Jasper Kok

Jasper Kok serves as an Associate Professor in the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he has been a faculty member since 2013 and received tenure in 2017. His research program focuses on fundamental physical processes governing atmospheric dust and its climate impacts across planetary environments.

His educational background includes:

• B.S. in Physics from Leiden University (Netherlands)
• Ph.D. in Applied Physics from the University of Michigan (2009), earning a Distinguished Dissertation Award

Prior to UCLA, he held prestigious postdoctoral fellowships at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (Advanced Study Program) and Cornell University (NSF Climate and Large-Scale Dynamics).

Kok's research centers on desert dust emission mechanisms, transport dynamics, and climate interactions, with particular emphasis on coarse dust particles previously overlooked in climate models. His groundbreaking work revealed how dust masks greenhouse gas warming and developed novel parameterizations for dust processes. This research extends to planetary science through investigations of sediment transport on Mars and Titan, demonstrating cross-disciplinary applications of his Earth-focused methodologies.

Analysis of his 15 most recent 2025 publications shows consistent focus on improving dust representation in Earth system models (CESM2, GEOS), quantifying radiative forcing (especially longwave effects), and integrating satellite observations to constrain dust properties. Key emerging themes include the role of dust mineralogy in radiative effects, high-latitude dust sources, and dust interactions with mixed-phase clouds.

His scientific recognition includes:

• NSF CAREER Award (2016)
• Henry Houghton Early Career Award (American Meteorological Society, 2019)
• Distinguished Dissertation Award (University of Michigan)
• Advanced Study Program Postdoctoral Fellowship (NCAR)
• NSF Climate and Large-Scale Dynamics Postdoctoral Fellowship

Kok leads significant research initiatives funded by the National Science Foundation, including his CAREER project on dust-climate interactions. While specific student advisees aren't listed in available materials, his faculty role involves mentoring graduate researchers in atmospheric physics and climate modeling. His work increasingly addresses societal implications through media engagement on climate-dust relationships, as evidenced by recent USA Today and earth.com features discussing dust storm tragedies and greenhouse masking effects.