Alisa Holley Young
received her BA degree in physics in 2002 from Talladega College, a historically
black college in Talladega AL. She received an MS in Atmospheric Science from the
University of Alabama at Huntsville in 2005. After completing her MS degree, she
received a student fellowship award under NOAA's Educational Partnership Program
with Minority Serving Institutions. Dr. Young earned a PhD. in Earth and Atmospheric
Science in 2011 from Georgia's Institute of Technology in Atlanta, GA where her thesis
work focused on the characterization of deep convection in the tropical tropopause
using active and passive satellite remote sensing. Since transitioning into NOAA
NESDIS in 2011, Dr. Young has worked as a physical scientist and a research physical
scientist supporting multiple offices in NOAA over her 18 year career including
NCDC/NCEI, OSPO, GOES-R, JPSS, and STAR. Dr. Young is currently the JPSS Program
Lead Scientist at STAR where she supports the STAR science teams in meeting JPSS
mission priorities for instrument calibration and validation activities and
manages JPSS related science team risks, the JSTAR C/V budget and milestones.
Awards and Honors
2022
Dr. Young received the Department of Commerce (DOC) Bronze Medal award,
"For ensuring that NOAA's next generation geostationary satellite system will
meet the most critical observing needs for our nation and partners." (group award).
Dr. Young received the NOAA Administrator's Award - "For the successful recovery
of Cross Track Infrared Sounder (CrIS) on Suomi NPP satellite for numerical weather
prediction and climate monitoring." (group award).
Dr. Young received the NESDIS Equal Employment and Diversity Award
2021
Dr. Young received the NESDIS Collaboration Award, "For demonstrating excellent
collaboration across multiple thematic communities (Fire, Agriculture, Human Health,
Weather Forecasting and Oceans), and for holding 5 workshops where user needs were
collected and translated into requirements for GeoXO instrument selection". (group award)
Dr. Young received the JPSS Quarterly Award, "For Outstanding Teamwork
towards the successful migration and operations of the JPSS Data Processing and
Management Services GRAVITE Algorithm Development Area into AWS Cloud" (group award).
Dr. Young received the NOAA Employee of the Month Award (Sept. 2021), for her
work as the Chair of the 2020 Community Meeting on NOAA Satellites,
an event that included multi-day sessions that brought together over 1000
NOAA data users and stakeholders from more than 250 organizations spanning
U.S. and international government agencies, meteorological organizations,
academia, and private industry from 33 countries around the world.
2019
Dr. Young received the DOC Bronze Medal group award "for leading a multiyear,
multi institutional effort to ensure the continued production and availability
of a premier source of cloud information (International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project - ISCCP)" (co-recipient)
Dr. Young received the NOAA Administrator's Award, "For developing and
implementing an innovative, first-ever Individual Mentoring Program for all
NESDIS employees which was employed NOAA-wide." (group award)
2018
Dr. Young received the Women of Color in STEM Technology All Star Award
In recognition of her accomplishments in the science, technology, engineering,
and mathematics (STEM) community.
Dr. Young received the NESDIS Equal Employment and Diversity Award
2016
Dr. Young received the NOAA Administrator’s Award, "For challenging the
status quo and driving agency priorities on diversity and inclusion" (group award -
Diversity and Professional Advancement Working Group DPAWG)
In addition to Dr. Young’s work with NOAA, she has also held teaching appointments
at the University of Michigan-Dearborn (Physics 3 semesters), the Community College of Denver
(Physics - 8 semesters) and at Spelman College (Environmental Science - 16 semesters).
Alisa Holley Young
Alisa Holley Young
received her BA degree in physics in 2002 from Talladega College, a historically
black college in Talladega AL. She received an MS in Atmospheric Science from the
University of Alabama at Huntsville in 2005. After completing her MS degree, she
received a student fellowship award under NOAA's