Probability of Extreme Climates

Dr. Alexander E. (Sandy) MacDonald was named the first Director of the Earth System Research Laboratory and first Deputy Assistant Administrator for NOAA Research Laboratories and Cooperative Institutes on July 27, 2006. Dr. MacDonald served as Acting Director for the Earth System Research Laboratory and Director of the ESRL Global Systems Division during the consolidation of the Boulder Laboratories into the Earth System Research Laboratory in 2006. Prior to the consolidation, Dr. MacDonald led the Forecast Systems Laboratory.

Dr. MacDonald was the Director of the Program for Regional Observing and Forecasting Services (PROFS) from 1983 to 1988. From 1980 - 1982, he was Chief of PROFS' Exploratory Development Group and from 1975 - 1980 he was a Techniques Improvement Meteorologist in the Scientific Services Division, Western Region, National Weather Service in Salt Lake City, UT. He was an Air Force Officer while a member of the U.S. Air Force from 1967 – 1971. He received his B.S. in Mathematics/Physics at Montana State University, his USAF Weather Course Certificate in Meteorology at St. Louis University, his M.S. in Meteorology at University of Utah, and Ph.D. in Meteorology (Minor in Computer Science), University of Utah.