Fund honoring late meteorologist to assist in global student experience

UNIVERSITY PARK — Jenni Evans, a world-renowned meteorologist whose research transformed the scientific understanding of tropical cyclones and strengthened storm forecasting worldwide, earned a slew of accolades in her decadeslong career. But, colleagues said, the late Penn State faculty member considered her students’ success her proudest accomplishment.

The newly established Jenni Evans Fund in the Department of Meteorology and Atmospheric Science will ensure that those successes continue in perpetuity.

“Throughout her career, Jenni never was in it for the accolades. She was in it for the science and the impact meteorology can have on society,” said Bruce Lord, Evans’ life partner and assistant teaching professor of statistics at Penn State. “Jenni made her career out of global contributions to science, and this fund will help future leaders in the field do just that.”

Endowed by Lord, the fund is available to upper-level undergraduate and early graduate students in the field of meteorology who are interested in gaining international experience. Lord said the fund could help students make connections that were integral to jump-starting Evans’ own career.

“Jenni knew the best science is born out of international collaborations, and this fund will help students who share those aspirations,” Lord said. “This fund is for those who are passionate about science, and those who want to participate and collaborate on an international level.”

Evans, a professor of meteorology and atmospheric science at Penn State for more than three decades, was internationally recognized for her groundbreaking work on hurricane structure, evolution and prediction. Colleagues credited her with bridging the gap between atmospheric research and operational forecasting, leaving a lasting imprint on both science and public safety.

Born in Melbourne, Australia, she earned her doctorate in applied mathematics from Monash University in 1990. She began her career at Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, where she studied climate change and its influence on tropical cyclones. In 1992, she joined Penn State’s Department of Meteorology and Atmospheric Science, earning tenure in 1998 and promotion to full professor in 2005.

The professor emerita of meteorology and atmospheric science died April 3 at age 63.

“Jenni was a remarkable scientist, a leader in our field and a vibrant member of our community,” said Paul Markowski, distinguished professor and head of meteorology and atmospheric science. “Her passion for understanding tropical cyclones and their interaction with our changing climate will have a lasting impact on both research and operational forecasting.”

Evans’ research focused on tropical cyclones, tropical convection and the interaction between storms and climate. Among her most influential contributions was the development of the Cyclone Phase Space framework, created with former doctoral student Bob Hart. The framework provided a new way to diagnose and track structural changes in cyclones, particularly as storms transition between tropical and extratropical systems. It has since been widely adopted by researchers and operational forecasting centers around the world.

She also worked to connect academic science with real-world applications. She served as a hurricane meteorologist for the Florida Commission for Hurricane Loss Projection Methodology and advised on catastrophe risk modeling, helping states and insurers better understand storm risk.

Beyond her research, Evans held several major leadership roles at Penn State. She served as interim director of the Earth and Environmental Systems Institute and acting director of the Institute of Energy and the Environment before leading the Institute for Computational and Data Sciences, where she earned emerita status. During her tenure, the institute expanded its interdisciplinary research efforts and strengthened the University’s capacity in high-performance computing and data science.

A longtime member of the American Meteorological Society, Evans served in numerous leadership positions and became the society’s centennial president in 2019, one of only a handful of women to hold the role. She was elected a Fellow of both the American Meteorological Society and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. She also earned the prestigious National Science Foundation CAREER Award.

Those who would like to support the Jennie Evans Fund in Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences may do so at this link.

Support for the Jenni Evans Fund in the Department of Meteorology and Atmospheric Science advances the University’s historic land-grant mission to serve and lead. Through philanthropy, alumni and friends are helping students to join the Penn State family and prepare for lifelong success; driving research, outreach and economic development that grow our shared strength and readiness for the future; and increasing the University’s impact for families, patients and communities across the commonwealth and around the world. Learn more by visiting raise.psu.edu.