The next generation of scientists

NSSL's students and mentors for 2006

Hollings Scholars

Darren Clabo, senior, University of Oklahoma (Dusan Zrnic and Terry Schuur)

Owen Shieh, Senior, Cornell University (Suzanne Van Cooten)

Karyn Snider, senior, North Carolina State University (Harold Brooks)

Lindsay Tardif, senior, Plymouth State University (Bob Rabin)

EducationalPartnership Program

Markeitta Benjamin, senior, Jackson State University (Suzanne Van Cooten)

Soralis Pimental, senior, University of Puerto Rico- Mayaguez (Kurt Hondl)

We start receiving e-mails at least a year in advance: "I am interested in an internship opportunity at the National Severe Storms Laboratory. Are there any positions available? Thank you for your time." Or, "I was curious as to if the NSSL offered any sort of employment or internships for weather-bound students such as I. After I earn my Bachelor of Science in Meteorology I plan to search for a job with the NSSL or the NWS. I figured an internship or summer job would help put “my foot in the door” with the NSSL. Please let me know."

Students come from all parts of the U.S. just to study weather at NSSL, and some do not even expect to be paid. NSSL offers internships as part of the Hollings Scholarship Program and the Educational Partnership Program. This summer NSSL hosted and mentored six students, who worked on projects ranging from severe weather climatology to hydrology and weather forecasting and radar.

Owen Shieh, a meteorology senior from Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y. assimilated 2003-2006 rain gauge data for use in NSSL's Tar River Basin project of North Carolina, and evaluated the biases of NSSL's multi-sensor quantitative precipitation estimation products. Markeitta Benjamin, a meteorology senior from Jackson State University in Jackson, MS collected data from 2003-2005 to see how much precipitation fell during heavy rain events in that time period. Both students said their usual studies at their East Coast schools involved hurricane research. Their research experiences in Norman gave them an added perspective on the profession. "I can take what I've learned back with me," says Benjamin.

At the end of the summer, the students formally presented their projects at NOAA headquarters. Soralis Pimental, mentored by Kurt Hondl, was awarded second place for her poster.

These opportunities develop academic excellence and scientific rigor in (NOAA/NSSL's) areas of expertise. Maybe a little passion too! Many of the students participating in these programs continue their professional careers in the sciences and work for NOAA or partner institutions.