Jannick Fischer
Tell us about yourself:
My name is Jannick Fischer, I am a German meteorologist and researcher. Currently, I am pursuing my Ph.D. in the Atmospheric Science Group at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, (wild) west Texas. My B.Sc. and M.Sc. were completed in my hometown Berlin. I am interested in all natural sciences but to me, weather, clouds, and thunderstorms are the most fascinating. Apart from that I try to keep a good work-life balance and I enjoy many things, especially outdoor activities, sports and board games.
What is your research about?
In the group of Johannes Dahl, I mainly work on open questions on how tornadoes form. Although I enjoy driving out to chase real thunderstorms, I have to admit that my work mostly involves sitting at my desk and simulating storms using supercomputers. More specifically, I develop idealized model setups to describe the otherwise extremely complicated processes in supercell storms. Before starting my Ph.D., I have also done some work on synoptic scale phenomena such as atmospheric blockings and convergence lines over Europe.
What excites you about your research?
I have the privilege of being able to experience supercell thunderstorms and tornadoes in Texas firsthand. These images spark my excitement again every time. This would probably not even be necessary though, since I'm naturally curious about why things in nature are as they are. To be honest, I wish I had the time to do research in other fields as well. Fortunately, the numerical models I work with offer a great way to discover thunderstorm dynamics and satisfy my curiosity. Furthermore, as many of the previous spotlights have pointed out, one great thing about Earth Science is how connected and interdisciplinary the various fields are.
What broader importance does your research have for society?
My research mainly addresses the basic understanding of tornadogenesis but the ultimate goal is to reduce the impact of tornadoes. Since tornadoes can produce the strongest near-ground winds on earth, they pose a serious threat, even though they are relatively rare. The combined advancements of our understanding of severe storms, the forecast skill and the public warning network have greatly reduced the tornado threat over the past century, especially in the U.S. where violent tornadoes are most common. However, many aspects of when and why tornadoes form are still unclear, and I hope I can contribute to the progress by addressing these questions.
What inspired you to pursue a career in Earth Science?
Perhaps surprisingly, I more or less accidentally ended up in this position. After high school I wanted to become a pilot, which unfortunately (or maybe luckily?) didn't work out. Then I just started the first program that interested me, which ended up being Meteorology at the Free University of Berlin. From there, many more coincidences brought me to start my Ph.D. in Texas. In a parallel universe, I would probably be happy as a craftsman, teacher or engineer, but Earth Science is definitely something I enjoy.
What are you looking to do after you complete your PhD?
So far, I have had good experience of going with the flow. My wish would be to find a position leading into a career in academia back in Berlin, or Germany at least. On the other hand, I would love to continue working on severe storms research, which is mostly done in the States. However, I know that in this career path luck and timing play a huge role and with all the personal and professional factors involved, you have to be ready to make compromises. I wouldn't say I will count on my luck to lead me somewhere since this could end badly, but I definitely like to keep an open mind.
Given unlimited funding and access to resources, what is your dream project that you would pursue?
My personal goal would be to build up my own research group in Europe and do good science, e.g. on severe storms. With respect to my current work on tornadogenesis, my dream would be to develop a method to accurately measure 3D updraft velocities in thunderstorms with remote sensing. I believe this could be a way to greatly enhance our understanding and warning capabilities for supercells and tornadoes.
What else do you do? Any hobbies or interests outside of work?
As mentioned, I try to keep a healthy work-life balance. My main hobbies are Field Hockey and making music (guitar and clarinet), although less so since I moved to West Texas. Here, I like being in the sun, playing sand volleyball, swimming, biking or hiking. I also enjoy playing board games with friends and family and to bake (and eat) good German bread. As a final note, I would like to give a shout-out to Odin Marc and the other spotlights before me who advocated political, environmental and climate-related topics, which I support outside my work wherever I can.
Find out more about Jannick’s research at: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4314-7331