STEM Stories to include NSSL researcher

A profile video spotlighting NSSL’s Pam Heinselman has been added to “STEM Stories,” a project to highlight the lives and work of women involved in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).  STEM Stories combines compelling personal stories and multimedia to inspire children in grades 4-8 in STEM subjects and careers.

The video, produced by NSSL’s James Murnan, tells Heinselman’s story beginning with how she was afraid of raindrops as a child.  “As you can see, that fear has turned into a love of weather, and in particular, a love of severe weather,” she said.  “My name is Pam Heinselman, I am a research meteorologist, and I am working on the next big thing in weather radar.

In July 2009, Heinselman was selected for the 2008 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE). The PECASE Award is the highest honor bestowed by the United States Government upon outstanding scientists and engineers in the early stages of their careers. “This was really cool because my research is being seen as valuable to the United States,” she says in the video.

Working with weather radar data has been Heinselman’s passion, as indicated by her recent award-winning paper about the rapid scanning phased array radar.  She and her team won the OAR Outstanding Paper of the Year Award and the prestigious Professor Dr. Vilho Vaisala Award for their work.

The video closes on a personal note highlighting the value of humor at home and in her job.

STEM Stories was funded through a grant from the NSF’s Research on Gender in Science in Engineering Program.  New content is being added every month, including more current and historical photos, profiles, videos, and interactive activities.

The video can also be found on the NOAA Weather Partners YouTube Channel at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eR2upPvU3uk.

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