The chair of the WMO SDS-WAS NAMEE Node and former scientific officer of the WMO Research department Dr. Slobodan Nickovic awarded an EGU Plinius medal 2022.

"The European Geosciences Union (EGU) has named the 50 recipients of next year’s Union Medals and Awards, Division Medals, and Division Outstanding Early Career Scientist Awards. These individuals are honoured for their important contributions to the Earth, planetary and space sciences. They will be celebrated during the EGU General Assembly 2022, which will be held from 3–8 April."

Link to the awards news

Dr. Slobodan Nickovic is a pioneer in dust modelling and forecasting. He designed the DREAM model in the early 1990’s, which became the first regional dust forecast model that routinely and operationally predicted sand and dust storms. Over the last 3 decades, DREAM has been among the most widely used dust models in the international community for research or forecast purposes.

Dr. Slobodan Nickovic has directed the international community towards the goal of mitigating the consequences of sand and dust storms. He played a leading role in the design and launch of the WMO Sand and Dust Storm Warning and Assessment System (SDS-WAS) whose mission is to enhance the ability of countries to deliver timely and quality sand and dust storm forecasts, observations, information and knowledge to users through an international partnership of research and operational communities. He is today the Chair of the SDS-WAS for Northern Africa, Middle East and Europe and his leadership and guidance has been key to the establishment of the first WMO Specialized Center for dust forecasts, the Barcelona Dust Forecast Center.