Skip to main content

Patrick Taylor (NASA)

Title: Climate Research Scientist
Technical Focus Area: Climate Science
Mission/Project: CERES
Study Topics: Arctic climate change, cloud-sea ice interaction

About:

Dr. Patrick Taylor has extensive experience using both observations and climate models to study the Earth system. Dr. Taylor’s career research goal is to better understand Earth’s Energy Budget and Water Cycle, providing improved climate model projections for societal benefit with a focus on the Arctic. Dr. Taylor’s research focuses on understanding cloud, radiation, and precipitation variability and their interactions using satellite remote sensing of clouds and Earth’s radiation budget. A common thread through Dr. Taylor’s research is the focus on understanding the cloud response to other Earth System processes. Dr. Taylor’s current research and collaborations investigate (1) the interactions between Arctic sea ice and clouds, (2) the teleconnections between Arctic climate variability, the surface energy budget and sea ice, and (3) the role of sea ice and surface turbulent fluxes in controlling Arctic amplification. In the first 10 years of his career, Dr. Taylor has authored 60 total publications and 47 peer-reviewed publications (Google Scholar H-Index of 18 and 1193 total citations) primarily on the behavior of clouds in tropical and polar regions and their radiative effects on time scales ranging from the diurnal cycle to climate change. Dr. Taylor’s research accomplishments have culminated in several recognitions including the 2012 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, an award only 102 people receive each year. In 2015, Dr. Taylor was recognized as a Kavli Frontiers of Science Fellow. Dr. Taylor also received the 2013 NASA Early Career Award. Dr. Taylor was appointed by Governor McAuliffe in 2014 to the Virginia Climate Change and Resiliency Update Commission. In 2017, Dr. Taylor also served as a lead author on the USGCRP Climate Science Special Report, Fourth National Climate Assessment Vol. I.

Publication Bibliography:

Select Publications/Reports:

  • Taylor, P. C., 2018: Local processes with a global reach. Nature Climate Change, doi: 10.1038/s41558-018-0342-3.
  • Cohen, J., Zhang, X., Francis, J. and coauthors (including P. C. Taylor), 2020: Divergent consensuses on Arctic amplification influence on midlatitude severe winter weather. Nat. Clim. Chang. 10, 20–29, doi:10.1038/s41558-019-0662-y.
  • Duncan, B. N., and coauthors (including P.C. Taylor), 2020: Space‐based observations for understanding changes in the arctic‐boreal zone. Reviews of Geophysics, 58, e2019RG000652. https://doi.org/10.1029/2019RG000652
  • Yu, Y., Taylor, P. C., and Cai, M. (2019). Seasonal variations of arctic low‐level clouds and its linkage to sea ice seasonal variations. J. Geophys. Res.: Atmos, 124, 12206– 12226. https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JD031014
  • Taylor, P. C., R. C. Boeke, Y. Li, and D. W. J. Thompson, 2019: Arctic cloud annual cycle biases in climate models. Atmos. Chem. Phys. 18, 8759-8782, doi: 10.5194/acp-19-8759-2019.
  • Taylor, P. C., 2018: Local processes with a global reach. Nature Climate Change, doi: 10.1038/s41558-018-0342-3.
  • Boeke, R. C. and P. C. Taylor, 2018: Seasonal energy exchange in sea ice retreat regions contributes to differences in projected Arctic warming. Nature Comm., 9, 5017, doi: 10.1038/s41467-018-07061-9.
  • Taylor, P. C., and coauthors, 2018: On the increasing importance of air-sea exchange in a thawing Arctic: A review. Atmosphere, 9(2):41, doi:10.3390/atmos9020041.
  • Hegyi, B. M., P. C. Taylor, 2018: The unprecedented 2016-17 Arctic sea ice growth season: The crucial role of atmospheric rivers and longwave fluxes. Geophys. Res. Lett., 45, 5204–5212. https://doi.org/10.1029/2017GL076717.
  • Taylor, P. C., W. Maslowski J. Perlwitz, and D. J. Wuebbles, 2017: Arctic Changes and their Effects on Alaska and the Rest of the United States. In: Climate Science Special Report: Fourth National Climate Assessment, Volume I. U.S. Global Climate Change Research Program, Washington, DC, USA, pp. 303-332, doi: 10.7930/J00863GK.
  • Taylor, P. C., S. Kato, K.-M. Xu, and M. Cai, 2015: Covariance between Arctic sea ice and clouds within atmospheric state regimes at the satellite footprint level. J. Geophys. Res. Atmos., 120, 12656-12678, doi:10.1002/2015JD023520.

Virtual Presentation:

Awards:

  • Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), 2012
  • National Academy of Sciences, Kavli Fellow, 2015
  • NASA Agency Early Career Medal, 2013

National/International Leadership:

  • Co-Chair of the US CLIVAR Process Studies and Model Improvements Panel
  • Co-Chair for the 2021 Gordon Research Conference on Radiation and Climate
  • U.S. Gov’t Expert Review Panelist and Chapter lead for IPCC SROCC and AR6 reports

Professional Memberships:

  • AGU
  • AMS

Education/Professional Experience:

  • Ph. D. Meteorology, Florida State University, 2009 (Prof. Robert G. Ellingson, advisor)
  • M. S. Meteorology, Florida State University, 2006 (Prof. Robert G. Ellingson, advisor).
  • B. S. Earth Science, California University of PA, 2004
  • Research Scientist, NASA Langley Research Center 11/09-Present

Hobbies/Interests:

I enjoy spending time with family, playing sports, and working out. I am also an avid homebrewer, ranked BCJP judge, and a member of the CASK local homebrew club.

Need to get in touch with Patrick Taylor? Fill out the contact form below.