Edward C. Monahan, director of the Connecticut Sea Grant College Program and a professor of marine sciences, has been honored twice by the American Meteorological Society.

Monahan was elected a fellow of the AMS, a prestigious honor recognizing his outstanding contributions to the atmospheric and related oceanic sciences for more than 33 years. He became one of the 22 AMS members elected fellows during the organization's 77th annual meeting last week. At the convention, Monahan also received The Editor's Award "for frequent, extremely thorough, scholarly and constructive reviews" of articles submitted to the Journal of Physical Oceanography.

"I feel truly honored to have been made a fellow of the American Meteorological Society and gratified that my editing efforts have been recognized," Monahan said. "I am delighted and honored to be put in such distinguished company."

Mark Emmert, chancellor and provost for University affairs, congratulated Monahan on his achievements.

"For more than 30 years, Ed Monahan has made significant scholarly contributions to the science of physical oceanography. And, through his extensive and erudite writings, he has brought this research not only to his peers, but also to the public -- in the Land Grant and Sea Grant tradition -- to enable us to understand, use, and conserve the ocean which touches us and surrounds us," Emmert said.

The AMS, founded in 1919 as a non-profit scientific and professional society, has more than 11,000 members worldwide. The society actively promotes the development and dissemination of information on the atmospheric and related sciences, publishing nine academic journals, including the Journal of Physical Oceanography.

Monahan has been director of Connecticut Sea Grant and a professor at UConn since 1986. Sea Grant is a network of non-profit programs in coastal and Great Lakes states fostering the wise use and conservation of the oceans through research and education. The program is funded by the federal National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and is based at the Marine Sciences & Technology Center at the Avery Point campus in Groton.

Monahan is a physical oceanographer internationally known for his scientific research concerning the role of breaking waves and bubbles in the exchange of gases and other material between the ocean and the atmosphere. The tiny particles in sea spray, marine aerosols, affect the heat balance of the earth and are important factors in climate and global change. His research is funded by grants from the Office of Naval Research and the National Science Foundation.

RKS