Hot Items 2005 Professor Participates in Summer Research Program at NSSL
Wilson J. González-Espada, assistant professor of physical science and science education at Arkansas Tech University, is the first visiting professor chosen to participate in a summer research program at the National Weather Center in Norman, Okla., that ends Aug. 5.
The program, called Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU), pairs undergraduate students with government and university weather researchers and forecasters for 10 weeks to conduct research on a variety of topics including severe weather, tornadoes, numerical weather prediction models and climatology. In addition, students prepare and present papers reporting the results of their research. Their experience is supplemented by tours, field trips and lectures, all designed to provide students the opportunity to judge whether or not they want to pursue a future career in research.
González-Espada has co-mentored REU students on education-related projects and statistics, and conducted several research projects during the summer. He has collaborated with other mentors who are leading scientists in the field of meteorology from several of the organizations that make up the National Weather Center, including NOAA's National Severe Storms Laboratory, Storm Prediction Center, Warning Decision Training Branch and National Weather Service Forecast Office, as well as University of Oklahoma's School of Meteorology, Cooperative Institute for Mesoscale Meteorological Studies, and Center for Analysis and Prediction of Storms, and the Oklahoma Climatological Survey.
González-Espada has taught physical science, physics and science education for four years. Originally from Caguas, Puerto Rico, he earned a Ph.D. from the University of Georgia in science education, Master of Arts degree in Science education from the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico and a Bachelor of Arts degree in physics education from the University of Puerto Rico.
His projects this summer have included research and evaluation of the REU program, applications of the Doppler Effect in physics education and research on misconceptions related to relative humidity. In addition, he presented a seminar on the role of scientists in K-12 education.
"Working with REU students at the NOAA National Severe Storms Laboratory has been a very rewarding experience. I like to see their enthusiasm and deep understanding of meteorology," González-Espada said. "After coming to Norman, I have a significantly better understanding of meteorology. I definitely will integrate this new knowledge into the physical science classes that I teach."
The REU program is funded by the National Science Foundation through the Center for Analysis and Prediction of Storms. The 12 student participants were chosen from almost 100 applicants in the fields of meteorology, atmospheric science, physics, engineering, chemistry, mathematics, computer science, physical geography and other disciplines.
Projects supported by the national REU program provide opportunities annually for several thousand undergraduate students to participate in active mathematics, science and engineering research experiences.
The National Weather Center includes 17 federal, state and University of Oklahoma organizations involved in weather research, forecasting, education and support. Combined, the National Weather Center units employ nearly 650 people and have total annual expenditures of about $50 million.
8/1/05