GPM Mission Project Scientist Passes Away
Arthur Hou, the project scientist for the upcoming Global Precipitation Measurement mission, died at home Nov. 20 from pancreatic cancer, which he had battled for more than a year.
“Arthur was an exemplary project scientist who kept the GPM flame alive during the various challenges as the project was being formulated and developed,” said Nick White, director of the Sciences and Exploration Directorate at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. “It is so unfortunate he could not see the launch. His legacy will live on through the successful launch and operation of GPM next year.”
Under his skilled and dedicated stewardship, GPM became a truly global effort with a global team. He excelled in providing scientific oversight to meet or exceed GPM’s many science objectives and application goals. Due in part to his commitment to the GPM mission, a new satellite will soon be in orbit that will significantly increase our understanding, monitoring and prediction of global precipitation systems and high-impact weather events such as hurricanes and typhoons.
"Hou was not only a superb scientist, he was a gracious and thoughtful person," said White. "He forged international friendships with colleagues and partners around the word, while still finding time to mentor junior and mid-level scientists. His presence, leadership and generous personality set an example for all of us to follow. He was the consummate team player and will be greatly missed."
Hou joined Goddard in 1990. He previously served as the NASA deputy project scientist for the joint U.S.-Japan Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission. His work focused on the use of space-based observations of clouds and precipitation in global modeling. Earlier in his career, he worked in planetary sciences, studying Venus and Uranus. His research interests also included dynamic meteorology and climate modeling.
Hou received his doctorate in applied physics from Harvard University and his bachelor’s degree in aeronautics and astronautics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He received numerous awards during his career, including a Robert H. Goddard Exceptional Achievement Award in Leadership. He was recently elected to be a Fellow of the American Meteorological Society.
He is survived by his wife Sandra and his daughter Sara.