This lecture series is in memory of Dr. James (Jim) Richard Mahoney who passed away in September 2015. The Annual Lecture was initiated by a group of his former colleagues and will be conducted in cooperation with the American Meteorological Society (AMS) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), two organizations pivotal to Jim’s professional career. The Annual Lecture will honor Jim’s memory in perpetuity by featuring a lecture by a distinguished speaker on a relevant environmental science and/or policy issue of the day.