Brent Holben

Brent Holben has worked at NASA’s GSFC for over 38 years performing research in both ground-based and satellite remote sensing of landcover and aerosols. Additionally he has developed innovative methods for in-orbit calibration of satellite visible and near-IR sensors. He is the project leader for the global AERONET sun-sky radiometer network that is providing spectral aerosol optical depth and microphysical and radiometric properties for NASA’s satellite cal/val program as well as validation for a variety of US and foreign satellite systems and aerosol model programs. In the process of developing the network and characterizing the great variety of aerosol types and processes, Mr. Holben and his team have led or participated in numerous airborne, ground-based and satellite field campaigns and that emphasize research and validation. These measurement campaigns have led to numerous collaborations in Brazil, Southern Africa, West Africa, US, Canada, Europe, UAE, India, Korea, Japan and SE Asia. This process of research through field campaigns requires collaboration and federation with NASA and non NASA partners encouraging the network to expand to more than 500 globally distributed measurement sites. Under Holben’s 23 year guidance, AERONET has become a global-standard for aerosol research and validation of satellite, airborne RS and model datasets and in situ comparisons and model assimilation. Of particular importance, Holben through AERONET, initiated NASA’s first fully open public domain research database that is accessible in near real time. Holben has received several awards most notably Goddard’s highest award for contributions to environmental science, the William Nordberg Memorial award in 2005 and became an AGU Fellow in 2016.