International Meteorological Organization (IMO) Prize
The IMO Prize originates from the International Meteorological Organization, the predecessor to WMO. The IMO Prize is awarded annually. The first was presented to Dr Th. Hesselberg of Norway in 1956.
The IMP Prize includes:
- A 14-carat gold medal 57 mm in diameter. It bears on one side the official WMO emblem and on the other side the Latin inscription Pro singulari erga scientiam meteorologicam merito
- A monetary award of 10 000 Swiss francs
- A parchment scroll
Guidelines
Initially, the IMO Prize was granted in recognition of outstanding contributions in the field of meteorology. However, when the WMO mandate came to include operational hydrology in 1971, the range of IMO Prize expanded to include hydrology. Today, the IMO Prize covers any other field referred to in Article 2 of the WMO Convention.
Candidates for the IMO prize must be living persons; however, the award may be made posthumously to a candidate who dies between the date of his nomination and that of the awarding of the Prize.
Members of the Executive Council, as electors, are not eligible for the award during their term(s) of office.
Nomination procedure
Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Permanent Missions of Member State with WMO or Permanent Representatives of Member State/Territory with WMO are invited to nominate candidates for the IMO Prize. The nominations should be communicated to the Secretary-General by email to IMOPrize_nominations@wmo.int, for transmission to the Selection Committee of the Executive Council.
The nomination must include:
- A Nomination Form signed by either the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Permanent Mission or Permanent Representative. Nomination must include name, professional and home mailing address, present professional title and institutional affiliation.
- A precise and factual summary of accomplishments that provides a brief statement (1-2 pages) of the individual's achievements in the fields relevant to the Prize with a focus on the most recent five years, in at least one of the following: (i) advancing weather, climate and water science and/or it application to society; (ii) leadership of the International weather, climate and water community, with a particular emphasis on furthering the purpose of WMO; communicating weather, climate and water science and/or increasing public engagement in the field of weather, climate and water science and its application.. The summary of accomplishments should be in MS Word format, and follow the template.
- The nominee's curriculum vitae or resumé.
- A list of the nominee's publications.
- Two five-minute video presentations by the nominee and the Permanent Representative.
A candidature received after the deadline (one month prior to the opening of the Executive Council session) shall not be considered at that session, but shall be taken into consideration for all subsequent IMO Prizes to be awarded during the current four-year financial period, as will all candidates submitted but not chosen for the award during that financial period.
Find out more: Indication of preference for the designation of acting members of the council and the award of the IMO Prize (PDF)
List of winners
2023
Prof Timothy Palmer (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland)
Prof. Timothy Palmer named as IMO Prize Laureate (WMO News)
2022
Dr Sue Barrell (Australia)
Sue Barrell of Australia honored for outstanding leadership (WMO News)
2021
Professor In-Sik Kang (Republic of Korea)
WMO awards IMO prize to Prof. In-Sik Kang (WMO News)
IMO Prize Ceremony Lecture (PowerPoint)
2020
Mr David Grimes (Canada)
WMO former president David Grimes is honoured (WMO News)
IMO Prize Ceremony and Lecture
2019
Professor Sergej Zilitinkevich (Russian Federation)
Sergej Zilitinkevich Memorial Award (see also Sergej Zilitinkevich Memorial Award Established)
2015 Alfred Wegener Medal & Honorary Membership
2018
Dr Antonio Divino Moura (Brazil)
Divino Moura of Brazil wins IMO Prize (WMO News)
IMO Prize Winner 2018, Presentation (video)
2017
Professor Gordon McBean (Canada)
WMO presents top scientific prize to Gordon McBean of Canada (WMO News)
2016
Professor Qing-Cun Zeng (People's Republic of China)
Interview in Bulletin 64/1, 2015
Career highlights (in Chinese)
2015
Professor Dame Julia Slingo DBE (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland)
The Evolution of Climate Science: A personal view from Julia Slingo (article based on her IMO prize lecture)
Toward seamless climate-weather and environmental prediction (video);
2014
Dr Alexander Bedritsky (Russian Federation) - President of WMO, 2003-2011
2013
Dr Tillmann Mohr (Germany)
Interview in WMO Bulletin Vol 54/1, page 27
2012
Dr Zaviša Janjić (Serbia/United States of America)
Interview in WMO Bulletin Vol 62/2
2011
Professor Aksel Wiin-Nielsen (Denmark)
2010
Professor Taroh Matsuno (Japan)
Interview in WMO Bulletin Vol 60/2
2009
Professor Eugenia Kalnay (Argentina/United States of America)
Interview in WMO Bulletin Vol 59/2
2008
Mr Qin Dahe (People's Republic of China)
2007
Professor Jagadish Shukla (India/United States of America)
Interview in WMO Bulletin Vol 54/4, page 185
2006
Professor Lennart Bengtsson (Sweden)
Tropical cyclones in a warmer climate (IMO prize speech, published in WMO Bulletin Vol 56/3, page 196);
Interview in WMO Bulletin Vol 53/3, page 191
2005
Dr John W. Zillman (Australia) - President of WMO, 1995-2003
The WMO legacy for the 21st century: meteorology as a model for humanity (IMO prize speech, WMO Bulletin Vol 55/3, page 191);
The challenges for meteorology in the 21st century (IMO prize speech, WMO Bulletin Vol 54/4, page 224);
Related material: Adaptation to a variable and changing climate: challenges and opportunities for National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (WMO Bulletin Vol 58/3)
2004
Dr Bennet Machenhauer (Denmark)
Related material: Spectral Methods
2003
Dr Ye Duzheng (People's Republic of China)
2002
Dr Joanne Simpson (United States of America)
2001
Professor M. H. Ganji (Iran, Islamic Republic of)
Pioneers in Meteorology in I.R. of Iran: three generations - (published pn the occasion of IMO Prize 2001 for Dr. M. H. Ganji)
2000
Professor Emeritus Edward Norton Lorenz (United States of America)
The nature and theory of the general circulation of the atmosphere - The First IMO Lecture, presented at the Fifth Congress in 1967
1999
Professor James C. I. Dooge (Ireland)
1998
Sir John Houghton (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland)
1997
Professor Mariano A. Estoque (Philippines)
1996
Professor Tiruvalum N. Krishnamurti (United States of America)
1995
Dr Roman L. Kintanar (Philippines) - President of WMO, 1979-1987
The World of Weather and Water - an interview with Dr Kintaner
1994
Dr J.P. Bruce (Canada)
1993
Professor W. E. Suomi (United States of America)
1992
Professor Yuri Antonievich Izrael (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics)
1991
Professor Ragnar Fjørtoft (Norway)
1990
Dr Richard E. Hallgren (United States of America)
1989
Professor Pisharoth Rama Pisharoty (India)
1988
Professor F. Kenneth Hare (Canada)
1987
Professor M. I. Budyko (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics)
1986
Professor Hermann Flohn (Germany)
1985
Sir Arthur Davies (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland)
1984
Dr T. F. Malone (United States of America)
1983
Mr M. F. Taha (Egypt) - President of WMO, 1971-1979
Professor Juan Jacinto Burgos (picture) (Argentina)
1982
Dr William James Gibbs (Australia)
1981
Professor Bert Bolin (Sweden)
Global biogeochemical characteristics of the biosphere and their dependence on climate and climate change - Presentation of the Fourth IMO Lecture at the Eighth Congress in 1979
1980
Dr Robert M. White (United States of America)
1979
Professor Helmut Erich Landsberg (United States of America)
1978
Dr Alf E. G. E. Nyberg (Sweden) - President of WMO, 1963-1971
1977
Dr G. P. Cressman (United States of America)
1976
Academician E. K. Fedorov (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics)
1975
Dr Warren L. Godson (Canada)
1974
Professor Joseph Smagorinsky (United States of America)
1973
Dr Charles Henry Brian Priestley (Australia)
Mr John Stanley Sawyer (picture) (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland)
1972
Academician Victo r Antonovich Bugaev (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics)
1971
Professor Jule Gregory Charney (United States of America)
1970
Dr Richard Th. A. Scherhag (Germany)
1969
Professor Erik Herbert Palmén (Finland)
1968
Sir Graham Sutton (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland)
1967
Professor Kirill Y. Kondratyev (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics)
1966
Professor Tor Bergeron (Sweden)
1965
Professor Sverre Petterssen (Norway/ United States of America)
Encyclopedia Britannica listing
1964
Dr Francis W. Reichelderfer (United States of America) - President of WMO, 1951-1955
1963
Dr Reginald Cockcroft Sutcliffe (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland)
1962
Dr Anders Ångström (Sweden)
1961
Professor Kalpathi Ramakrishna Ramanathan (India)
1960
Professor Jacques Van Mieghem (Belgium)
1959
Professor Jacob Bjerknes (Norway/ United States of America)
1958
Mr Ernest Gold (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland)
1957
Professor Carl Gustav Rossby (Sweden/United States of America)
1956
