CPAESS proudly congratulates Zorana Jelenek, Scientist VI, and Seubson “Golf” Soisuvarn, Scientist V, on receiving the 2026 NESDIS Outstanding Mission Operations Team Member Award.

Working with NOAA’s National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS), Zorana and Golf were part of the Ocean Surface Vector Winds team whose work helped ensure that critical satellite observations were available to support hurricane analysis and forecasting during the 2025 hurricane season.

headshot of Zorana Jelenak with hurricane image in the background

Zorana Jelenek, Scientist VI

The team responded to an unplanned and time-sensitive need: evaluating new observations from the Weather System Follow-on – Microwave (WSF-M) satellite and helping enable the National Hurricane Center (NHC) to operationally use its microwave imager data. Working under a compressed timeline, the team coordinated across NOAA offices and with external partners, navigating complex technical exchanges and working closely with National Weather Service end-users to accelerate readiness.

Their efforts helped ensure continuity of observational data for tropical cyclone analysis and forecasting, with no gap in available observational sources during the 2025 hurricane season.

The impact of this work extends beyond hurricane forecasting. The evaluation and understanding of WSF-M brightness temperature observations also helped lay the groundwork for other STAR science teams to explore their use in enterprise algorithms and information products related to precipitation, soil moisture, and sea ice.

headshot of Seubson Soisuvarn

Seubson “Golf” Soisuvarn, Scientist V

For Zorana and Golf, the recognition is a testament to their scientific expertise, collaboration, flexibility, and commitment to operational excellence.

“My sincere congratulations to both of you for being recognized with the 2026 NESDIS Outstanding Mission Operations Team Member Award. What an honor! Thank you so much for your hard work and dedication.” SPS | CPAESS Director Hanne Mauriello

CPAESS is proud to celebrate Zorana and Golf for this well-deserved recognition and for the important contributions they make to NOAA’s mission and to Earth system science. Their work demonstrates the powerful impact of CPAESS scientists working alongside federal partners to turn scientific expertise into operational solutions that benefit communities and decision-makers.

Congratulations, Zorana and Golf! We are proud to have you as part of the CPAESS community.