Verner Suomi
Professor of Meteorology and Soil Science
12/6/1915 – 7/30/1995
Key Achievement
Verner Suomi is considered the father of satellite meteorology. He invented the Spin Scan Radiometer, which for many years was the instrument on the GOES weather satellites that generated the time sequences of cloud images seen on television weather shows. He made numerous important contributions to the fields of meteorology, space science and engineering.
Connection to Wisconsin
Suomi was a professor in the Department of Meteorology at the University of Wisconsin–Madison for his entire career, 1948 to 1986. He took a year off in 1964 to serve as Chief Scientist of the U.S. Weather Bureau.
For additional information, visit:
UW-Madison obituary
For additional information, visit:
UW-Madison obituary