Jae Lee (PhD, 2008)

Jae Lee received both her PhD and MS from SoMAS, graduating in 2008. For her master’s thesis, Jae looked at radiative transfer modeling with Professor Bob Cess to estimate the earth’s radiation balance. She earned her MS in 1987. She later returned to complete her PhD under the direction of Professor Sultan Hameed, and her work focused on how the sun can influence Earth’s climate.

Jae credits SoMAS for reflecting her inspiring return to science, as well as providing her with a strong foundation in Earth system science and for shaping her interdisciplinary perspective.

At NASA, Jae is involved with the space-borne Total and Spectral Solar Irradiance Sensor (TSIS) mission, helping to ensure the accuracy and long-term stability of solar irradiance observations. Her work bridges satellite remote sensing and climate science, particularly how the Sun influences Earth’s climate. In addition to her research, Jae serves as Editor-in-Chief of Elsevier’s journal “Climate Physics and Atmospheric Science”. She approaches her work as an extension of her daily life–finding joy in making small progress each day and believing that there is always enough time to realize one’s vision. Jae is proud to be part of the SoMAS community and hopes fellow members follow their curiosity, no matter where or when they begin.