as a research meteorologist (1968-1973). Prior to coming to Goddard, he spent three years as Weather Officer in the United States Air Force (1959-1962). His academic training includes a B.S. degree in Agricultural Engineering from Colorado State University (1959), a B.S. degree in Meteorology from the University of Utah (1960), an M.S. degree in Agricultural Engineering from Cornell University (1964), and a Ph.D. in Atmospheric Science from Colorado State University (1968). His publication record shows over 130 publications in scientific journals, conference proceedings, and NASA reports.

In 1975, Dr. Salomonson received the Goddard Exceptional Performance Award for his work as Chairman of the NASA Sub-discipline Panel for Water Resources. In November 1976, Dr. Salomonson was the recipient of the NASA Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal "for outstanding contributions in the practical applications of remote sensing data in the water resources field, for transferring these applications to the user community, and for developing and guiding NASA's water resources research program". In October 1983, he again received the NASA Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal "in recognition of his extensive contributions to land remote sensing for earth science and resource utilization through his participation in the guidance of the Landsat Project and related science activities from their inception in the Landsat Program". The IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society (GRS-S) awarded the 1986 Distinguished Achievement Award to him for his significant technical contributions to satellite remote sensing. In May 1987, he was made an Honor Alumnus of Colorado State University. In 1987, he was also awarded the William T. Pecora Award for his involvement in satellite remote sensing. In 1993, he received the rank of Meritorious Executive in the Senior Executive Service "for sustained superior accomplishment in management of programs of the United States Government and for noteworthy achievement of quality and efficiency in the public service". He was made a Fellow of the American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS) in April of 1994. He received the NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal in 1996 "for his leadership establishing the Goddard Earth Sciences Directorate as an internationally recognized entity performing interdisciplinary Earth system science". In 1998, he was designated as a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)"for leadership and research in spaceborne technology and remote sensing". Also in 1998, he was given the Distinguished Service Award by the IEEE) Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society (GRS-5). In 1999 he was made a Fellow of the IEEE. In 1998, he received the rank of Distinguished Executive in the Senior Executive Service for "sustained extraordinary accomplishment in management of programs of the United State Government and for leadership exemplifying the highest standards of service to the public, reflecting credit on the career civil service". In 2002, he was named a Goddard Senior Fellow, one of 24 such individuals designated as such at the Goddard Space Flight Center of NASA. Also in 2002, Dr. Salomonson was given the William Nordberg Memorial award for Earth Sciences. Dr. Salomonson was recognized for exhibiting "qualities of broad scientific perspective, enthusiastic programmatic and technical leadership on the national and international levels, wide recognition by peers, and substantial research accomplishments in understanding Earth science processes."

Dr. Salomonson has served the IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society (GRS-S) and the ASPRS in several capacities. He served (1991-1997) as a member of the Executive Administrative Committee ("Ad-Com") for the IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society, and was the General Chairman of the International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium (IGARSS-90) held in Washington D.C., May 20-24, 1990. He has also served the ASPRS as the Deputy Director of the Primary Data Acquisition Division (1986-1988), as the Director of the Primary Data Acquisition Division (1988-1989), Vice-President of the Society (1989-90), President-Elect (1990-1991), President (1991-1992), and Past-President (1992-1993). He served as an Associate Editor of the Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing journal (1985-1987), an Associate Editor of the Remote Sensing of Environment journal (1985-present) and Associate Editor for the International Remote Sensing of Environment journal (1985-1988). He is also a member of the American Meteorological Society and the American Geophysical Union.