Rate My Professor Angel Adames-Corraliza

Angel Adames-Corraliza is an Associate Professor and Ned P. Smith Distinguished Chair of Climatology in the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, advancing the field of Geoscience. Raised in the rural town of San Sebastián, Puerto Rico, he experienced frequent tropical weather phenomena, including intense afternoon thunderstorms, easterly waves, holiday troughs, and tropical cyclones, which ignited his passion for meteorology. His parents encouraged pursuit of this interest, leading him to study Physics at the University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez, where he graduated summa cum laude and took atmospheric science courses. He subsequently earned a PhD in Atmospheric Sciences from the University of Washington, completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the NOAA Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory, served on the faculty at the University of Michigan, and joined the University of Wisconsin-Madison, rising to associate professor.

Adames-Corraliza's research examines physical processes driving large-scale atmospheric circulations, particularly in the tropics, spanning scales from inertio-gravity waves to ENSO, their impacts on rainfall, and responses to increasing CO2. A focal theme is the interaction between tropical waves, the Hadley Cell, and the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), described as a 'tug of war' wherein waves extract moisture from the ITCZ, facilitating poleward energy transport. His contributions include dynamical theories quantifying moisture's role in tropical weather and climate, fostering a comprehensive theory of the tropical atmosphere. Key publications are 'Fifty years of research on the Madden–Julian Oscillation: Recent progress, challenges, and perspectives' (2020, Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres), 'Four theories of the Madden–Julian oscillation' (2020, Reviews of Geophysics), 'The MJO as a dispersive, convectively coupled moisture wave: Theory and observations' (2016, Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences), and 'Precipitation budget of the Madden–Julian oscillation' (2017, Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences). Major awards include the 2025 MacArthur Fellowship, 2023 NSF CAREER Award, 2022 UW-Madison Vilas Early Career Investigator Award, 2019 National Academy of Sciences Kavli Fellowship, and 2018 American Geophysical Union James R. Holton Junior Scientist Award. He dedicates time to outreach in Puerto Rico and Latin America, co-leading the Spanish-language podcast 'Tiempo, Clima y Tierra' with Mayra Oyola-Merced to cover topics like tropical waves, El Niño, remote sensing, and mental health, while promoting equity in his department.