Mark D. Schwartz, a distinguished professor of geography at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, was recognized by the American Meteorological Society for advancements he has made in phenological modeling and the use of its applications.
Schwartz is a climatologist and national authority on plant phenology – the study of plant-climate interactions during the onset of spring and autumn.
To explore the relationship between phenology and climate over large areas, such as the North American continent, he developed models from a data set of cloned lilac observations, which had been collected all across eastern North America since 1961. With this work and funding from the National Science Foundation, he co-founded the USA National Phenology Network in 2007 to collect, store and share phenology data online.
He also helped to develop an online tracker with the National Phenology Network that allows the public to see when the “first leaf” is expected to occur in their area.
Schwartz joined the UWM faculty in 1992 and was named a UWM distinguished professor in 2010. He earned his master’s degree at Michigan State University and his doctoral degree in geography from the University of Kansas.
The AMS awards not only those in meteorology, but also to individuals and organizations of the weather, water and climate community. Schwartz’s Outstanding Achievement in Biometeorology Award will be presented during the AMS annual meeting in Phoenix, Arizona, Jan. 6-10, 2019.
