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Jim Moore was very blunt when it came to Unidata; no other entity outside of St. Louis University had more of a direct impact on SLU's meteorology program than Unidata. |
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James T. Moore, 1952-2006 |
The Russell DeSouza award honors "individuals whose energy, expertise, and active involvement enable the Unidata Program to better serve the geosciences."
Professor James Moore, St. Louis University (posthumous) received the 2007 DeSouza Award at the AMS annual meeting on January 18, 2007. Jim was recognized for efforts and contributions through the years that truly reflect the goals and ideals of the Unidata program.
Jim served on the Users' committee as the IDD became the backbone of Unidata's data delivery system. Jim struggled with the technology, but supported its premise even though SLU had technology issues that delayed full participation in the IDD until several years later. Jim often spoke his mind as a user of Unidata software, asking how it would help him in teaching and research.
As a Policy Committee member, Jim served with distinction as its liaison to the Users Committee. Throughout his tenure on Unidata committees, Jim was always willing (and eager) to provide a contextual pun to liven up a long day of meetings. Jim continued to serve Unidata and began entraining other faculty at SLU into Unidata and its products. Jim’s long association with Unidata enriched its community and Program Center.
Jim used the fruits of Unidata's labor to bridge the gap between the meteorology in the classroom and the weather happening on the other side of the classroom window. Of the Ph.D. students who worked under Jim, nearly all of them are former or current professors of synoptic meteorology, who use Unidata products in their classrooms and labs, thereby continuing his profound legacy to new generations of students.
Throughout his tenure on Unidata committees, Jim was always willing (and eager) to provide a contextual pun to liven up a long day of meetings. Jim continued to serve Unidata and began entraining other faculty at SLU into Unidata and its products. SLU is now entrenched in the Unidata world, relying on the IDD and Unidata-supported software in teaching and research.
Jim probably felt that everyone serving on Unidata's committees with him was more deserving of the DeSouza award than he; he felt that he was just an old-fashioned synoptic meteorologist. To those he left behind as colleagues, students, and friends, he was so much more. As such, we must respectfully disagree with his self-assessment there is no one more deserving of this prestigious award.
Unidata is eternally thankful to Jim for these and many other activities that have had a lasting impact on our community.