Mike Jensen Receives DOE Distinguished Mentor Award for Workforce Development

Inaugural award honors Brookhaven cloud scientist's dedication to supporting future researchers

April 1, 2026

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Mike Jensen stands in Brookhaven National Laboratory's Environmental Science and Technologies Department, where he leads research on cloud processes and mentors the next generation of scientists. Jensen has been recognized with the U.S. Department of Energy Distinguished Mentor Award for Workforce Development for his dedication to supporting students and early-career researchers. (Timothy Kuhn/Brookhaven National Laboratory)

UPTON, N.Y. — Mike Jensen, a meteorologist and interim chair of the Environmental Science and Technologies Department at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory, is a recipient of the DOE Distinguished Mentor Award for Workforce Development, a new award program that recognizes outstanding mentors from across DOE’s 17 national laboratories and their essential roles in developing STEM professionals.

Jensen is one of four mentors honored by DOE’s Office of Science for their excellence in guiding future scientists, engineers, and technical professionals through unique access to world-leading expertise, scientific user facilities, and research tools found at multidisciplinary national laboratories.

“The establishment of the DOE Distinguished Mentor Award for Workforce Development directly aligns with our strategic objectives to not only recognize exceptional mentorship but also to actively cultivate best practices across our National Laboratories,” said DOE Under Secretary for Science Darío Gil. “By illuminating these exemplary efforts, we reinforce a vibrant mentoring ecosystem crucial for advancing the DOE's mission and strengthening the U.S. workforce. We look forward to celebrating our inaugural awardees and hearing their insights and experiences.”  

The mentors will be celebrated at a virtual ceremony later this year. Each awardee will receive $10,000 to be used for research and mentoring-related development.

Over the years, Jensen has mentored dozens of students — from high schoolers to graduate-level researchers — through programs supported by DOE’s Office of Science and Brookhaven Lab. His mentees have participated in DOE programs such as Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internships (SULI), Office of Science Graduate Student Research, the Workforce Development for Teachers and Scientists Pathway Summer Schools, and various Brookhaven pre-college offerings such as the High School Research Program (HSRP).

“I’m honored and humbled to be awarded,” said Jensen, who leads his department’s Cloud Processes and Measurement Group and is a principal investigator for the Atmospheric System Research (ASR) program’s Process-level AdvancementS of Coupled Cloud and Aerosol LifecycleS (PASCCALS) Science Focus Area and an active participant with the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) User Facility, a multi-laboratory, DOE scientific user facility. “I consider mentorship an important part of my job as a scientist to help with the next generation, and I enjoy that part. It’s nice to be rewarded for something that I like doing.”

In his scientific work, Jensen collects data in the field to analyze and better understand the processes that drive the evolution of cloud systems and their role in the water cycle and the Earth’s energy balance. In field campaigns such as the TRacking Aerosol Convection interactions ExpeRiment, he and the ARM facility team deploy advanced atmospheric instruments to measure cloud structure, precipitation, and radiation.

Through Jensen’s mentorship, students see what atmospheric science looks like in practice. They learn about tools used in the field, such as radars and weather balloons, analyze datasets using coding and visualization tools like Python, and participate in exciting moments when new insights emerge from their data.

Jensen’s mentorship goes beyond helping students leave internships with new skills in data science and experimental analysis, said Aleida Pérez, manager of Brookhaven’s Office of Workforce Development and Science Education.

“He makes sure students are engaged with the broader network of atmospheric science researchers, helping them understand the impact of the research they collaborate on and see themselves as part of the research community,” Pérez said.

Jensen said he and his colleagues encourage students to embrace trial-and-error, whether they’re trying out ideas for experiments or exploring career pathways.

“We talk to them a lot about not being fearful of the research they’re doing and to go ahead and try new things,” Jensen said.

Those who nominated Jensen for the DOE award cited his accessibility, patience, and ability to instill confidence in aspiring scientists.

“To say that Mike had an impact on my life and career would be a severe understatement,” said Diana Apoznanski, a mentee of Jensen’s through HSRP and SULI. “Mike molded a timid high school student who had an interest in weather into a confident Ph.D. candidate studying Earth system modeling and impacts, and he has consistently and enthusiastically supported my career for an entire decade.”

Apoznanski is now pursuing a Ph.D. in atmospheric science at Rutgers University.

Jensen has also served as a mentor to new mentors, inspiring early-career researchers in his department to step into mentoring roles, Pérez said.

“He has supported his colleagues by serving as a co-mentor, providing guidance, and sharing what he has learned from collaborating with many students who have continued in STEM fields,” Pérez said.

Brookhaven National Laboratory is supported by the Office of Science of the U.S. Department of Energy. The Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, visit science.energy.gov.

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