NSSL/CIMMS researchers were in Charleston, SC last week to share recent research with the weather community at the National Weather Association (NWA) annual meeting. The theme of the event was, “High-Impact Weather Communications: Finding Calm in the Eye of the Storm.” The main goal of the conference was to share physical and social science to determine how the weather enterprise can encourage people to take appropriate action during high-impact weather events, while realizing there are still limitations of each discipline.
Two University of Oklahoma-CIMMS and NSSL graduate students received NWA awards:
Best Graduate Student Poster Presentation: Robert “Race” Clark, University of Oklahoma-CIMMS and NOAA/OAR/NSL, Norman, OK, for A CONUS-wide analysis of flash flooding: simulations, warnings, and observations. His co-authors were JJ Gourley, Yang Hong, Zac Flamig, and Ed Clark.
Best Graduate Student Oral Presentation: Benjamin Herzog, Univ of Oklahoma/CIMMS, Norman, OK, for Total Lightning Information in a 5-Year Thunderstorm Climatology. His co-authors were Kristin M Calhoun and Donald R. MacGorman.
We also wanted to celebrate our retired scientist Charles A. Doswell III (CIMMS) who received the Special Lifetime Achievement Award “For his exceptional service and contributions to the operational forecasting and research communities through high–quality scientific research, educational workshops, and mentorship of colleagues and students.”
There were two other NWA successes from our partners in the National Weather Center:
Operational Achievement Individual Award
Richard Smith – National Weather Service Forecast Office Norman, OK
For outstanding service through the advancement of social media and other visionary tools to save lives, and for selfless service in support of NWS operations before, during and after Oklahoma’s deadly tornadoes of May 2013.
The Larry R. Johnson Special Award
Oklahoma Mesonet
For operating a comprehensive observing network with a 20–year legacy of exemplary service for the residents of Oklahoma that earned the title of America’s ‘gold standard ’ network from the National Research Council.
