Ada Monzón is the first female meteorologist from Puerto Rico. Currently, she is WAPA- TV Chief Meteorologist for Noticentro al Amanecer, Univision Radio (WKAQ 580 am) and Noticel digital platform. She is also the Founder and President of the Board of Directors of EcoExploratorio: Science Museum of Puerto Rico, a 501c3 non-profit community-based organization that inspires to protect our natural world, increase resilience to natural hazards and educate about the universe.
After earning her Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics, with a Physics concentration at the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras campus, and a Master’s degree in Meteorology at Florida State University, Ada Monzón joined the U.S. National Weather Service Forecast Office in San Juan, where she became a Forecaster and the Warning and Preparedness Meteorologist. From 2003 to 2014, she was the Chief Meteorologist of Univision P. R. (WLII-TV), and until 2019, she was the Commonwealth’s TV Chief Meteorologist.
Ada is the first and only female American Meteorological Society (AMS) Fellow and Certified Broadcast Meteorologist. She is one of five experts of the Governor’s first Climate Change Committee of Puerto Rico. She is also a board member of the Caribbean Regional Association for Coastal Ocean Observing Systems, member of AMS Fellow Committee, an affiliate member of the PR NASA Space Grant Consortium, and member of the American Alliance of Museums, National Science Teacher Association and American Association for the Advancement of Science.
She is a professional speaker, influencer, spokesperson for community campaigns and brands, and producer of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education programs and disaster mitigation educational campaigns.
Ada Monzon is widely recognized for her successful social media networks with over 1,700,000 combined followers. She is Puerto Rico’s most trusted meteorologist, anchoring weather and science related stories. Ada broadcasted live the three most important scientific events of recent history in Puerto Rico: the most devastating hurricanes, the strongest earthquake and the collapse of the Arecibo Observatory. She was selected by Forbes as “one of four women who changed the field of meteorology”.
Her standout service and commitment during 2017 provided invaluable reassurance as the commonwealth prepared for the most devastating disaster in the island’s modern history. She closely followed Irma as it passed through the Caribbean and then brought not only essential weather information, but helped the population prepare and remain calm throughout Hurricane Maria—one of the deadliest and costliest natural disasters on record. Ada is a strong advocate of hurricane preparedness and mitigation, climate change and space education and has dedicated her 32-year career to forecasting, public education, awareness, and safety.
She is the Principal Investigator for the NASA Teams II Engaging Affiliated Museums and Informal Institutions grant, and the Sub Recipient of FEMA HMGP Grant for the Institute of Resilience of Puerto Rico under EcoExploratorio. She is proud to be a Solar System Ambassador and a NASA Social Alumni. She was the most-searched person of the year, according to Google’s 2017 and 2020 Year in Search data for Puerto Rico.
Among her awards are: the 2019 American Meteorological Society Award for Broadcast Meteorology, the 2020 “Sor Isolina Ferre” Medal Award for Community Service and Education, the 2018 National Weatherperson of the Year, The American Meteorological Award Joanne Simpson Mentorship Award, the Silver Medal of the NOAA NWS US Department of Commerce, Distinguished Alumni of the Faculty of Natural Sciences of the University of Puerto Rico, STAR Award-Univision Television Group, and the American Meteorological Award for Excellence in Science Reporting by a Broadcast Meteorologist.
The EcoExploratorio is part of the Association of Science and Technology Center, European Commission-Directorate of Environment-Coalition of Biodiversity, NOAA Weather Ready Ambassador, and has received the 2021 AIDIS (Asociación Interamericana de Ingeniería Ambiental y Sanitaria) award.
Ada is widely recognized for her leadership in science education and community service, combining science, community and public policy, and for her tireless efforts in educating and protecting as many people as possible, from the deadliest storms in history and the current earthquake sequence in southwest Puerto Rico.
Monzón is married and has three daughters and lives in Puerto Rico. Her passions are science, education, philanthropy, traveling, cooking, and spending quality time with friends and family.