校友
Whether pioneering breakthroughs in the lab, providing up-to-the-minute coverage of severe weather or countless applications in between, alumni of the School of Mathematics, Science and Engineering excel in their various fields after graduation.
校本 Meteorology 研究生s in the Eye of the Storm
For many 校本 alumni, the commitment to serve doesn't end at graduation. 校友 of the Department of Meteorology are in a unique position to assist and inform the public. When Hurricane Harvey was approaching U.S. soil in summer 2017, those skills were more critical than ever.
Weather graphics producer and meteorologist 卡罗来纳琼斯 (class of 2015) was at the Pennsylvania-based AccuWeather at all hours of the day and night before the storm hit. Mike 萨斯博士 (class of 2013) was working as a bilingual meteorologist at the Weather Channel, providing updated forecasts to the Spanish-speaking population. Read more of their stories below.
卡罗来纳琼斯, weather graphics producer and meteorologist for AccuWeather, was at the Pennsylvania-based station at all hours of the day and night before the storm hit. “We knew about a week out that it would make landfall in Texas and it was going to be significant,”她说。. “Everyone was saying it was going to be catastrophic. It was going to be really bad, something we had never seen.”
It was personal for Jones, a 2015 graduate, whose friends and family are based in Texas. 在工作中, she created graphics with her team that communicated urgent weather news, including inches of rain anticipated and potential tornado warnings. But, she was also checking in with Houston friends to ensure they had plans in place. “这太超现实了，”她说.
In times of approaching storms, when fear and panic are in danger of setting in, directness and accuracy are paramount. Meteorologists are charged with providing the best, 最精确的, up-to-the-minute information and arming viewers with knowledge so they can make life-saving choices. In a way, they are broadcast’s first responders.
She recalled the lessons from her former broadcast and meteorology professor Alex Garcia, who stressed clarity when communicating complicated scientific information.
“That was important for forecasting for Harvey, we needed to create graphics that were simple and easy to read, so people would know what was happening, and understand right away what they would need to be prepared,”她说。.
That’s also a principle that alumnus Mike 萨斯博士, weather producer and bilingual meteorologist for The Weather Channel, 在他的工作中.
“I am the only bilingual meteorologist at The Weather Channel,” said 萨斯博士. “One of the things we have recently done is expand coverage to reach out to the audience in the Spanish-language community.”
Some areas don’t have bilingual meteorologists, 他说, so providing clear forecasts in times of major weather events, 是至关重要的. 萨斯博士, the former chief meteorologist at Telemundo in Oklahoma City, puts viewers’ comprehension and safety at the forefront. Via graphics shared on the air and via social media, his messages are widespread. He often recalls the lessons of Dr. George Frederick, the 校本 adjunct professor who taught him critical news techniques.
While weather science is at the core of what these meteorologists do, 校本’s Mission also serves as a guiding tenet. “I never even realized how much attending 校本 has changed my perspective of helping others,琼斯说。. “I think the community service we put in to earn our degree is so important because you learn to be selfless and have empathy. I try to always put myself in another person’s shoes and this was the basis in creating a clear message for people preparing for Hurricane Harvey. I thought about what I would want to know if I was in the path.”