On February 4, 2026, the Code 610 Atmospheres (610AT) Peer Awards Ceremony 2026 was held at NASA Goddard. Awardees were recognized in the following categories: Engage, Differentiate, Execute, and Grow.

For the Differentiate category, GESTAR II congratulates Jianyu Zheng (613/UMBC), who was recognized with Best Senior Author Publication Award. Dr. Zheng led a 2026 paper titled "A novel retrieval of global dust optical depth and effective diameter based on MODIS thermal infrared observations" published in Remote Sensing of Environment. The committee specifically noted this study introduces "a novel retrieval of global dust optical depth and effective diameter based on MODIS thermal infrared observations."

For the Engage category, GESTAR II congratulates Anne Thompson (UMBC/610), who received the Distinguished Collaboration Award, along with Dr. Debra Kollonige (SSAI/614). "This award celebrates teams that excel in collaborative efforts across labs, divisions, or external organizations."

 Photo: At the 610AT Peer Awards Ceremony from left to right are Debra Kollonige, Antonia Gambacorta, and Anne Thompson. Photo Credit: B. Demoz.

 Additionally, in the Grow Category, The Hyperspectral Microwave Photonic Instrument (HyMPI) Team was recognized with the Strategic Capture Excellence Award. Congratulations to Priscilla Mohammed (617/MSU), who is among the team members. For more information on the HyMPI, review this 2025 abstract from the AMS meeting.