Ray Hoff, who graduated from South Tahoe High School in 1966, has been awarded NASA’s Distinguished Service Medal for Distinguished Service and Leadership.

Hoff is a professor of physics at the University of Maryland and is also director of the Joint Center for Earth Systems Technology.

Ray Hoff

Hoff has 35 years experience in atmospheric research. His research interests are in the optical properties of aerosols and gases in the atmosphere and the pathways and fates of toxic organic and elemental chemicals in the environment. These diverse research interests stem from his formal training in physics, but also require a firm knowledge of atmospheric chemistry.

He has conducted research at UMBC, Environment Canada, NASA Langley Research Center, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the NASA Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration’s Environment Research Laboratories.

— Del Laine