Lourdes B. Aviles

Lourdes B. Avilés is Associate Provost at Plymouth State University, where she previously served as Professor of Meteorology for 20 years. She led the Computational, Applied, Mathematical, and Physical Sciences (CAMPS) Academic Unit and coordinated programs in meteorology, climate studies, and physics. Currently, she serves as Vice Chair of the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) Board of Trustees and as a Trustee of the Mount Washington Observatory.

• PhD in Atmospheric Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• MS and BS in Physics, University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez

Her research spans tropical meteorology, atmospheric physics and dynamics, air quality, and interdisciplinary connections of atmospheric phenomena. She has focused on atmospheric optical effects, blending scientific and historical perspectives. Over her career, she has taught undergraduate and graduate courses in physics and meteorology while mentoring students in diverse research projects.

Dr. Avilés has received multiple recognitions, including the Theo Kalikow Award (2024) and the Faculty Award for Excellence in Service (2020). Her 2014 book on the Great New England Hurricane earned the International Atmospheric Science Librarians History Choice Award, and she became the first Puerto Rican woman to earn a PhD in atmospheric and related sciences.