Susan Claire van den Heever is a South African atmospheric scientist who is a professor at Colorado State University. Her research considers cloud physics and mesoscale modelling. She is a fellow of the American Meteorological Society[1] and an editor of the Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences.[2]

Susan Claire van den Heever
Born
Alma materColorado State University
University of the Witwatersrand
Scientific career
InstitutionsColorado State University
ThesisThe impact of several hail parameters on simulated supercell storms (2001)

Early life and education edit

Originally from South Africa, van den Heever earned her bachelor's degree at the University of the Witwatersrand, where she studied mathematics and physical geography. She remained at the University for a further year, where she completed a higher diploma in education.[citation needed] She then worked as a mathematics teacher at a high school in Johannesburg. She eventually returned to university, where she worked toward a graduate degree in geography. Her master's research involved modelling of tropical-temperate troughs in South Africa.[3] Specifically, she studied El Niño–Southern Oscillation and drought in southern Africa.[4] Subsequently, van den Heever moved to the United States as a doctoral researcher. She completed her PhD at Colorado State University, where she investigated supercell storms.[5] After earning her doctorate, van den Heever worked as a postdoctoral scholar and then research scientist at Colorado State University.[4]

Research and career edit

In 2008, van den Heever joined the faculty at Colorado State University.[4] She supervises the development of the cloud-resolving numerical model Regional Atmospheric Modeling System.[6] She was named Monfort Professor in 2015 and University Distinguished Professor in 2022.[7][8] Since 2020 she has also been a Visiting Professor in the Department of Physics at the University of Oxford.[9]

The research that van den Heever conducts primarily focuses on storm systems and the impacts of air pollution on cloud formation.[7] She was part of the NASA Cloud, Aerosol and Monsoon Processes Philippines Experiment (CAMP2Ex), which flew over the oceans close to the Philippines and collected data on the aerosols and cloud microphysics.[10] In 2021, van den Heever was named principal investigator of the NASA Investigation of Cloud Updrafts (INCUS) mission, which is expected to launch in 2027.[11]

Awards and honours edit

Selected publications edit

  • Susan C. van den Heever; Gustavo G. Carrió; William R. Cotton; Paul J. DeMott; Anthony J. Prenni (July 2006). "Impacts of Nucleating Aerosol on Florida Storms. Part I: Mesoscale Simulations". Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences. 63 (7): 1752–1775. doi:10.1175/JAS3713.1. ISSN 0022-4928. Wikidata Q58412063.
  • Susan C. van den Heever; William R. Cotton (June 2007). "Urban Aerosol Impacts on Downwind Convective Storms". Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology. 46 (6): 828–850. doi:10.1175/JAM2492.1. ISSN 1558-8424. Wikidata Q58412061.
  • A. P. Khain; K. D. Beheng; A. Heymsfield; et al. (23 May 2015). "Representation of microphysical processes in cloud-resolving models: Spectral (bin) microphysics versus bulk parameterization". Reviews of Geophysics. 53 (2): 247–322. doi:10.1002/2014RG000468. ISSN 8755-1209. Wikidata Q56429403.

References edit

  1. ^ "List of Fellows - American Meteorological Society". Retrieved 14 April 2023.
  2. ^ "Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences - American Meteorological Society". Retrieved 14 April 2023.
  3. ^ Van den Heever, Susan Claire (1995). Modelling tropical-temperate troughs over southern Africa (Thesis) (in undetermined language). OCLC 890039750.
  4. ^ a b c d "ARM Research Facility". www.arm.gov. Retrieved 13 September 2021.
  5. ^ Van den Heever, Susan Claire (2001). The impact of several hail parameters on simulated supercell storms (Thesis). OCLC 49871908.
  6. ^ "VAN DEN HEEVER RESEARCH GROUP - DEPT OF ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCE - COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY". vandenheever.atmos.colostate.edu. Retrieved 13 September 2021.
  7. ^ a b "Celebrate! Colorado State Award winners". CSU Ventures. 22 April 2015. Archived from the original on 13 September 2021. Retrieved 13 September 2021.
  8. ^ "Celebrate! Provost Awards for 2022". Retrieved 14 April 2023.
  9. ^ "Susan van den Heever". University of Oxford Department of Physics. Retrieved 13 September 2021.
  10. ^ "Sue van den Heever | CAMP2Ex". espo.nasa.gov. Retrieved 13 September 2021.
  11. ^ "NASA Selects New Mission to Study Storms, Impacts on Climate Models". NASA. 5 November 2021. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
  12. ^ a b "Susan C. van den Heever – Professor – Department of Atmospheric Science | Colorado State University". Retrieved 13 September 2021.
  13. ^ "Van den Heever Receives 2016 Atmospheric Sciences Ascent Award". Honors Program. Retrieved 13 September 2021.
  14. ^ "Search Past Award & Honors Recipients". American Meteorological Society. Retrieved 13 September 2021.
  15. ^ "Houghton Lectures | MIT Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences". eapsweb.mit.edu. Retrieved 13 September 2021.
  16. ^ "List of Fellows". American Meteorological Society. Retrieved 13 September 2021.
  17. ^ "Three professors earn prestigious American Meteorological Society honors". Colorado State University. 6 August 2020. Retrieved 1 December 2021.