The NASA Exceptional Public Service Medal 2025

John P. Burrows receives the NASA Exceptional Public Service Medal

It is a great honour and a genuine pleasure to share that I was awarded the NASA Exceptional Public Service Medal (EPSM) on 27 August 2025 at NASA Headquarters.

The citation reads:

“For exceptional leadership and collaboration over three decades with NASA that advanced the understanding of atmospheric composition on a global scale.”

This recognition means a great deal to me — not only on a personal level, but also as a tribute to the many remarkable people with whom I have had the privilege to work. I accepted the medal on behalf of my close collaborators at NASA, the Institute of Environmental Physics (University of Bremen), the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry (Mainz), the University of Oxford, and the University of Cambridge. Science is, and has always been, a collective endeavour.

Since its founding in 1958, NASA has been a uniquely visionary agency, dedicated to advancing every aspect of civilian space-based research. In particular, it has played a transformative role in the evolution of Earth Observation—enabling us to monitor and understand both natural and human influences on the Earth system. This work has deepened our understanding of the biogeochemical processes that define the Anthropocene, the new geological epoch in which human activity has become a dominant force shaping our planet, its climate, biodiversity, and the health of its inhabitants.

Receiving this medal was a deeply humbling and joyful way to mark the 50th anniversary of the beginning of my scientific career. I am profoundly grateful to all who have shared this journey — colleagues, students, mentors, and friends — each of whom has inspired and supported me along the way.