TOS Fellows Program

Outstanding contributions to the understanding and/or stewardship of the ocean at the local, regional, national, or global levels. Contributions could include scientific or technical excellence, and/or extraordinary service to community, leadership, education, mentoring, and/or advancement of diversity, equity and inclusion.

These contributions may be demonstrated by:

• Outstanding and wide-ranging contributions to educating and mentoring students and early career ocean scientists
• Novel contributions toward promoting a broader understanding of oceanography and oceanographic research to the general public

NOMINEES

• The nominated individual must be a TOS member for more than one year. Check with the TOS Executive Director, Jenny Ramarui, with any questions regarding membership status.
• TOS officers and members of the Council are not eligible for selection during their terms of service.
• Nomination is for an individual from any country. Nominations are sought of individuals that have not received similar awards in the past three years (from TOS or other societies).
• If selected, nominees must certify their compliance with all TOS policies, specifically the Professional Integrity, Ethics, and Conduct and Guidelines on Implementation.

NOMINATORS

• Anyone can serve as a nominator for another individual. Potential candidates should feel encouraged to ask a potential nominator to advance a nomination. We also encourage self-nominations. Self-nominations should also include a nomination letter.
• Nominators are not required to be TOS members
• One co-nominator is allowed
• Nominators must certify their compliance with all TOS policies, specifically the Professional Integrity, Ethics, and Conduct and Guidelines on Implementation and acknowledge the TOS Values Statement on Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.

SUPPORTERS

• Supporters are not required to be TOS members

• Nominations must include the elements described in the Nomination Package section below.
• Nominations must be submitted using the online system. You will be prompted to login. If you don’t have an existing account, please create a New Users account in order to complete your submission.
• Submissions are due by October 31, 2025.

Nominations are must include the following elements:

1. CITATION

• Please suggest text that may be edited to appear in news releases and on a certificate presented to the recipient. The text of this citation should be 200 characters or less.

2. PROFESSIONAL HISTORY

• Nominee’s curriculum vita or resume (five pages maximum) must be up to date and include the nominee’s name, mailing and email addresses.
• A description of the nominee's outstanding contributions (two pages maximum). If in the form of a bibliography, include key publications or products and indicate when students or postdocs appear as first author. If in narrative form, please provide descriptions and include any links that may be available to reference material (website, projects, initiatives, etc.).

3. NOMINATION LETTER

• The nomination letter can be a maximum of two pages and must include the name, title, affiliation, and contact information for the nominator or co-nominators.
• The letter should succinctly describe why the nominee is suited to receive the award, highlight their accomplishments, and elaborate on any information that is not specifically addressed in the nomination materials.

4. SUPPORTING LETTERS

• At least two but not more than three individuals may provide support for the nomination. These individuals are in addition to the nominator or co-nominators. Supporting letters are capped at one page in length and must include the supporter's name, title, and contact information, relationship to the nominee, and clear justification for the qualifications of the nominee.
• A fillable PDF is available here. After completion, the form may be sent directly to the nominator for inclusion with other nomination materials.

2024 Fellows

GO TO FULL CITATIONS

Claudia Benitez-Nelson (2024)
For outstanding contributions to understanding marine biogeochemical cycling and her exceptional commitment to mentoring and increasing diversity in ocean sciences 

Susan B. Cook (2024)
For pivotal contributions toward expanding and strengthening ocean programs in higher education and for documenting and promoting the involvement of women and underrepresented groups in ocean science 

Frank Müller-Karger (2024)
For extraordinary contributions and leadership in furthering our understanding of the Earth, and in particular the ocean, through the use of remote sensing and field work 

Phillip R. Taylor (2024)
For expansion and diversification of the ocean sciences at national and international levels and for building cooperative interactions among agencies and scientific fields 

Mitsuo Uematsu (2024)
For pioneering research on long-range atmospheric transport of Asian dust across the Pacific Ocean and its impact on marine biogeochemistry

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All TOS Fellows

Mark Abbott (2020)
In recognition of his dedication to The Oceanography Society through serving as president

Steven G. Ackleson (2019)
For fundamental contributions to the understanding of phytoplankton optical properties, radiative transfer models and the development and application of autonomous ocean observing systems

D. James Baker (2017/2018)
For contributions in founding TOS and providing leadership to the nation’s ocean science and policy communities and in recognition of his dedication to The Oceanography Society through serving as president

Richard T. Barber (2013)
For sustained and fundamental contributions to the science, community service and mentorship of countless others in integrated ocean ecosystem science

Jack Barth (2012)
For contributions and sustained leadership in all aspects of continental shelf oceanography, and for his commitment to community service.

Claudia Benitez-Nelson (2024)
For outstanding contributions to understanding marine biogeochemical cycling and her exceptional commitment to mentoring and increasing diversity in ocean sciences

Paula S. Bontempi (2019)
For her vision of what satellite-based ocean ecology could be, and tireless efforts to bring that vision to fruition in partnership with the community and space agencies

Emmanuel Boss (2020)
For his contributions ​to and his leadership in ocean optics and its use in mapping biogeochemical processes in the ocean, for his inspirational teaching, and for his unwavering commitment to service ​and mentoring young scientists

Kenneth Brink (2020)
In recognition of his dedication to The Oceanography Society through serving as president

Mark A. Cane (2014)
For contributions to the understanding and prediction of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the tropical oceans and their effects on climate and society

H. Lawrence Clark (2020)
In recognition of his dedication to The Oceanography Society through serving as president

Susan B. Cook (2024)
For pivotal contributions toward expanding and strengthening ocean programs in higher education and for documenting and promoting the involvement of women and underrepresented groups in ocean science

John J. Cullen (2005)
For fundamental contributions to our understanding of the influence of environmental conditions on phytoplankton function in the ocean

Margaret L. Delaney (2005)
For paleoceanographic research in nutrient and carbon cycling and service to the oceanographic and scientific ocean drilling communities

Ellen R.M. Druffel (2009)
For advancing the use of natural abundance radiocarbon measurements in marine carbon cycle research.

Robert A. Duce (2005)
For research on the global biogeochemistry of trace elements in the ocean/atmosphere system and in recognition of his dedication to The Oceanography Society through serving as president

Rana A. Fine (2015)
For significant contributions to the understanding of the ocean circulation and ventilation

Amatzia Genin (2019)
For original and sustained contributions to biological oceanography, through creative and comprehensive studies testing core hypotheses related to bio-physical interactions and the functioning of marine ecosystems

Charles H. Greene (2007)
For seminal contributions to the field of bioacoustics, innovation and excellence in teaching, and service to the oceanographic community

Arnold L. Gordon (2015)
For fundamental contributions to our understanding of how the global ocean is interconnected, drawing from his observations of the Southern Ocean, Indonesian Seas, and Agulhas retroflection and in recognition of his dedication to The Oceanography Society through serving as president

Eric Hartwig (2020)
In recognition of her dedication to The Oceanography Society through serving as president

Robert A. Holman (2019)
For pioneering work on the development of remote sensing tools and advancing the understanding of the world’s evolving coastlines

Grant Ingram (2006)
For insightful studies of physical processes and physical/biological coupling in extreme polar regions and for untiring service to the oceanographic community

Andone Lavery (2023)
In recognition of her dedication to The Oceanography Society through serving as president

James R. Ledwell (2017/2018)
For seminal contributions to the understanding of oceanic mixing

Margaret Leinen (2020)
In recognition of her dedication to The Oceanography Society through serving as president

Marlon Lewis (2009)
For seminal contributions advancing our knowledge of ocean optics, physical-biological interactions, and ecology

Eric J. Lindstrom (2019)
For leadership of the global community to advance coordinated ocean observing combining space and in-situ systems and facilitating the execution of large ocean field campaigns

Susan Lozier (2020)
In recognition of her dedication to The Oceanography Society through serving as president

Michael J. McPhaden (2005)
For ENSO research and unselfish service in providing the community with tropical atmosphere and ocean observations (TAO array)

Alan C. Mix (2020)
In recognition of his dedication to The Oceanography Society through serving as president

James N. Moum (2017/2018)
For outstanding contributions to widely used observational techniques and understanding of ocean mixing over a broad range of processes and scales

Frank Müller-Karger (2024)
For extraordinary contributions and leadership in furthering our understanding of the Earth, and in particular the ocean, through the use of remote sensing and field work

Theresa Paluszkiewicz (2013)
For long-term vision and contributions in basic research, mentoring and outreach, and national and international program leadership

Mary Jane Perry (2009)
For contributions to the founding and advancement of the sub-discipline of bio-optical oceanography and the education of more than a generation of bio-optics students

Clare E. Reimers (2019)
For advancing sedimentary redox chemistry and microbiology using oxygen, pH, and pCO₂ microelectrodes and leading the development of the next generation of regional class research vessels

Michael Roman (2020)
In recognition of his dedication to The Oceanography Society through serving as president

Roger M. Samelson (2019)
For seminal, wide-ranging contributions on the theory of physical dynamics of the ocean

Mary W. Silver (2009)
For pioneering research on the ecology of marine organisms, excellence in teaching, mentoring and service to the oceanographic community

Heidi M. Sosik (2017/2018)
For outstanding contributions to phytoplankton ecology, sensor development and graduate and undergraduate ocean science education

Richard Spinrad (2020)
In recognition of his dedication to The Oceanography Society through serving as president

P. Ted Strub (2013)
For advancing the understanding of eastern boundary current upwelling systems and leading interdisciplinary studies of these systems

Lynne D. Talley (2009)
For advancements in understanding the large scale circulation of the ocean and dedication to the oceanographic community

Phillip R. Taylor (2024)
For expansion and diversification of the ocean sciences at national and international levels and for building cooperative interactions among agencies and scientific fields

Carolyn Thoroughgood (2020)
In recognition of her dedication to The Oceanography Society through serving as president

Mitsuo Uematsu (2024)
For pioneering research on long-range atmospheric transport of Asian dust across the Pacific Ocean and its impact on marine biogeochemistry

Edward R. Urban Jr. (2020)
For over 30 years of outstanding and sustained contributions to ocean sciences through extraordinary service and leadership in the US and international oceanographic research community

Martin Visbeck (2021)
In recognition of his dedication to The Oceanography Society through serving as president

W. Stanley Wilson (2017/2018)
For his key role establishing NASA’s Oceanography from Space Program and organizing the international coalition in support of the Argo observing system

Dawn Wright (2020)
For leadership in the development of data science for the oceans, focusing on data quality, open science, and the development of spatial analytic tools to define the oceanic realm

Charles S. Yentsch (2008)
For promoting oceanography through innovation, fundamental discoveries in bio-optics and phytoplankton production, and the visionary founding of enduring oceanographic programs

James A. Yoder (2011)
For innovative and visionary application of satellite ocean color technologies to interdisciplinary oceanography and his extraordinary service to oceanography and in recognition of his dedication to The Oceanography Society through serving as president

If you have any questions about the TOS Honors Program, please contact Jenny Ramarui, TOS Executive Director.