Da Yang, a UC Davis atmospheric scientist who studies the physics of intense rainstorms like hurricanes and their relationship to the Earth’s climate, has been awarded a 2019 Packard Fellowship in Science and Engineering from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation.

Yang is among 22 early-career scientists and engineers nationwide to receive the prestigious award this year. Each will be awarded $875,000 over five years to pursue their research. He is the first recipient of the Packard Fellowship in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at UC Davis.