Steven A. Ackerman is Professor of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and is Director of the Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies. He received his B.S. degree in Physics from the State University of New York at Oneonta, and he was honored by Oneonta with its 2009 Distinguished Alumnus Award. He earned his Ph.D. in atmospheric sciences at Colorado State University.

Renowned for his ability to inspire active student participation in his classes, Dr. Ackerman has won numerous teaching and academic awards, including the American Meteorological Society's prestigious national Teaching Excellence Award for "his abundant energy and steadfastness in the promotion and practice of excellence in teaching and mentoring and for the development and wide dissemination of highly regarded learning materials for undergraduate and graduate students in the atmospheric sciences." He has also won the Chancellor's Award for Distinguished Teaching from the University of Wisconsin. Dr. Ackerman's research interests center on interpreting satellite observations of clouds, aerosols, water vapor, and land surfaces. He was a recipient of the NASA Exceptional Public Service Medal in 2010.