PDC weather specialist recognized with prestigious award

May 27, 2015

Hawaii Emergency Management Agency (HI-EMA) awarded the 2015 Dr. Arthur N. L. Chiu Award for Hurricane Preparedness to Pacific Disaster Center (PDC) Senior Weather Specialist Glenn James. The award is presented annually during the National Weather Service Hurricane Season Outlook briefing to honor an individual, organization, or business that has demonstrated innovation or excellence in hurricane preparedness for the community.

Mr. James was selected as the Dr. Arthur N. L. Chiu recipient by the Weather Impacts Advisory Committee, which fulfills the functions of the Hawaii State Hurricane Advisory Committee as the multi-agency and private sector advisors to emergency management professionals on technical and practical solutions to Hawaii’s hurricane hazards.

James has worked with PDC since its inception, nearly 20 years ago, and has delivered countless contributions to hurricane preparedness in Hawaii and globally. Since October 2011, nearly 1,500 of his Tropical Cyclone Activity Reports (more than 1,000 of them for the Pacific basin) have been featured on PDC’s Weather Wall, a blog providing daily coverage of meteorological and geological hazards around the globe. The Activity Reports posted by James cover the Pacific Basin, including the Indian Ocean and adjacent seas; and during the Atlantic hurricane season, a separate Report is issued for the Atlantic Basin, including the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico.

The hurricane preparedness activities pursued by Mr. James have changed over the years, always keeping pace with changing technology. Still, over the past two decades, he has also made time to give presentations to groups of students and to advise, assist and educate others about weather hazards.

Dr. Chiu was an internationally recognized expert in structural engineering who provided guidance and support in hurricane preparedness through the Hawaii State Hurricane Advisory Committee.

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