Precip Folks

• Where are you from, where did you receive your education, and what in?

• What first got you interested in the topics you chose to study?

To be honest, I did not initially plan to study atmospheric sciences. During school, I loved Chemistry, which led me to pursue a BSc in Chemistry. However, life took an unexpected turn when I joined the School of Earth, Ocean and Climate Sciences at IIT Bhubaneswar for my Master’s. In the initial months, I was genuinely in a dilemma. I was unsure whether I truly belonged in this field. The only aspect I felt naturally drawn to was coding and data analysis. Everything changed in my second semester when we were introduced to the Wheeler and Kiladis diagram. I was fascinated, especially by MJO, and how a planetary-scale disturbance could modulate tropical convection across vast regions felt both beautiful and profound.

Growing up in Kolkata, I frequently experienced “Kalbaisakhis”, the intense pre-monsoon thunderstorms that brought relief from the heat but sometimes caused severe damage. Gradually, I began connecting these experiences. I became curious about how large-scale phenomena like the MJO might influence regional thunderstorms and lightning activity over India. This curiosity shaped my MSc thesis, where I explored the link between the MJO and lightning and thunderstorm activity over India, trying to understand the multi-scale interactions governing convective systems. By the time I began my PhD, my interest had matured into a broader scientific question: how does organized convection evolve, intensify, and produce high-impact extreme events? This naturally led me to study MCSs, allowing me to examine convection from synoptic to mesoscale perspectives and to better understand the dynamics, thermodynamics, and societal impacts of extreme precipitation events.

•  How has your area of research evolved since you first started doing research?

My research has evolved both conceptually and technically since I first started. During my Master’s, I was primarily interested in understanding how large-scale phenomena like the MJO modulate regional thunderstorm and lightning activity over India. At that stage, my focus was on identifying connections across scales and building a strong foundation in atmospheric dynamics and data-driven analysis. During my PhD, my perspective broadened significantly. Rather than only examining how large-scale variability influences convection, I began investigating the internal dynamics, thermodynamics, and microphysical processes of organized systems themselves, particularly MCSs. My work now focuses on how these systems evolve, organize, and produce high-impact extreme precipitation events during the Indian Summer Monsoon.

Methodologically, my research has also become more integrated. I combine satellite observations, reanalysis products, and high-resolution numerical simulations to examine convection from synoptic to cloud-resolving scales. This multi-scale and multi-platform approach has allowed me to move from studying modulation mechanisms to understanding structure, feedback, and societal impacts. Looking ahead, I aim to further bridge the gap between process-level understanding and predictability, particularly in the context of extreme weather under a changing climate. Ultimately, I hope my work contributes not only to advancing mesoscale meteorology but also to improving risk assessment and early warning frameworks.

•  Where do you see your area of research headed in the future?

In the long term, I believe my research will contribute to both fundamental advances in tropical meteorology and practical improvements in extreme weather prediction and climate resilience. In the future, the key challenge will not just be understanding MCSs, but improving their predictability and quantifying how their structure, intensity, and frequency may change under climate variability and long-term warming.

With increasing computational power and high-resolution modeling, we are now able to explicitly resolve convective processes that were previously parameterized. I believe the field will increasingly combine cloud-resolving simulations, satellite observations, and machine learning techniques to better capture multi-scale interactions. Another important direction is translating process-level insights into societal relevance. As extreme precipitation events become more frequent and intense over regions like South Asia, bridging the gap between mesoscale dynamics and impact-based forecasting will be crucial. This includes improving early warning systems and understanding compound extremes.

• What is your favorite part of your job?

“Service to man is service to God,” a principle articulated by Swami Vivekananda, is something I deeply resonate with. I believe this should be the ultimate goal of every research endeavour. Studying extreme weather systems is not just an academic pursuit for me,  it carries a strong sense of societal responsibility. Severe storms, MCSs, and extreme rainfall events directly affect lives, livelihoods, and infrastructure, particularly in vulnerable regions around the globe.

The favorite part of my job is knowing that the science I work on has the potential to contribute, even in a small way, to better understanding and prediction of such high-impact events. There is something profoundly meaningful about translating complex atmospheric dynamics into knowledge that can ultimately support preparedness and resilience. At the same time, I genuinely enjoy the intellectual side of research, the process of coding, analyzing large datasets, and uncovering patterns within the chaotic and super-complex climatic system.

•  What are some of your hobbies?

In my free time, I enjoy photography, especially capturing landscapes and candid moments. I have a pet dog named Pori (means “Angel”), and spending time playing with her is something I truly cherish. I also enjoy playing and watching football and cricket. I am a huge fan of Real Madrid football club. Whenever I get the chance, I love traveling to the mountains.

• Who has inspired you most throughout your career?

My mother is my primary source of motivation. Her strength, sacrifices, and constant encouragement have been the foundation of everything I pursue.

I am deeply grateful to everyone who has supported and inspired me along the way. My advisors, Dr. Sarvesh Dubey (PhD Supervisor) and Prof. Kiranmayi Landu (MSc Project Supervisor), have played a pivotal role in shaping my academic journey. They taught me what it truly means to be a thoughtful and rigorous researcher. I am also constantly inspired by my collaborators, especially Dr. Wenjun Cui and Prof. Parthasarathi Mukhopadhyay, my colleagues, and friends, from whom I continue to learn new ideas and perspectives. 

Above all, I remain profoundly thankful to the Almighty, for blessing me with everything I have and how far I have come.

 
↑ top

• Where are you from, where did you receive your education, and what in?

• What first got you interested in the topics you chose to study?

There was a course I took during my undergrad back in 2018: Environmental Data Analysis. It was the first time I saw coding in real life, and what we could do with it. At the moment, a “Do While” loop made me feel like I had a personal assistant that could do things for me until I tell it otherwise; it made me feel “powerful”, in a naive sense. In this same course, I used Reanalysis data for the first time. The thought of having data every couple of hours for anywhere on Earth, along with the possibility of having my “code assistant” do things, made me feel that this field has so many things I could explore. I believe this was the moment when I realized the scale and nature of the data I wanted to explore further.

•  How has your area of research evolved since you first started doing research?

The first-ever research project I participated in was a project on turbidity currents in tropical reservoirs as an undergraduate research assistant. Then, as a Civil Engineer, I worked on urban drainage, identifying vulnerable points in drainage networks and predicting their overflow during heavy rainfall, which was my first exposure to precipitation data. During my master’s, I started studying orographic precipitation in the tropics, and later during my PhD, I focused on passive microwave precipitation validation and quality assessment.

•  Where do you see your area of research headed in the future?

Right now, there is a very steep learning curve for people to conduct research or even use satellite precipitation data without assistance. Precipitation data is hard to find, hard to download, hard to understand, and doing this without some understanding of coding is nearly impossible. I am not sure which interests drive the bulk of research, but I hope my area of research moves forward more promptly on simplicity. As we researchers become better at understanding the phenomenon and presenting data in a source-agnostic way, we will make it much easier for people across all fields of knowledge to use and incorporate rainfall data into their applications.

• What is your favorite part of your job?

I value most making nice visualizations and talking about them with people. I would say the former is my "artistic" outlet.

•  What are some of your hobbies?

I spend much of my free time walking my dog, working out, or binge-watching shows.

• Who has inspired you most throughout your career?

Here, I have to honor Mr. Dayerson, a Civil Engineering student at the time, who, when I was finishing high school, was leading a series of astrophysics talks as part of an outreach program at his university. In this series of talks, I was introduced to COSMOS: A SpaceTime Odyssey. In there, we discussed how science was a way of breaking free from thought tyranny, a captivating way of rebellion. Moreover, as Galileo rebelled against religious dogma, “eppur si mouve,” I felt so grateful and moved that I knew I wanted to be a rebel like them: a scientist. My career started there, and that is as inspired as one can get.

 
↑ top

• Where are you from, where did you receive your education, and what in?

• What first got you interested in the topics you chose to study?

Growing up, I saw how monsoon-driven river floods in my state affected thousands of people, which drew me to Civil Engineering. During my Master’s, I worked on soil moisture prediction using IoT, remote sensing, and machine learning. That experience inspired me to learn how these technologies are applied to disaster risk reduction. This led me to a Junior Research Fellow position at the Department of Space, Government of India. There, I realized that one of the biggest bottlenecks in Flood Early Warning Systems is the accuracy of precipitation data. That insight motivated me to pursue a PhD in precipitation research. At IIT Hyderabad, I now study aerosol-cloud-precipitation interactions. These interactions affect both floods and droughts and also play a key role in Earth’s radiation and moisture budget. But they remain one of the largest sources of uncertainty in weather and climate models. Thus, improving our understanding is essential for better forecasts, reliable climate projections, and informed climate policy.

•  How has your area of research evolved since you first started doing research?

My research has really moved from the ground to the atmosphere. I began with soil moisture prediction during my Master’s. As a Junior Research Fellow, I then worked on hydrological modelling of flood-prone rivers. Now, in PhD, my work focuses on isolating how different aerosol types influence precipitation, effectively separating their effects from other meteorological drivers. I use satellite and reanalysis data together with statistical and machine-learning approaches and WRF-Chem simulations on high-performance computing systems to navigate the challenge of limited in situ data. 

•  Where do you see your area of research headed in the future?

Looking ahead, I hope to work with next-generation High Performance Computing systems for kilometer-scale numerical simulations, generative AI, and foundational AI models in weather and climate science. I am particularly interested in combining high-resolution simulations with observational data from missions such as EarthCARE and GPM to generate high-quality datasets of precipitation events. These datasets can then be used to train or fine-tune generative and foundational AI models. Such models could help produce long-term datasets and explore “what-if” scenarios, improving our understanding of complex processes such as aerosol-cloud-precipitation interactions.

• What is your favorite part of your job?

I enjoy the full research process - from brainstorming and coding to presenting my work. But my favorite part is sharing results and getting feedback, because that’s where my ideas really sharpen.

•  What are some of your hobbies?

Outside of work, I’m really into fitness, specifically calisthenics. I prefer bodyweight movements over machines, though I do use weights to augment my workouts. After dinner, I usually head out for a night stroll with friends, which is a great way to decompress. I also play the guitar; I haven't picked it up in the last year, but I'm planning to get back into it soon.

• Who has inspired you most throughout your career?

My parents are my primary motivation. Professionally, my senior, Dr. Santanu Mallik, inspired me to be tenacious and aim big in my research goals. I am also inspired by my supervisor, Dr. Shruti Upadhyaya, for her vision and meticulous attention to detail. She provides exceptional guidance to our entire team while instilling in us the importance of maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

You can find me at:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abhigyan-chakraborty/

 
↑ top

• Where are you from, where did you receive your education, and what in?

• What first got you interested in the topics you chose to study?

My interest in hydrometeorological extremes began long before I entered the field. As a child, I remember seeing news coverage of the devastating 1998 China floods. Those images left a deep impression on me and planted the seeds of curiosity about extreme weather and its societal impacts. Years later, while studying in Beijing, I experienced the most extreme rainfall over the past 60 years. These experiences shaped my motivation to study hydrometeorological extremes and to contribute to improving our understanding and preparedness.

•  How has your area of research evolved since you first started doing research?

When I started my PhD journey, we were in the 2nd scientific decade of the International Association of Hydrological Sciences (2013-2022) entitled “Panta Rhei – Everything Flows”. Researchers are devoted to the changes in hydrometeorological extremes, rainfall, flood and drought etc. At that time, I was doing nonstationary flood/rainfall frequency analysis and hydrological design strategies under a changing environment, considering climate change and human activities. Then, when I worked as a Postdoctoral Research Scientist in the Department of Earth and Environmental Engineering at Columbia University, I was trying to understand the underlying driving mechanisms of variability of hydrometeorological extremes, and I started to play with sea surface temperature (SST), and my research mainly focused on the forecast of ENSO dynamics and its teleconnections with hydrometeorological extremes, and also renewable energy. Most importantly, now we are in the era of AI. Deep learning models seem to beat the SOTA physical ENSO/hydrological models. So, I am also trying to develop an ENSO forecast model using the CNN plus Transformer. After that, I became a Research Scientist in the Department of Civil and Environment Engineering at University of Wisconsin-Madison, and I am playing with another SST, which stands for Stochastic Storm Transposition, what a destiny! Funded by FEMA’s Future of Flood Risk Data (FFRD) initiative, I am trying to apply SST to large watersheds and watersheds with complex terrains and provide more accurate rainfall IDF curves. 

•  Where do you see your area of research headed in the future?

Looking ahead, I see my research moving toward a deeper integration of physical understanding, large-scale climate dynamics, and advanced AI methodologies. As climate extremes intensify and datasets grow in both spatial and temporal resolution, there is a unique opportunity to combine process-based knowledge with data-driven models to improve prediction, attribution, and risk assessment. I anticipate developing hybrid frameworks that leverage physics-guided machine learning for forecasting the nexus of climate-energy-water, and understanding their teleconnections with large-scale climate oscillations.

• What is your favorite part of your job?

I especially enjoy the process of handling large, complex spatiotemporal datasets and turning them into beautiful and informative maps. Creating fancy spatial distributions that communicate scientific insights clearly is one of the most rewarding parts of my work.

•  What are some of your hobbies?

I’m a big sports fan. I love playing basketball, badminton, and working out regularly. After coming to the U.S., I also started to play pickleball and tennis. I enjoy watching games as well, and I’ve visited eight NBA arenas so far and plan to explore many more!

• Who has inspired you most throughout your career?

I am fortunate and truly grateful to have had many supportive people accompany me through different chapters of my life. First, I would like to thank my family for their unconditional love and support throughout my career. I am also grateful to my PhD advisors, Prof. Lihua Xiong and Prof. Chong-Yu Xu, who opened the door to hydrological science for me and taught me how to do research. My postdoctoral mentor, Prof. Upmanu Lall, has been very inspiring. His creativity and vision encouraged me to pursue deeper physical understanding and explore machine learning approaches. At the University of Wisconsin-Madison, I have been very fortunate to work with Prof. Daniel Wright, whose supportive mentorship and timely, thoughtful guidance have continually motivated me to grow as an independent researcher. I truly appreciate all of these people for shaping my scientific journey.

 
↑ top

• Where are you from, where did you receive your education, and what in?

• What first got you interested in the topics you chose to study?

Weather and climate systems are inherently chaotic in nature. During my undergraduate, I had little exposure to atmospheric sciences because my home university did not offer a dedicated program in this area. It wasn’t until my master’s studies at UC Berkeley, where I accidentally took the Climate Dynamics and Modeling class, that I learned the Lorenz System and Chaos for the first time. I found it intriguing how the deterministic nature of the nonlinear system does not guarantee predictability, and that seemingly chaotic phenomena might be explained by a set of elegant coupled nonlinear partial differential equations. My desire to further explore how to mathematically describe the chaotic climate and weather system motivated me to pursue a Ph.D. in atmospheric science.

•  How has your area of research evolved since you first started doing research?

I started my doctoral research with an interest in anthropogenic changes in tropical precipitation and large-scale atmospheric circulation. During my Ph.D., I was broadly interested in understanding the global influence of tropical precipitation, particularly how model uncertainties in its simulations affect projections of the Walker circulation and planetary stationary waves, and how precipitation sensitivity to sea surface temperature changes drives global land climate change. Since beginning my postdoctoral research, my focus has shifted toward examining the interactions between precipitation and near-surface temperature at finer temporal and spatial scales. 

•  Where do you see your area of research headed in the future?

There remain many unresolved questions about how precipitation interacts with other components of the climate system across a range of temporal and spatial scales. For example, we still seek to understand the origins of the double ITCZ bias in climate models and its links to large-scale circulation, as well as the nonlinear connections between precipitation, local circulation, and compound extremes in both tropical and midlatitude regions. As a result, my future work seeks to further understand fundamental questions about how nonlinear feedbacks link tropical processes and land–atmosphere interactions to global circulation and regional climate extremes.

• What is your favorite part of your job?

This might sound strange, but the moments I enjoy most are those spent wandering in the dark, trying different paths to solve a problem that has no clear answer. I love the sense of possibility that comes with not yet knowing the outcome. Once a problem is solved and I am at the stage of wrapping it up, my curiosity and passion naturally shift towards something new.  Another thing I’ve come to appreciate more over the years is writing, yes, writing the paper. I absolutely hated writing when I started my grad school, especially as a non-native speaker. But as time went on, I came to appreciate that writing a scientific paper is much more than stating the facts and equations—it’s an art of weaving logic, narrative, and language together to tell a coherent and compelling story. As I spent more time improving my scientific writing style, I came to realize that many of the influential papers in our field are memorable not just for their scientific discoveries, but how cleverly they were written.

•  What are some of your hobbies?

I love classical music as I grew up playing the piano. Though I am not anywhere near being professional, playing the piano has always been my way of communicating with myself, of feeling the mutual emotions of composers long gone and letting their voices speak through the notes. I also enjoy outdoor activities like biking, hiking and camping in nature. I started practicing Brazilian Jujitsu two years ago and it is now my favorite combat sport (despite the fact that I am still getting crushed on the mat almost every sparring session).

• Who has inspired you most throughout your career?

At each stage of my career, I’ve been fortunate to work with people who have inspired and guided me. I am deeply inspired by Prof. Annalisa Bracco and Dr. Isla Simpson, both of whom served on my dissertation committee during graduate school. To me, they embody what it means to be extraordinary female scholars, driven by a strong passion for their own research and a sincere commitment to guiding and inspiring the young generations. I have also been greatly influenced by my current supervisor, Prof. Gang Chen, particularly by his meticulous approach to any scientific questions and his commitment to the highest standards. I’ve also been lucky in my career to collaborate with Prof. Stephan Fueglistaler and Prof. Yue Dong, who have shown me what it truly means to be creative, passionate, and collaborative scholars.

 
↑ top

• Where are you from, where did you receive your education, and what in?

• What first got you interested in the topics you chose to study?

My country is mostly arid and faces serious water resource challenges, so I decided to specialize in water resources management for my master’s degree. Because precipitation is the most crucial input for hydrological models, I focused on developing a precipitation climate dataset for Iran. The country’s unique geography, where high mountains are near the seas, creates strong orographic precipitation, so I chose a region where this effect is very pronounced. The connection between mountains and rainfall fascinated me both academically and personally, as I enjoy hiking and have always been curious about how topography influences weather and water.

•  How has your area of research evolved since you first started doing research?

In my master’s program, I concentrated on combining gauge data with global precipitation products to improve rainfall interpolation across regions with limited observations and complex terrain. Now, in my Ph.D. studies, I am focused on the retrieval process, developing the very satellite-based precipitation products I previously depended on. My research has shifted from analyzing existing datasets to enhancing the methods that produce them, particularly targeting high-latitude precipitation using infrared sensors.

•  Where do you see your area of research headed in the future?

I see my research advancing toward deeper integration of deep learning methods and real-time applications. Specifically, I aim to apply advanced deep learning techniques to geostationary infrared observations for precipitation nowcasting, to create products that support real-time hydrologic and weather applications.

• What is your favorite part of your job?

Turning raw satellite orbits into maps that actually help people. I love the mix of coding, problem-solving, and collaborating, especially when a model improvement shows up clearly in the metrics and the maps.

•  What are some of your hobbies?

I love hiking and camping, as well as cooking and baking, especially for big groups where I can share food with friends. I also enjoy exploring American rock and the underrated Japanese jazz fusion scene of the '70s and '80s. Also, I often find myself reading about bands on Wikipedia.

• Who has inspired you most throughout your career?

I want to start by thanking my master’s supervisors, Dr. Mohsen Nasseri and Prof. Banafsheh Zahraie, who addressed water resource management challenges in Iran despite many obstacles. Their dedication taught me the importance of perseverance. I am also deeply grateful to my Ph.D. advisor, Ali Behrangi, whose guidance, high standards, and encouragement have shaped my approach to science. He has also shown me the value of collaboration and networking, lessons that continue to guide my growth as a researcher.

 
↑ top

• Where are you from, where did you receive your education, and what in?

• What first got you interested in the topics you chose to study?

Growing up in coastal southeast China, where hurricanes frequently make landfall, sparked my initial interest in studying Atmospheric Sciences. In my third year in college, I attended a collaboration field trip to the Alpine Mountains, which aims to promote interdisciplinary knowledge in Earth Science across geography, atmospheric science, and geology. I was deeply captivated by the snowy mountains along the way. Climbing up Mount Blanc, I learned about the dramatic decline of snowpack and the ongoing retreat of glaciers under climate change. This inspired me to study topics around snowfall, and later joined Dr. Guosheng Liu’s remote sensing lab for my Ph.D.

•  How has your area of research evolved since you first started doing research?

In my undergraduate degree, I worked with fluid dynamics and climate patterns. My first publication came from a graduate class project in studying impacts of extreme precipitation on Florida’s hydroclimate variations. “Precipitation” has become a research keyword since then. My familiarity with climatology during my undergraduate degree allowed me to turn my “side project” into a publication, where I uncovered a unique latitudinal pattern of the long-term trends in precipitation phase partitioning. That experience sparked my deeper interest in this topic, and I began focusing more on precipitation phase partitioning in my research.  I developed an improved phase partitioning method, EnergyPhase (https://github.com/ShangyongShi/PhaseClassification), for satellite precipitation retrievals using atmospheric profiles and explored the temperature sensitivity of precipitation phase under climate change based on satellite data.

These experiences naturally led me to wonder how the fraction of snowfall in precipitation may affect the surface snow and associated hydrological processes. To pursue this direction, I applied for the Pim Fellowship in Global Change at JHU EPS and was fortunate to receive support for an interdisciplinary project at the intersection of atmospheric sciences and hydrology. My current work focuses on how precipitation phase partitioning influences snow modeling within land surface models (NoahMP) - a shift that also marked my transition from observation-based analysis to modeling-based research.

Another important thread in my research has been satellite snowfall retrievals. I’ve collaborated on projects aimed at improving validation methods for snowfall retrievals and improving machine learning algorithms for orographic snowfall retrievals from microwave sensors. While this is not my primary focus at the moment, remote sensing remains a powerful tool that I intend to incorporate in future work.

•  Where do you see your area of research headed in the future?

I am now working to get involved in and bridge the atmospheric science, hydrology, and remote sensing communities, as I believe interdisciplinary efforts would be needed to face the complex challenges ahead. While I am still exploring different fields, my main focus for the next one or two years would remain around rain-snow partitioning and snow-related processes. Looking ahead, I aim to incorporate diverse tools – from in-situ observations and satellite remote sensing to regional and climate modeling – to better understand hydrological changes and broader impacts of climate change across scales and disciplines.

• What is your favorite part of your job?

I believe that curiosity is essential in life – continually learning new knowledge and skills keeps me energized. As a Pim Fellow, the best part is being driven by curiosity and having the freedom to explore topics that truly interest me. This role also marks my transition from a student to an independent researcher, where I must take responsibility for tracking my own progress. Additionally, I’m learning to engage with perspectives from different fields, recognize emerging research ideas, and put them into practice. Every little progress I make in research will bring me great joy.

•  What are some of your hobbies?

I’m really into sports—especially volleyball, tennis, and indoor rock climbing. I fell in love with volleyball the first time I played it about 15 years ago. I love the team spirit and the friendships that come with it. Tennis became my go-to during grad school—it helped me make friends and build resilience, and competing in leagues taught me how to stay calm and focused under pressure. Rock climbing, my recent focus, is more of challenging myself – facing the fear, believing in myself, turning impossible to possible, and making progress at my own pace without comparing with others. Honestly, the dopamine from staying active keeps me energized and helps me manage stress from work.

• Who has inspired you most throughout your career?

It is hard to choose just one person – I am deeply grateful for all those who supported and inspired me along the way. My advisors, Dr. Guosheng Liu and Dr. Benjamin Zaitchik guided me through my academic journey, and taught me what it means to be a thoughtful, rigorous researcher. I’m also constantly inspired by my collaborators, colleagues, and friends, from whom I continue to learn new ideas and perspectives. I am thankful for my family and friends who always stand by my side. 

 
↑ top

• Where are you from, where did you receive your education, and what in?

• What first got you interested in the topics you chose to study?

I first got interested in snowfall as a young child, as I was blown away by how snow can turn a barren winter landscape into something beautiful. Growing up in North Carolina, snow only fell a few times a year at most, so it always felt like a special treat. In high school, I read weather forums where people would talk about how teleconnections, or patterns of atmospheric conditions related at long distance, could affect snowfall. I realized I wanted to learn more about how those could be used to improve snowfall prediction at long timescales. That led into the work I am doing today.

•  How has your area of research evolved since you first started doing research?

My first research involving snowfall prediction and teleconnections involved studying the effects on snowfall from the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO), a pattern of enhanced and suppressed equatorial convective activity that propagates eastward on the intraseasonal timescale. Now, I am creating a database of snowfall events from 1950-present with plans to use that to study a greater number of teleconnections, how they work in combination to affect snowstorm characteristics, and how those relationships change over time.

•  Where do you see your area of research headed in the future?

In the future, I expect machine learning (ML) to play an ever greater role in S2S forecasting. I also expect ML and improved data sources to lead to more accurate data assimilation when it comes to S2S modeling. Furthermore, I expect increased study on communicating S2S forecast information effectively to various stakeholders. Thus I plan to incorporate some of these developments into my own future research.

• What is your favorite part of your job?

My favorite part of my job is coding (despite the fact that it is sometimes stressful). It is so rewarding to figure out how to write a script in MATLAB or R to get unique plots that show data in an insightful way. I quite enjoy figuring out new ways to explore a dataset, and it sometimes feels more like play than work.

•  What are some of your hobbies?

Since starting graduate school, I have gotten into indoor rock climbing, as I find the combination of physical exercise and strategizing one’s moves to be quite rewarding. I also compete at trivia with a team of fellow grad students. Sometimes I play strategy board or computer games.

• Who has inspired you most throughout your career?

My first PhD advisor and undergraduate Synoptic Meteorology professor, Dr. Jeffrey Basara, inspired me greatly. When taking his class, I was impressed by his passion for meteorology and how he was able to turn his meteorological interests, which are similar to mine, into a successful career. My current PhD advisor, Dr. Pierre Kirstetter, has also inspired me, through his broad scope of knowledge and striving for achievement on a broad variety of projects. And my Master’s advisor, Dr. Naoko Sakaeda, helped me immensely with organization and coding and was the one who encouraged me to get a PhD.

 
↑ top

• Where are you from, where did you receive your education, and what in?

• What first got you interested in the topics you chose to study?

One of my lasting memories of my hometown is the flooded agricultural fields that appeared almost every summer. Later, I learned that these areas were intentionally designated for flood discharge—a necessary but unfortunate strategy that caused some people to lose their crops. After getting into college, I was introduced to advanced satellite-based observations, and was attracted by its ability in flood mapping. People can monitor these flooded areas without being there in person. In graduate school, I began to learn more about precipitation and hydrologic modeling. 

•  How has your area of research evolved since you first started doing research?

This area of research is becoming increasingly interdisciplinary. When I first began research as an undergraduate, I focused primarily on processing and fusing satellite imagery to detect changes in water levels, without giving much thought to how these observations aligned with hydrologic modeling results. Currently, I am expanding my research to leverage observations and modeling. Data assimilation has proven to be a powerful approach for incorporating uncertainties from both sources. I am actively learning and exploring it.

•  Where do you see your area of research headed in the future?

Satellite-based products contain significantly more uncertainty than ground-based measurements. This uncertainty, combined with modeling uncertainty, can greatly affect prediction accuracy. More efforts are still needed to handle uncertainty in satellite data and uncertainty in deep learning-based hydrologic modeling, especially in data-scarce regions.

• What is your favorite part of your job?

One of my favorite parts of my work is collaborating with brilliant people every day. I also appreciate the flexibility to pursue research topics that interest me.

•  What are some of your hobbies?

In my free time, I enjoy hiking and traveling. I’ve also recently started learning how to ice skate. 

• Who has inspired you most throughout your career?

My advisor, Prof. Daniel Wright, has been a major source of inspiration throughout my research journey. I’m also deeply motivated by my colleagues and lab mates. Personally, my sister has been a constant source of inspiration, both in my research and in my life.

 
↑ top

• Where are you from, where did you receive your education, and what in?

• What first got you interested in the topics you chose to study?

Since a young age, I was interested in water and how it interacts with the natural environment. Through experiences in the wilderness, from canoeing over lakes to hiking in the desert, I was captivated by how water could carve out landscapes, move through tiny crevasses, and affect entire ecosystems. Studying hydrology and atmospheric physics offered a great way to combine this interest with my passion for math and science. 

•  How has your area of research evolved since you first started doing research?

My research area has been a bit twisty and turny, but loosely connected through a common thread of water and climate science. I have hopped between research on plant hydraulic models for epiphytes (plants that grow without soil), to a climate impact study on the water balance in New Mexico, to modeling snow water equivalent in the Alaskan Arctic with machine learning. Along the way, I became increasingly aware of the challenges in predicting future climate at the regional scales, especially precipitation. For my Ph.D, I’m now working on trying to improve the representation of precipitation in climate models using a machine learning parameterization trained on observed Global Precipitation Measurement satellite precipitation.

•  Where do you see your area of research headed in the future?

My field has seen a lot of recent breakthroughs through combining rich observational datasets (e.g. satellite observations), high-resolution models (e.g. kilometer-scale, storm-resolving global climate models), and machine learning. I see myself continuing to pursue research at the intersection of these areas to deepen process-level understanding in weather and climate systems.

• What is your favorite part of your job?

I love that I have the opportunity to continuously learn. Whether delving into a new statistical method, or listening to a seminar on a research area different to my own, learning new things makes each day exciting. I’m also grateful to be doing research that can have a larger benefit to society.

•  What are some of your hobbies?

I enjoy spending time in the mountains: downhill and backcountry skiing in the winter, and trail running and hiking in the summer. While living in the UK, I’ve become an avid spikeball player and runner. I’m also on a never-ending quest to bake the perfect chocolate chip cookie.

• Who has inspired you most throughout your career?

My first research advisers, Amilcare Porporato for my undergraduate thesis at Princeton, and Katrina Bennett for my research at Los Alamos National Lab, have been inspiring role models for me throughout my career. Their creativity, insight, and support showed me how research can be both impactful and fun.

 
↑ top

• Where are you from, where did you receive your education, and what in?

• What first got you interested in the topics you chose to study?

There are so many ways I could answer this question. For one thing, I’ve loved physics since I took it in high school; I’m constantly awed by the way that we can use astoundingly simple equations to describe and understand our universe. For another thing, I’ve always been really fascinated by clouds and storms and rain. I still remember the first time I learned that clouds were not actually fluffy! But ultimately, what drew me into the atmospheric science world––and what keeps me here––is the fact that we get to do really cool, groundbreaking science that can directly help people and communities facing impacts of climate change, natural hazards, and environmental injustice.  

• How has your area of research evolved since you first started doing research?

My first research experiences were in astronomy. As an undergraduate, I spent a summer estimating the molecular abundances of different planetary nebulae. After that, I worked for about two years on a project identifying and modeling young, low-mass eclipsing binary stars. Through my astronomy research, I discovered a love for working with both observational data and physics-based models. It wasn’t until graduate school that I began to do any kind of atmospheric science. Since starting at Northwestern, I’ve been working on characterizing the uncertainties in quantitative precipitation estimates and understanding the implications of these uncertainties for landslide applications. I’m also working on another project in which I’m using a high-resolution numerical model to study moist convection in the atmosphere.

• Where do you see your area of research headed in the future?

I feel like I’ve always been happiest at the intersections of different fields of study. I really like working at the overlap of atmospheric science and natural hazards research. Something I see myself moving toward in the future is thinking about how to use all the technology we have available for observing, estimating, and modeling rainfall to make it easier to build more robust or informative warning systems––especially in areas of the world where events like landslides can be really deadly. That being said, I expect that my journey through graduate school and beyond will take me on many unexpected twists and turns! 

• What is your favorite part of your job?

An aspect of my research that I particularly enjoy is the data visualization. I love taking big, complex datasets or analyses and coming up with creative ways to make them understandable and digestible to different audiences. This is a part of science that we don’t always talk about very much, but I find it extremely rewarding.

• What are some of your hobbies?

One of my favorite things to do when I’m not busy being a student is baking: cookies, cakes, so many muffins, etc. Lately I’ve been on a bagel-making kick. I also learned how to ride a bike right before I started graduate school, and since I got here I’ve been having a blast exploring different bike routes around Evanston and Chicago. Other things I find great joy in include swimming and gardening (especially growing veggies!).

• Who has inspired you most throughout your career?

There are so many people who have inspired and influenced me that I can’t possibly name them all here. I have to give a shout out to my Mum, whose career, love for science, and relentless advocacy for women in science has been (and continues to be) hugely influential. I’m also constantly inspired by Dr. Horton and the other members of our research group for their dedication, creativity, and commitment to doing science that centers communities and justice.

 
↑ top

• Where are you from, where did you receive your education, and what in?

• What first got you interested in the topics you chose to study?

I had always been interested in weather from a young age. I remember reading through books on tornadoes from our local library and listening to my grandparents retell stories of living in the midwest and the extreme weather they had experienced. After getting into college, I tried my hand at a few different majors, but one of my best friends Zoey Rosen introduced me to Atmospheric Sciences as a major, and it just felt great! I tried my hand at a few different areas, like air quality and turbulence, but the intersection between surface hydrology and atmospheric sciences, often called land-atmosphere interactions, has really caught my interest and I foresee staying in this field for quite a while. 

• How has your area of research evolved since you first started doing research?

When I started doing research, I thought I was going to work in air quality as an experimentalist. After getting a taste of what the field work would be like, I decided to try working more in micrometeorology during my masters and focus on models and observations together. The more I learned about atmospheric models in global, regional, and microscale contexts, the more that I thought “hey these are super neat, how can we make these better and more usable”. This led me to keep learning about Water Resources Engineering, and how concepts in surface hydrology can help make my research in land-atmosphere interactions more useful for the general public. During my time at UW Madison, I have started to work with decision makers as closely as possible to both investigate science questions and help create actionable science.

• Where do you see your area of research headed in the future?

I think that I will keep working with physically based models that are both atmospheric and hydrologic, but start to look more at how we can leverage big data to create better, more actionable science. There is a lot of awesome work that is happening in both the atmospheric sciences and the realm of hydrology, but they should be brought together to do even more. I think using more cutting edge statistics will be in my future.

I also expect that looking more at precipitation extremes will be another research thread I pursue. Understanding these one in a hundred and beyond rainfall extremes is critical for society, and it is a first step for us to adapt to new climate extremes. 

• What is your favorite part of your job?

I really love outreach! I volunteer to help out with AGU, AMS, and local groups here in Madison which get the word out on cool science that is happening. I’ve helped organize conferences and webinars to help folks find new research ideas. It is so cool to see others show off their hard work!

• What are some of your hobbies?

I love baking! I am working on making the best cinnamon rolls I can. I also lift weights every day and just recently lifted 500 lbs in deadlift (a major goal I was working on for 2 years)! When I can, I like to play boardgames with friends, especially games like Ticket to Ride, Wyrmspan, and Isle of Cats. When I am just looking to decompress, I watch TV with my cats, each of which love reality TV gameshows as much as I do!

• Who has inspired you most throughout your career?

My mom and my dad have been the most inspiring people in my career. When I was 12, my mom went back to school to get her education degree while working part time and raising 3 kids, while my dad pulled 12 hour shifts and overtime to support us. My mom finished her undergraduate degree when I started my masters degree at UC Davis. Both my mom and dad proved to me that with hard work, determination, and team work you can do whatever you put your mind to. I also am inspired by my advisors Carolyn B. Voter, Daniel B. Wright, and Steven P. Loheide, each of which have worked with me to push my work in new ways that I think are pretty neat! Oh! And of course I am always inspired by my friends Zoey Rosen, Holly Mallinson, and Henrique Goulart, all of whom are fellow early career scientists trying to make their way in the world of science. 

 
↑ top

• Where are you from, where did you receive your education, and what in?

• What first got you interested in the topics you chose to study?

I’ve always been interested in the weather. I remember watching the ‘wea’ or weather on the news or the weather channel from a very young age. I was particularly interested in precipitation and radar.  Beyond that, I’ve always been interested in the natural world and reading about many different topics. In undergraduate at UND I was able to work on a research project adapting a video disdrometer developed at NASA by Larry Bliven for snowfall (the Snowflake Video Imager, now the Precipitation Imaging Package), which got me interested in research and graduate school. Throughout my graduate work I focused on moving across subfields within Atmospheric Science and then into surface hydrology and regional climate during my post-doc at NCAR.

• How has your area of research evolved since you first started doing research?

Working at NCAR in RAL has offered me many opportunities to learn about different topics and meet different people. This has been very rewarding to me, as I like interdisciplinary work and exploring many different topics. NCAR/RAL has brought me opportunities to work on surface hydrology and climate change impacts for water resources management, developing and evaluating regional climate downscaling models, heat and human health impacts, hydrometeorological forecast development and evaluation, and getting to have meaningful interactions with partners across agencies and communities. Even being interested in a variety of topics, I did not think I would be working on some of the things I am these days.

• Where do you see your area of research headed in the future?

This is a really tough question to answer! There is quite a bit of uncertainty across scientific inquiry today from our current societal trends. If we ignore that, I expect AI/ML to transform many of my areas of research. The ability of AI/ML to develop code and associated documentation, synthesize documents and datasets quickly, emulate components of and eventually the entire Earth system, will fundamentally change how we perform climate and impact based science.

I also expect us to continue to become more community and solution oriented, moving towards highly interdisciplinary and/or convergence research approaches as the problems we are trying to solve are often wicked problems, which is to say they are difficult, complex, and involve many different study areas and partners.  We may have more time for this aspect of our work since we will have AI/ML assistance in coding, running models or fast emulation, and data synthesis.

• What is your favorite part of your job?

I really enjoy facilitating opportunities for colleagues, particularly early career individuals. I have had the opportunity to supervise, mentor, and collaborate with many interesting people and I am always very impressed with their motivation, skill sets, and creativity. There is great satisfaction in seeing them succeed!

• What are some of your hobbies?

These days it's mostly keeping up with my wife and our two girls (7 and 3 ½) across their activities, outdoor time, Disney movies 🙂, and also getting our beagle out for walks whenever possible. We do like to take trips as a family and we’re all looking forward to more engaging travel as our youngest starts to get older.

I hope to start fly fishing again and get my 1989 Trans Am GTA back onto the road more regularly when our car seat situation becomes more manageable.

• Who has inspired you most throughout your career?

My parents instilled a sense of hard work and honesty early on. My high school precalculus teacher also was able to effectively motivate me to work hard. From there my M.S. and Ph.D. committees were invaluable in helping continue to shape my core values and work ethic during my graduate studies. Now I draw a lot of inspiration and motivation from my wife (also a scientist at NSF NCAR), as well as from early career colleagues - to find ways to help them grow in their careers and me keeping up with cutting-edge science ideas.

 
↑ top

• Where are you from, where did you receive your education, and what in?

• What first got you interested in the topics you chose to study?

As a child growing up in rural areas, I loved exploring and learning about the natural world. I read and collected National Geographics and field guides and would spend my days outside watching animals interacting and identifying different species. For a time, I wanted to be a herpetologist where I would travel to distant lands to learn about and study snakes, lizards, and turtles. My love for biology and ecology is what led me to earn my biology degree at Berea College and conduct research in chemistry, botany, and ecology. It wasn’t until my Ph. D. that I shifted from an ecology focus to weather and climate, specifically precipitation research. During my Ph. D. I had the incredible opportunity to work for the NASA DEVELOP National Program at NOAA NCEI. We conducted research using the PERSIANN-CDR to understand precipitation across the U. S. Affiliated Pacific Islands during different phases of the ENSO. Along with my science advisors, Michael Kruk and Dr. John Marra, and team members, Nick Luchetti and Ethan Wright, I developed a 30-year ENSO based climatology for the islands. It was during this project that my fascination with precipitation grew.

• How has your area of research evolved since you first started doing research?

My area of research has changed tremendously over time. My first ever research project was through the Faculty and Student Research (FaST) program with Argonne National Lab during the summer of my sophomore year in undergrad. I conducted research on developing palladium-iron bimetallic electrocatalysts for polymer electrolyte fuel cells. Since that time, I have conducted research in a variety of areas. In addition to the chemistry research in undergrad, I conducted research in botany where I identified and surveyed hemi-parasitic mistletoe in trees in Kentucky and Costa Rica, and with the San Diego Zoological Society translocating the endangered Stephens’ Kangaroo Rat. Over the course of my masters education, I conducted field community ecology research in old field ecosystems and salt marsh ecosystems studying the effects of top down predation. My Ph.D. shifted focus to using satellite derived surface temperature and chlorophyll-a concentration on intertidal ecosystems. We wanted to determine if satellite derived variables could be used to understand the body temperature and growth of intertidal mussel species. It wasn’t until work with the NASA DEVELOP National Program that I conducted research focused on precipitation. Since that project, I have continued to study precipitation using satellite derived precipitation products.

• Where do you see your area of research headed in the future?

Currently, I have several ideas for research I would like to do in the future. One is focused on the identification of virga precipitation events to decrease false detections in satellite derived precipitation products. Many studies have suggested that virga precipitation occurs more frequently and has led to false detections in satellite derived precipitation products, but none have confirmed it. I would like to develop a flagging tool that could identify virga for use with precipitation products. 

Ultimately, I want to conduct research that can make a difference. I recognize the need for accurate, high resolution, and real time precipitation products. I think we can do a better job at producing the products, but also at helping others understand the products and how they can be used.

• What is your favorite part of your job?

I really enjoy my job for several reasons. I love the independent yet collaborative nature of my work. I also really enjoy the flexibility and support of my position. I have excellent co-workers that make the day to day more fun. Sharing my research with others at conferences and meetings is always stressful but brings me so much joy and inspiration for the work that we do. I love that some days are producing code, some days are writing proposals, some days are making cool figures, and some days are sharing with others.

• What are some of your hobbies?

I love teaching my children about nature and our connection to it. We have a small homestead where we raise chickens, rabbits, pigs, and goats and grow a garden. We love going camping and taking our paddle boards out on the lakes. I love watching my children play soccer and swim. I also enjoy building things for use for our animals or my children. I also enjoy crocheting and embroidery.

• Who has inspired you most throughout your career?

When I was a child, my mother and siblings inspired me to learn, work hard, and follow my dreams. When I attended college and graduate school, my primary advisors Dr. Ralph Thompson, Dr. Oswald Schmitz, and Dr. Venkat Lakshmi pushed me to never stop learning and achieving more. I also had many amazing mentors along the way that believed in me and provided essential feedback and support such as Dr. Debra Shier, Dr. Dror Hawlena, Michael Kruk, and Dr. Dalia Kirschbaum. My husband and most recently, my children have become my inspiration.

 
↑ top

• Where are you from, where did you receive your education, and what in?

• What first got you interested in the topics you chose to study?

My first research project was during my B.S. studies in Aerospace Engineering, as an extension to a course project on the dynamics of bird flight. That was the project where I first started to experiment with scientific visualization, in that case to create a 3D animation of a dynamically modeled bird in flight. I remember spending countless extra hours immersed in coordinate systems, quaternions, and other technical details related to mathematically representing objects in three-dimensional space and animating them with code. I didn’t know it at the time, but in retrospect, that interest in visualization was just the first example of a common thread to all of my research projects over the years that has led me to my current position at NASA.

• How has your area of research evolved since you first started doing research?

After my undergraduate studies, I continued developing my visualization toolbox for my materials science work to develop 3D animations of microfluidic devices with biomedical applications. Years later at CU Boulder for my doctoral studies, I revived my interest in visualization as an extracurricular project tied to my dissertation research on the initiation mechanisms of the Madden-Julian Oscillation (and hence the focus on precipitation). In all of my projects, I found that visualizing the data in an animated, engaging way helped me to understand the complex dynamic processes in nature, from bird flight to micro-fluidics to thousand-kilometer-scale precipitation processes. For my doctoral studies, I started to build visualizations with the intent to share them more broadly with others so they might experience the same intuitive understanding that I did. I’m very grateful to AGU for allowing me to participate in one of the first Data Visualization and Storytelling competitions, which helped justify the time I spent adjacent to research building precipitation visualizations. After graduating from CU, I was very fortunate to be offered my current position at NASA with the Precipitation Processing System (PPS) under the GPM mission (contracting with KBR). When I’m not busy maintaining GPM data access websites or analyzing precipitation algorithm output, I’m now able to continue building visualizations to share with others, with a focus on global precipitation and extreme weather events estimated with the IMERG dataset.

• Where do you see your area of research headed in the future?

It’s notoriously hard to predict the future, but if you pressed me on it, I would say that I would like to expand my work on global animated data visualization of precipitation, while continuing to support algorithm development and analysis. Expanding my programming skills by learning new languages and techniques is a perennial goal of mine as well.

• What is your favorite part of your job?

I love building visualization tools that allow people to see data in a new way, most recently with an interactive web app called RAIN-Global (Regional Animations of IMERG in Near-realtime - Global). When someone tells me that they really enjoyed a visualization that I worked on, I feel a mix of relief and fulfillment, knowing that the work I’m doing is meaningful to others.

• What are some of your hobbies?

I spend most of my time outside of work taking care of my three-year-old son and trying to balance the responsibilities of being a parent with those of being a scientific programmer. But I do spend a good amount of time hiking and running (often with a jogging stroller!), which is great for maintaining mental health and managing stress. I also enjoy reading classic literature and sci-fi novels, as well as casual astronomy.

• Who has inspired you most throughout your career?

I would say that my family has been the most important inspiration to me. My dad, though he isn’t a scientist, always had an interest in science and technical subjects, which he encouraged me to follow from an early age. And my mom always pushed me to do my best academically, while being an unwavering source of support. Every time I reach a milestone in my work, I always stop to think of her and hope she would be proud. My wife has also been very supportive over the years, including during the most difficult parts of my journey through academia. Aside from family, many colleagues and mentors have been helpful along my journey, including in my current position supporting the GPM mission. And last but not least, the most inspirational scientist (and science communicator) to my career has probably been Carl Sagan. If I can achieve even a tiny fraction of the success he did in inspiring others about science, and especially about how beautiful our home planet is, I will be content with the time I’ve spent on my work.

 
↑ top

• Where are you from, where did you receive your education, and what in?

• What first got you interested in the topics you chose to study?

My love for hydrology was given to me by the professor of my first Watershed Hydrology class in undergrad, who eventually became my primary advisor at URI. My love for atmospheric science and meteorology, however, came from being absolutely fascinated by weather as early as the 3rd Grade; so much so that I had actually written a letter to one of our state’s lead meteorologists asking him to come visit my school (and he did!).

• How has your area of research evolved since you first started doing research?

My research focuses on the integrated hydrologic validation of satellite precipitation products by comparing hydrologic simulations of floods to both those simulated by ground-based radar precipitation and river gauge observations. This research actually had to evolve quickly fairly early on, once I realized that it was better to pivot from more “traditional” methods of hydrologic time-series analysis (such as bulk metrics) into an approach that instead focused on how well the simulations capture the features and characteristics of the observed floods themselves, like peak discharge values, flood durations, and relative start/end times. 

• Where do you see your area of research headed in the future?

I can see my area of research growing to encompass more studies on other available satellite products, furthering our understanding about how discrepancies in precipitation returns and resolutions impact modeling capabilities further into the water cycle. I can also see adding additional flood characteristics into the investigation, such as the lag time or time-to-peak, total flood volume, and potentially the rising and falling limbs. 

• What is your favorite part of your job?

My favorite part of my job has been seeing real results of analyses for the first time as figures! Especially knowing that the data being used to generate the simulations is basically hot off the press, it’s always so cool to think about how we’re the first people to see the results and relationships we’re seeing and that we’ll be the ones to inform other researchers of it.

• What are some of your hobbies?

My biggest hobby is playing the drums, which I’ve done since I was about 9 or 10 years old. I also enjoy cloud-watching, playing Magic the Gathering with my friends, and since being in Oklahoma I’ve learned that I’m pretty decent at disc golf!

• Who has inspired you most throughout your career?

My biggest inspiration as a hydrologist was Dr. Art Gold, from the first day I met him when he showed up to our first hydrology class on a clear, sunny New England day wearing a bright yellow rain jacket and matching rain pants where he brought us outside and showed us how water flows through campus. He took a kid who was contemplating dropping out after changing his major three times and not only got him through undergrad, but helped him thrive as a Master’s student. I wouldn’t have ever made it to Oklahoma if not for him, and then I would never have made it through my doctorate without Dr. Pierre Kirstetter and Dr. Jeffrey Basara and their constant support and drive. I am also always inspired by my friends and cohorts around me, pushing me with their research and their dedication, to also do my best with mine.

 
↑ top

• Where are you from, where did you receive your education, and what in?

• What first got you interested in the topics you chose to study?

I have always been fascinated with the weather and thunderstorms in particular. In fact, one of the first games I remember playing as a 6-year-old with my friend next door was “weather station”, which involved issuing tornado forecasts somehow! I had heard about the 1980 Grand Island, Nebraska tornado outbreak, and was determined not to be caught unaware.

I got my first taste of research during my undergraduate internship with the National Weather Service office near Omaha. I analyzed data to understand why a line of thunderstorms died off instead of intensifying like it was forecast to. The idea that with my research I could help forecasters improve and perhaps impact lives for the better was inspiring.

• How has your area of research evolved since you first started doing research?

As mentioned, I’ve always been interested in high-impact convection, but that’s still a big field. When I started taking graduate classes at CSU I fell in love with microphysics. Being able to explain highly complex processes with (reasonably!) simple equations was intriguing. It also amazed me how much of an impact those very small spatial-scale processes can have once multiplied over the millions of hydrometeors in a storm.

I started exploring microphysical impacts on convection and it has led me in many different directions. Latent heating changes affect storm structure, intensity, and size. They also generate gravity waves, which modify the environment around the storm and the circulation inside it. Similarly, thunderstorm updrafts are intricately connected to microphysical changes, as, of course, are the production of the hydrometeors themselves such as rain or hail. If there’s a research topic dealing with microphysics in thunderstorms, I’m interested! As I progressed in exploring the impact of specific microphysical processes, I found modeling a useful tool. Sometimes my brain works similarly to a computer, so seeing a microphysical process translated into computer code helped me to truly “get” what was going on. The elegance of it further drove my microphysical interests, until I started doing coding and model development of my own.

• Where do you see your area of research headed in the future?

I’m the lead PI on a just-funded field campaign called ICECHIP, or the In-situ Collaborative Experiment for the Collection of Hail in the Plains that will deploy in May-June 2025. This campaign seeks to provide the first set of comprehensive hailstone observations in the U.S. in over 40 years: from observing the environment before and during hailstorm development, remote sensing platforms examining the storm structure and its contents, to exhaustive measurements of the hail swath. The characteristics of the hail within the swath are particularly important. Our understanding, forecasting, and modeling of hail and its impacts at the ground are currently limited by a dearth of observations, especially observations of any hail characteristic other than maximum diameter. We’ve assembled a team of over 15 institutions that will participate in ICECHIP to obtain these measurements and answer science questions like: Why does one storm produce hail and not another? During a storm’s lifetime, what changes happen inside it that result in different types of hail (e.g., large hail or lots of small hail) reaching the surface? What kind of damage do these different types of hail cause, and how far in advance can we predict them?

My personal interest is in translating the improved understanding of how hail grows within a storm into better hail models, providing the tools for better hail forecasts and warnings. Hail modeling has seen a big resurgence over the past decade, so I’m excited to couple that with our ICECHIP observations to, hopefully, produce a leap forward in modeling and forecasting skill.

• What is your favorite part of your job?

I’m a Senior Scientist in the R&D division of Atmospheric and Environmental Research (AER). It’s a private company, but the R&D division operates very much like a government research lab: apply for research funding, share research results with the community through presentation and publishing, and ensure open-source availability of produced software and data. One of the favorite parts of my job is the mentoring. The majority of my projects include a collaborator with a graduate student, and introducing someone new to the fun that can be had when researching convection is exciting. I also am a group manager within AER, and enjoy getting to mentor my group members as they work to become full PIs in their own right. I have had a lot of support over the course of my career so far, so being able to pay that forward is special.

Of course, I am still an introvert, so occasionally I like disappearing into my office and just mucking around with Fortran all day!

• What are some of your hobbies?

I have a husband and two daughters, 6 and 10, who keep me very busy. I enjoy running (we’re hoping to do our first family 5K next spring) as well as traveling: we all got to taste real Parisian pain au chocolat this April. I also always have a needlepoint project going, although possibly because they take me forever to finish.

• Who has inspired you most throughout your career?

I’ve had so many supportive people help me through the course of my career. My advisor, Richard Johnson, was positive, encouraging, and flexible during my time in graduate school. Without his willingness to let me work remotely (this was quite a bit before COVID) I wouldn’t have had a career! Additionally, he taught me what science and research looks like, how to persevere despite uncooperative results, and how to encourage others when they are learning. My former supervisor at AER, Eli Mlawer, helped me take the next step to become a PI, and from him I learned how to motivate others to do the same.

 
↑ top

• Where are you from, where did you receive your education, and what in?

• What first got you interested in the topics you chose to study?

I’ve always had an interest in weather, but as a child that interest was primarily driven by fear. I recall a few times we had to get in our closet during tornado warnings and listen to the wind and hail pummel our roof. As I grew up, the initial fear began to turn into a desire to better understand the weather. After several years working different jobs, I decided I wanted to pursue an education and eventual career in meteorology.

• How has your area of research evolved since you first started doing research?

I began my research as an undergraduate for a capstone project. The project used GMI and Ground Validation data to evaluate the relationship between observed brightness temperature and the hydrometeor species within the same vertical profile. I’ve continued my research with GMI passive microwaves and most recently I have started analyzing the vertical distribution of hydrometeor types. Within the last year I’ve begun working with the Alabama State Climate Office on soil moisture instruments and data. My research now covers from low-earth orbit to 100 cm below the surface.

• Where do you see your area of research headed in the future?

Currently, my research uses data from GMI only, but I hope to apply similar techniques to ongoing or future satellite-based microwave imagers. I also see this research as a prime candidate for machine-learning approaches in the future. I hope that by expanding to other instruments, the temporal resolution will allow us to monitor changes in hydrometeor species during storm evolution. In an ideal scenario, it  would be great to have a geostationary passive microwave sensor.

• What is your favorite part of your job?

To me, the best part of my job is when I produce a meaningful visual product out of the vast arrays of data. I enjoy showing my colleagues, friends, and family the plots that are generated, and explaining what each of them mean. I enjoy working with people that share my interest in weather, and are always willing to give a helping hand when needed. 

• What are some of your hobbies?

Right now my time is mostly spent with my wife and two-year-old son. I try to play guitar when I’m able, and I enjoy being outdoors. I like to fish, take pictures of clouds and storms, hunt, and sit in my hammock with a good book.

• Who has inspired you most throughout your career?

There have been several people that inspired me throughout my career. My parents are both extremely hard-working and provided for me and my sister. My dad always emphasized getting a job that I would enjoy. Another influential person, Dr. Glenn Hudson, taught me physics, calculus, and differential equations. He made the coursework challenging, but he encouraged his students to never give up. I have several people at UAH that have been influential on my career. Dr. Daniel Cecil gave me the chance to work on that capstone project during my senior year, and then allowed me to continue working with him until this day. He has taught me many things, and I look forward to learning as much as I can from him. Dr. Lee Ellenberg has also helped develop my scientific career. He has been a great mentor, and is always there to help whenever I have a question. These are just a few of the many people that have positively impacted my career.

 
↑ top

• Where are you from, where did you receive your education, and what in?

• What first got you interested in the topics you chose to study?

Since my hometown is located by a tributary of the Yangtze River, I started “observing” the heavy Mei-yu rainfall and repeated summer floods (due to the monsoon climate) when I was still a child. During the early stages of pursuing my PhD degree, I was initially fascinated by the uncertainty quantification of hydrological modeling. However, it soon became apparent that rainfall, as the input to hydrological models, is one of the key sources of modeling uncertainty, especially in the Yangtze River basin where the high spatiotemporal variations of monsoon rainfall challenge all types of precipitation measurements. Therefore, how to utilize and combine multi-sensor precipitation measurements to improve the monitoring of heavy rainfall and floods became the focus of my PhD study. This motivation has also guided my academic journey throughout the past years, during which most of my research works have remained within this scope.

• How has your area of research evolved since you first started doing research?

It was still the TRMM era when I started my PhD study, but now we have been in the GPM era for more than a decade! During these years, my research has expanded to further examine the utility of new precipitation-capable sensors, such as NASA’s GPM and NOAA’s JPSS satellites, and even acoustic sensors like the Passive Aquatic Listener (PAL), which can fill the gap in oceanic precipitation measurement.

Such advances also allow us to quantify and reduce the uncertainty of any specific sensor’s precipitation measurement, through multi-sensor comparison and merging. Inspired by this idea, my study has moved towards the development of a prototype globally-applicable uncertainty model for GPM IMERG products, using the space-borne radar GPM-DPR as the reference. The most recent work has also explored the possibility of incorporating physics-based precipitation estimates from high-resolution numerical weather prediction (NWP) models to improve satellite retrievals (and their uncertainty estimates) for orographic precipitation and heavy precipitation. For more details on my research over the years, please visit my Google Scholar profile: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=Y4kvR58AAAAJ&hl=en.

• Where do you see your area of research headed in the future?

In the future, I think new spaceborne sensors (e.g., cubesats, smallsats, and space radar constellations) and in-situ sensors (e.g., PALs) will continue to offer new opportunities to measure precipitation globally with improved spatial coverage and temporal sampling. At the same time, as NWP models advance towards convection-permitting resolutions, their physics-based estimates of precipitation and other environmental variables are likely to be combined with multi-sensor precipitation data to improve precipitation estimates (e.g., over complex terrain areas). Lastly, as data-driven AI/ML techniques have already demonstrated their power for knowledge discovery, the information contained in both high-resolution multi-sensor observations and NWP simulations can be better utilized to more effectively and accurately resolve, understand, and predict precipitation processes across different scales.

• What is your favorite part of your job?

Being a scientist is never boring! Every day brings something new to learn and fresh challenges to tackle. It's like a constant adventure, making everyday work exciting and engaging. I also enjoy the flexible working pace. Plus, this job makes me more prepared to answer my kid's endless questions about the environment, nature, weather, and water. It feels wonderful to share what I know (and what I don’t know) and spark his curiosity—and mine—about the world around us.

• What are some of your hobbies?

When staying at home, I usually enjoy reading, listening to music, and cooking. I like to try out different Chinese cuisines and international dishes. For outdoor fun, I love hiking with my family and exploring various trails in the Rocky Mountains. Recently, I've also started learning gardening, which has brought me a lot of joy and relaxation this summer.

• Who has inspired you most throughout your career?

There is a long list! First and foremost, my family's endless love and support are the continuous driving forces behind my career. My Ph.D. and postdoctoral advisors, Prof. Dawen Yang, Prof. Yang Hong, and Prof. Daniel B. Wright, have inspired me in many aspects throughout this academic journey. Many collaborators have also provided inspiration at different points. As Confucius said, "When three people walk together, there is always a teacher for me among them." I truly appreciate the unique rewards provided by a research career— I can always learn from the brilliant ideas of others.

 
↑ top

• Where are you from, where did you receive your education, and what in?

• What first got you interested in the topics you chose to study?

For my Master's degree in applied mathematics, I worked on image recognition software to detect holes in supermarket shelves. Many of the papers I read during this time were applying machine learning techniques to satellite data, and I just thought to myself: "Wow, this is so much more exciting than supermarket shelves." It then became clear that I wanted to work in science, so I decided to pursue an additional Master's degree in Physics. During my Master's in Physics, I came into contact with Patrick Eriksson, my future PhD supervisor, which finally led me into atmospheric science.

• How has your area of research evolved since you first started doing research?

My work focuses on precipitation retrieval methodology, and the driving source of innovation during recent years has undoubtedly been the consolidation of machine learning tools. With today's ML software ecosystems, it has become easy to build complex retrieval systems and train them at scale, leveraging datasets that are orders of magnitude larger than I did at the start of my PhD.

• Where do you see your area of research headed in the future?

While many studies have demonstrated the benefits of deep-learning-based retrievals, only a few have become operational products. Therefore, part of my current work is focused on bringing the improvements achieved by deep-learning-based retrievals into operational products so that they can advance precipitation science.

In the longer term, I expect global precipitation retrieval pipelines, like those producing the IMERG products, will move towards a single, integrated machine-learning system that will allow fusing satellite observations in time and across sensors. Ultimately, I'd expect these systems to converge with AI weather forecasting models, thus becoming integrated, data-driven reanalysis systems. These techniques will allow us to produce better precipitation forecasts and significantly improve the historical record of global precipitation measurements.

• What is your favorite part of your job?

The part I like most about my work is its potential to affect people's lives positively. While those positive effects may take time, improved precipitation monitoring and forecasting will ultimately benefit humans and the planet. In addition to this, I enjoy working with satellite data a lot. Seeing the Earth and its atmosphere in those images is an excellent reminder of what a fascinating and beautiful planet we live on.

• What are some of your hobbies?

I spend much of my free time running, preferably on trails and in the mountains. I also race ultra marathons. Running can be a humbling experience, especially here in the Rocky Mountains. Nevertheless, it taught me a valuable lesson: Going in the right direction is much more important than going fast.

• Who has inspired you most throughout your career?

The person that has inspired me most in my career is my PhD supervisor, Patrick Eriksson. Throughout my studies, I had hardly been exposed to Earth sciences at all, and it was only through him that I found my way into atmospheric science. Moreover, he encouraged me to develop and pursue my own research interests during my PhD, which has ultimately allowed me to get where I am now. Currently, another great source of inspiration is working under Christian D. Kummerow, who has played such a formative role in bringing precipitation science to where it is today.

 
↑ top

• Where are you from, where did you receive your education, and what in?

• What first got you interested in the topics you chose to study?

I have had a lifelong interest in weather, and I remember watching The Weather Channel very often when I was growing up.  This passion drove me to pursue a career in the atmospheric sciences.  While taking an undergraduate course about radar meteorology, I found the topics fascinating and developed a great appreciation for the sheer amount of information that can be gathered from radar data.  This led to my selection of radar as the primary instrument for my undergraduate capstone and M.S. thesis research.  My fascination with remote sensing was met with a great opportunity to work with the Advanced Microwave Precipitation Radiometer (AMPR) at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center while I was transitioning into my Ph.D.  This allowed for a topic shift for my dissertation and a deeper exploration into passive microwave remote sensing.  Similar to radar, I was amazed at the information that can be retrieved from passive instruments, which drove my interest in exploring these capabilities further.  While I was a Ph.D. student, I spent 1 month in the Philippines supporting AMPR during NASA’s Cloud, Aerosol and Monsoon Processes Philippines Experiment (CAMP2Ex), which gave me a deeper appreciation for field work and helped solidify my interest in researching clouds and precipitation.

• How has your area of research evolved since you first started doing research?

My research has always been strongly rooted in microwave remote sensing, but the science focus and instruments I’ve incorporated into my analyses have changed throughout my research career.  The research I performed during my undergraduate studies was largely centered around evaluating the properties of ice hydrometeors using S-band radar data, which expanded during my M.S. thesis to include C-band radar data and using them to examine the effects of ice hydrometeor melting and mass loading on a storm’s downdraft.  My Ph.D. research focused on passive microwave remote sensing and the use of airborne radiometer data to obtain geophysical information about the atmosphere, including some applications of these data alongside other airborne instruments to evaluate the impacts of environmental and aerosol conditions on maritime tropical convection.  The study for my postdoctoral research expands upon these airborne passive microwave retrievals to include higher-frequency data and their applications across a wider range of climate regions, with particular emphasis on identifying and quantifying cloud-to-precipitation transition zones.  During my Ph.D. work, I was at the forefront of testing and expanding geophysical retrieval capabilities from the upgraded dual-polarization AMPR system, which included leading the first publication of these AMPR retrievals in the peer-reviewed literature.

More information about my research can be found on my Google Scholar profile: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=RFKYqIsAAAAJ

• Where do you see your area of research headed in the future?

Much of the recent work I’ve done has focused on AMPR retrievals using multi-linear regression techniques.  I’m currently working on blending AMPR data with data from higher microwave frequencies to expand the retrieval capabilities, and I foresee continuing this expansion to other frequencies and exploring their applications on spaceborne platforms that operate with similar frequencies (e.g., the Global Precipitation Measurement Mission’s Microwave Imager).  In addition, I envision these retrieval methods being refined using other machine-learning techniques and exploring their global applications in different climate regions.

• What is your favorite part of your job?

My favorite part of my job is seeing a final succinct set of statistics come out of an analysis that has lasted several months.  It’s a great moment of anticipation, and I look forward to sharing the results with others.  I also really enjoy participating in airborne field campaigns and traveling on deployments with AMPR.  It adds another level of depth and appreciation for a set of data when you assisted with their acquisition in real time, and it can help with later analyses (e.g., knowing the background behind certain decisions).  Lastly, I appreciate how no two days are ever the same in my job, which keeps things interesting and opens up a wealth of options and opportunities on a daily basis.

• What are some of your hobbies?

Somewhat contrary to the field I study, I’m very much an indoors person.  I love spending time with my wife, and I feel blessed that we share many of the same hobbies.  My biggest hobby is playing video games, especially indie games and those from retro Nintendo consoles.  Much of my spare time is spent browsing various YouTube channels and streaming services.  Studying history, especially the 19th and 20th centuries, has always been an interest of mine.  I also enjoy cooking and listening to orchestral and hard-rock/heavy-metal music.

• Who has inspired you most throughout your career?

My graduate research advisors, Drs. Larry Carey and Timothy Lang, have been an incredible source of inspiration throughout my career.  Both have taught me invaluable skills in all aspects of being an effective scientist.  Through their own examples, they have demonstrated how to approach a problem, consider a range of analysis options, thoroughly examine the results and their physical explanations, and quantify the uncertainties in those results.  I have a profound appreciation for the opportunities they have provided me, along with their support and assistance with navigating those opportunities.  They continuously inspired me during my graduate work and continue to do so as I work on my postdoctoral research. 

 
↑ top

• Where are you from, where did you receive your education, and what in?

• What first got you interested in the topics you chose to study?

I've been passionate about utilizing satellite data for many years. I think it all began during my youth when I observed my father, an archaeologist, employing satellite and aerial images to uncover Roman settlements and roads! When I started studying Earth Observation, watershed analysis captured my attention initially. However, over time, I became excited about the study of the interactions between the Earth's surface and atmosphere, which requires an interdisciplinary approach that I really appreciate, along with the utilization of various datasets, sensors, and ground validation. Today, these are the focal points of my research—to comprehend how shifts in precipitation or land surface temperature affect and are influenced by land cover, and how these interactions impact communities globally.

• How has your area of research evolved since you first started doing research?

The availability and abundance of open satellite data has fundamentally transformed the field. I can still recall when even obtaining Landsat images incurred costs. This posed significant limitations on the amount of data accessible for scientific research or application development. However, the focus on open and FAIR data and the launch of numerous missions, in particular GPM in the past decade or so, have revolutionized the landscape. We now have access to global gridded precipitation data, high resolution surface temperature or soil moisture products, as well as land cover and change datasets, which greatly support environmental studies and applications. The significance of such datasets, like GPM IMERG or ESA GlobCover, cannot be overstated.

Furthermore, precipitation algorithms have undergone substantial enhancements, as evidenced by an increasing body of validation studies (something I also enjoy doing!). This progress provides us with more comprehensive information and trust in utilizing these algorithms to explore the interactions between precipitation and land cover. Additionally, the emergence of cloud computing and advancements in AI/ML present promising opportunities for transformative changes. However, I do have concerns about a diminishing emphasis on understanding the underlying processes, often in favor of utilizing 'black box' methodologies that provide estimates of variables of interest.

• Where do you see your area of research headed in the future?

I believe a trajectory toward fully integrated surface-atmosphere models, delivering high-resolution data on pivotal variables ranging from land cover to precipitation. This integration will encompass satellite observations, ground measurements, and modeling techniques in seamless ways. Hopefully, this will allow a greater emphasis on insights and not on single-variable products that offer limited advantages to most users. I also expect enhanced flexibility in spatial and temporal resolution, alongside the development of more comprehensive integrated products, paving the way for new applications in both scientific and societal domains.

 However, realizing this vision requires bridging scales and prioritizing the insights we need to be available. Achieving this goal requires a much deeper and pragmatic understanding of the genuine needs of end-users and fostering improved collaboration between the public and private sectors. It's improbable that the bulk of research activities will remain confined to academia or research agencies. Rather, it should be expected a much greater role (especially in operational activities) toward the private sector, as has happened in other domains of remote sensing (e.g., very high resolution optical sensors). This transition will be propelled not so much by new satellite technology (in the short term) but by having more hardware in space, access to computing capabilities (and GPUs!), and the emergence of pragmatic use cases. I hope this may also free resources in the public sector to push the boundaries beyond the current state of the art, with greater focus on the science and the launch of higher risk missions or the maintenance of important climate datasets. In this process I also hope to see a much greater collaboration between space agencies, especially those of Europe, USA, and Japan for fully integrated missions and a shared vision. 

Nevertheless, as previously mentioned, there's a real risk of a collective loss of knowledge stemming from an overreliance on AI. Simultaneously, there's a concern that a perceived superior performance of AI-driven models may diminish the motivation to comprehend and study underlying processes. Balancing these factors will be crucial in steering the trajectory of future research endeavors.

• What is your favorite part of your job?

My favorite aspect of my job lies in exploring the feedbacks and connections between vegetation, precipitation, and human communities. Field work, collecting diverse measurements, and actively engaging with users to grasp their challenges and aspirations for the future are probably my favorite parts. Additionally, I like writing Python scripts on platforms like Colab, as it allows me to look at the data and explore the connections in a fun way!

 Furthermore, I am all for sharing the knowledge I've acquired with others. This makes me love teaching and promoting capacity-building initiatives for international audiences. Contributing to the growth and development of others within the field is incredibly rewarding!

• What are some of your hobbies?

I don’t want to rely on the cliché profile of the Earth Scientist. However, I do like the outdoors, whether it's hiking, biking, or birdwatching. I also enjoy drawing and playing the guitar. Spending my time with friends and family, especially my 5-year old kid! Sports have always played a significant role in my life, with sailing holding a special place in my life!

• Who has inspired you most throughout your career?

The list is long! But if I have to choose someone who played a key role in my career, my PhD supervisor, Dr. Alcides Pereira, is certainly at the top. He provided invaluable guidance during the formative stages of my career, emphasizing the significance of addressing real user needs and the importance of conducting rigorous scientific research. Moreover, he drove me to think about the imperative to apply scientific concepts to address societal challenges, emphasizing that our work can ultimately serve to address the real-world problems faced by real people.

 
↑ top

• Where are you from, where did you receive your education, and what in?

• What first got you interested in the topics you chose to study?

I am studying spatially compound climate extremes, such as spatially synchronized extreme precipitation. This topic was chosen because it is application-based and highly related to people’s daily life. Such spatially compound extremes can lead to severe consequences that far surpass the cumulative effects of individual events. Accurately assessing the risk of these compound climate extremes can empower policymakers with invaluable knowledge to prepare for rare events that can profoundly impact local communities.

• How has your area of research evolved since you first started doing research?

I am interested in research topics that solve real-life problems. During my undergraduate, I worked on analytical solutions for the transport of underground volatile contaminants from water table to the building. The developed analytical model is useful for accurately and rapidly assessing indoor contaminant concentration (link). Then, at the beginning of my PhD period, the desert locust plagued Africa and the Middle East, the world’s most food-insecure regions. I established a data-driven framework to extract coherent spatiotemporal features, identify trends, pinpoint hotspots, and quantify the compound risk of locust invasions (link). My analyses allow entomological and climatological interpretations of large-scale locust prevalence and the spatiotemporal quantification of spatially compound locust risks. It was highlighted by several press media such as The New York Times [Link], Associated Press [Link], Inside Climate News [Link], ABC News [Link], FOX Weather [Link], and Live Science [Link].  During this study, I realized that ignoring the spatially compound events can underestimate hazard risks. Therefore, I developed a deep generative model to better consider the spatial dependence structure of compound climate extremes (link). To summarize, my research methods changed from analytical solutions to data-driven methods, and my research topics changed from groundwater hydrology to hydroclimate applications.

• Where do you see your area of research headed in the future?

Deep learning in earth science was in its infancy but has developed quickly over the years for its computational efficiency. I believe it is an unavoidable direction to combine traditional study in earth science with deep learning techniques, given the increasingly available large stream of open-source public datasets. Yet deep learning is just a set of tools; the main core is still the physical mechanisms behind observational records. Therefore, future directions would focus on using data to discover knowledge, such as deep learning for causal inference, or using knowledge to improve established deep learning models, such as physics-informed machine learning.

• What is your favorite part of your job?

I like the freedom. Working as a researcher is like working for yourself. The knowledge and skills I master are my own. I enjoy the feeling that I keep improving myself.

• What are some of your hobbies?

I enjoy outdoor activities with energy and good views, such as playing baseball, climbing, and hiking, but I also like to stay by myself, cooking and then watching movies along with the good food. Playing the piano is also my favorite activity when I am alone.

• Who has inspired you most throughout your career?

My supervisor, Prof. Xiaogang He, inspired me the most throughout my PhD period. Being nice and helpful, he is not only my academic advisor but also my life mentor. I learned how to analyze data, visualize results, and organize papers. More importantly, I learned from him how to form ideas and think critically. It is my supervisor who teaches me how to become a scientist. He is always enthusiastic about research, and he manages his time efficiently. My supervisor is my role model and the kind of person I want to become.

 
↑ top

• Where are you from, where did you receive your education, and what in?

• What first got you interested in the topics you chose to study?

My interest in civil engineering and hydrology began when I was young, living in Kerman, a city known in Iran for its dry, long, hot summers. The scarcity of water and the impact of its distribution and quality on people's lives made me curious. I decided to study Civil Engineering for my Bachelor's and Master's degrees to understand better and contribute to water management solutions. As I learned more, my fascination with the complexity of precipitation as a critical component of the Earth's water cycle grew.

This passion led me to explore the field of hydrometeorology for my Ph.D. at UCI. I wanted to combine traditional engineering with innovative technologies to estimate and manage water resources more effectively. The more I learned about the potential of satellite remote sensing and machine learning, the more I realized how these tools could revolutionize our understanding and management of water in the environment. It's exciting to think that we can now estimate and nowcast weather patterns and potential natural disasters more accurately, potentially saving lives and conserving resources. This blend of engineering, environmental science, and cutting-edge technology drove me to pursue this field and continues to inspire me every day.

• How has your area of research evolved since you first started doing research?

Since I started my research, there has been a significant evolution in both the scope of my work and the methods I use. Initially, my focus was on understanding the fundamental aspects of civil engineering in water management. This foundational knowledge was crucial as I moved into the domain of hydrometeorology for my Ph.D. work at UCI. Over time, my research has shifted from traditional approaches to incorporating advanced technologies such as machine learning. I began with an interest in precipitation estimation from satellite observations, and this has expanded to develop high spatiotemporal resolution quantitative precipitation estimation products using neural networks. I've also worked on machine learning frameworks that combine satellite observations in near-real-time, a significant shift from my earlier focus. Also, my involvement with various institutions, like NASA Ames and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, has broadened my work on interdisciplinary and operational projects, combining environmental and computer science. The progression of my research reflects a broader shift in the field of hydrometeorology  — where the integration of technology and data analytics has become essential in addressing complex hydrometeorological issues.

• Where do you see your area of research headed in the future?

My research area should continue to evolve toward greater technology integration, especially as artificial intelligence becomes more sophisticated. My work at the intersection of environmental science and data science has already begun to leverage these advancements, and I see this trend only growing in the future. We will see a significant increase in real-time data processing and operational capabilities, leading to faster and more accurate precipitation estimates and weather forecasting. Additionally, I expect a rise in interdisciplinary approaches that combine atmospheric science, hydrology, and computational science to tackle complex environmental issues. The future of hydrometeorology will likely involve collaborative efforts that bridge multiple scientific domains, and I'm excited about the potential for discoveries and applications that such collaborations will foster.

• What is your favorite part of your job?

My favorite part of my job is the opportunity to stand at the crossroads of multiple scientific disciplines. Combining principles of hydrometeorology, environmental science, and cutting-edge computational methods like machine learning brings my work a unique and exciting dimension. It allows me to engage with complex problems in innovative ways and contribute to science that can impact our understanding and management of water resources and climate phenomena.

• What are some of your hobbies?

Some of my favorite hobbies include painting, which lets me tap into my creative side and let out all those hidden emotions. Hiking with my dog Leo is another activity I love; it's an awesome way to soak in the beauty of nature in southern California and just chill. Plus, for a guaranteed good laugh, I'll watch some stand-up comedy. It's the perfect way to lighten up and see the funny side of everyday stuff.

• Who has inspired you most throughout your career?

Throughout my academic and professional journey, the one person who has profoundly inspired me is my Ph.D. advisor, Professor Soroosh Sorooshian. From the moment I arrived in the United States (September 2017), Professor Sorooshian has been a pillar of support both professionally and personally. He's been like family, helping me grow in my studies and making sure I'm doing okay in this new country.

His dedication to excellence, unwavering encouragement, and insightful research approach have profoundly shaped my career path. Professor Sorooshian has played a crucial role in helping me navigate the complexities of hydrometeorology and has always encouraged innovative thinking. His belief in my abilities and his readiness to share his vast knowledge and experience have been invaluable to my development as a scientist. His mentorship has left an indelible mark on me, and I am always grateful for his role in my career.

 
↑ top

• Where are you from, where did you receive your education, and what in?

• What first got you interested in the topics you chose to study?

My interest in my field of study was sparked by the environmental challenges faced by Urmia Lake in Iran. Witnessing the lake's diminishing water levels due to climate change and snow droughts, I felt compelled to understand the dynamics behind this phenomenon. This led me to focus on modeling the lake's water level, especially looking at how variations in snowpack affect it. This initial intrigue grew into a broader passion for applying remote sensing and geospatial techniques to environmental monitoring and climate change impacts.

• How has your area of research evolved since you first started doing research?

My research journey began with a focus on modeling the water levels of Urmia Lake in Iran, primarily to understand the impact of climate change and snow droughts on this vital ecosystem. Over time, my area of study has significantly evolved. I delved deeper into remote sensing and data science, expanding my expertise to broader environmental monitoring and analysis. This transition enabled me to explore how snowpack variations influence broader ecological systems and hydrological cycles. Currently, my research encompasses a more comprehensive approach, using advanced data science and machine learning techniques to investigate snowpack and wildfire monitoring in the Western U.S., thereby contributing to a better understanding of climate change impacts on diverse environmental systems.

• Where do you see your area of research headed in the future?

I envision the field of remote sensing and geospatial analysis, particularly in environmental sciences, advancing towards more integrated and dynamic modeling approaches in the future. This evolution will likely be driven by the increasing availability of high-resolution satellite data and advancements in machine learning algorithms. These developments will enable more accurate and timely monitoring of environmental phenomena like snowpack dynamics, wildfire patterns, and climate change impacts. The integration of diverse data sources, including ground observations and satellite imagery, will enhance our predictive capabilities. This will be crucial for proactive environmental management and disaster response strategies. Additionally, there's a growing trend towards open science and collaborative research, which will further enrich our understanding and capabilities in addressing complex environmental challenges.

• What is your favorite part of your job?

My favorite part of the job is the opportunity to apply my expertise in remote sensing, GIS, geospatial analysis, and data science to real-world environmental challenges, particularly in the context of climate change impacts like snowpack variability and wildfire dynamics. Collaborating with diverse teams and translating complex scientific data into actionable insights is immensely satisfying. I also value being part of a very active snow remote sensing community, which continually offers opportunities for professional development and shapes my future career path. This environment fosters learning, innovation, and meaningful contributions to environmental policy and management.

• What are some of your hobbies?

In addition to hiking, snowboarding, working out, and hanging out with friends, I enjoy a variety of other activities. These include watching movies, exploring nature, learning new skills related to my field of study, like advanced remote sensing and data science techniques, and participating in community events. I also find relaxation in singing and cooking. These hobbies not only provide a great balance to my academic and professional life but also keep me inspired and energized

• Who has inspired you most throughout your career?

Throughout my career, I have been most inspired by my academic mentors and leading researchers in the fields of remote sensing and snow science. Their dedication to advancing scientific understanding and their ability to innovate and apply research in practical, impactful ways have been a guiding force in my own journey. These mentors have not only provided valuable knowledge and insights but also demonstrated the importance of perseverance, creativity, and a commitment to environmental stewardship. Their influence has shaped my approach to research and my aspirations to contribute significantly to the field of snowpack and climate change studies.

 
↑ top

• Where are you from, where did you receive your education, and what in?

• What first got you interested in the topics you chose to study?

I fell in love with thunderstorms at a young age and always enjoyed math in school. It wasn’t long before I knew meteorology was for me. Many of the remaining pieces guiding me toward radar and lightning research fell into place through my undergraduate career. Dr. Phillip Chilson mentored me during one of my earliest research experiences, using precipitation radar to study bat flight behaviors in response to meteorological phenomena. Later, I took an elective course in Lightning Meteorology where I learned that lightning provides a wealth of information about the precipitation processes in and the intensity of deep convection.

• How has your area of research evolved since you first started doing research?

My first graduate research project incorporated ground-based radar and Lightning Mapping Array (LMA) analyses to diagnose how trends in lightning relate to convective intensification in supercell thunderstorms. As I began my Ph.D., I began looking more closely at the electrification structures and physical processes taking place within these storms using three-dimensional wind retrievals and radar-based precipitation microphysics analyses. I have since applied these skills to diagnose space-based precipitation observations in all convective modes using ground-based instruments and retrievals. Common themes of the projects I have worked on include using base-level data from ground-based Doppler radar to build information about the size, type, and quantity of precipitation in storms as well as the three-dimensional wind flow to infer crucial information about thunderstorm processes. Tools for these kinds of analyses have advanced over the past few years. Still, there are several crucial processes that we can’t resolve or missing pieces we don’t yet have the technology to observe on the required scales and scope. New and emerging technology, including machine learning, makes these problems more approachable and expands the utility of historic data collections. Having this kind of information should help answer questions about processes we still struggle to resolve in observations as well as simulations.

• Where do you see your area of research headed in the future?

I feel fortunate to work in two different areas of research, lightning and precipitation, that seem to be growing in similar ways and sometimes overlap. More and more, the greater community is finding new and different ways to use expanding lightning observations to address processes not directly related to thunderstorm intensity, including providing insights into cloud composition and signals of a changing climate. On the side of precipitation, the GPM era is moving forward with efforts to observe and make direct measurements of vertical velocity coupled with global precipitation. Syntheses of complementary datasets, including lightning, three-dimensional winds, and precipitation, will provide a great deal of information about mass flux, atmospheric transport, and global convective impacts.

• What is your favorite part of your job?

I enjoy most how a research job can change and grow based on different team structures and project goals. Because of this, I’ve had more and more career opportunities over the past few years that I really value, including engaging more in hands-on field work, becoming involved in larger collaborative teams, and working with students.

• What are some of your hobbies?

In the warmer months, I’m outside gardening as often as possible. I usually start a vegetable garden in the spring, and I especially enjoy working with shade plants such as hostas and ferns. When the growing season ends, I resume knitting and crocheting in my free time. I also really enjoy photography. I’m learning more about macrophotography, and seagulls are an odd but favorite subject of mine.

• Who has inspired you most throughout your career?

Career inspiration comes in many forms from my family as well as numerous mentors, peers, and colleagues I have had the privilege of working with. One example is my grandmother, who has accomplished many things throughout her life, including building several successful businesses while raising her family. I especially admire that despite all her hard work, says she enjoyed everything she did too much to call it work. I also draw career inspiration from my graduate advisor, Dr. Larry Carey. I could write pages on what I have learned from him over the years but in terms of career inspiration, he models adaptability to apply skills and interests to approach a variety of research themes. I also hope to emulate his ability to work with teams and mentor students in ways that promote growth while drawing out others’ strengths.

 
↑ top

• Where are you from, where did you receive your education, and what in?

• What first got you interested in the topics you chose to study?

This will definitely sound cliche, but I’ve loved this stuff ever since I was a kid. Growing up I always wanted to be some kind of -ologist. Marine biologist, paleontologist, geologist, and eventually meteorologist. I had a geography class in third grade and there was this section on the water cycle and clouds. I think I must have named every cloud I saw for months after that. Then in high school I did a college program called Running Start where I took classes at the community college up the street for dual credit. I took an introductory course in meteorology and oceanography, and the little kid in me just loved it. After the financial collapse my plans for the future got a bit derailed, but I made it here eventually!

• How has your area of research evolved since you first started doing research?

My undergraduate research was actually in atmospheric chemistry and the formation of perchlorate in the stratosphere, which hasn’t been anything like what I’m doing now in grad school. Previously I was working with ice core data, but now I’m working much more with reanalysis products and ground based observations. The ice core data was much cleaner and easier to use, but also more limited. Right now, I’m looking at how atmospheric rivers impact snowfall over the central Greenland Ice Sheet, and how different variables impact the characteristics of snowfall at Summit Station and the magnitude and duration of snowfall events.

• Where do you see your area of research headed in the future?

Right now my research questions are focused on one location, Summit Station in Greenland, but when I complete this project I plan to use data from another research station in Ny-Ålesund, which is a coastal region. I want to take what I learn from this project and apply it to the coastal location and do an intercomparison.

• What is your favorite part of your job?

Nothing stays the same. I left my old job as a cartographer because the monotony of doing QA day in and day out was driving me nuts. I like having new challenges and hearing the perspectives of my friends and colleagues.

• What are some of your hobbies?

I love reading, mostly fantasy and science fiction. I play a lot of video games in my time off, and when I have the space, I find gardening to be very zen and therapeutic.

• Who has inspired you most throughout your career?

I’ve had the good fortune to have some very supportive people in my life who have inspired me to believe in myself. My college calculus teacher, Jon Armel, who gave me the skills and encouragement I needed to go for what I really wanted and who reassured me that not everyone gets into graduate school on their first try (it took him three tries to get into a PhD program!). My undergraduate research advisor Becky Alexander, and my graduate mentor, Yuk Chun Chan, both inspired me to believe that I had what it took to get into a PhD program and who guided me in my growth as a researcher. My husband, who has always supported me in following my dreams and provided a shoulder to cry on when I took my first physics class and I couldn’t figure out where that spherical cow would land after being catapulted from a wall. And my mother, who always told me that I could do and be anything that I wanted to be. I will always be forever grateful to these people in my life.

 
↑ top

• Where are you from, where did you receive your education, and what in?

• What first got you interested in the topics you chose to study?

I was raised in the countryside and spent most of my childhood in the woods and on the farmlands. My grandparents used to complain a lot about how unpredictable rainfalls would damage the crop production. I didn’t want them to be upset but I also had no idea why rolling clouds usually came with lightning and rainfall. I guess that was the first time when I got interested in what I currently study.

• How has your area of research evolved since you first started doing research?

My research experience starts with atmospheric retrieval based on radiative transfer because I thought remote sensing is very interesting and also important in observing atmospheric processes and monitoring key parameters. When I took my qualifying exam, my committee members thought I had a good understanding of atmospheric retrieval techniques, and could put more effort into depicting the big picture. That’s when I started to grow more interested in research about precipitation processes and synoptic mechanisms.

• Where do you see your area of research headed in the future?

Atmospheric remote sensing and precipitation in polar regions are my two favorite research areas. Studies have shown that precipitation will become more frequent at high latitudes in a warming climate. I expect there will be various observing approaches in the future, leveraging the synergistic effects of multiple airborne/spaceborne instruments, and complementary insights from in-situ measurements.

• What is your favorite part of your job?

I like how it is related to nature and also everyday life. If I go hiking with my friends, we can talk about why as we go higher the Lays chips bag would inflate. If I saw a double rainbow after a rain event, I can explain to my parents why the two rainbow are in opposite directions. It’s just pure fun to me.

• What are some of your hobbies?

I love sports. I like jogging, hiking, swimming, and recently got into playing tennis. I play traditional Chinese instruments Erhu and Guzheng, and also enjoy listening to rock music. After I came to Ann Arbor, I grew a new hobby of feeding squirrels.

• Who has inspired you most throughout your career?

There have been many people who have inspired me throughout my career, and I’m so lucky to have them in my life. For example, my advisor Dr. Claire Pettersen has inspired me a lot, not only as an outstanding female faculty actively participating in research, teaching, community service, but also as a role model of an excellent advisor, a supportive colleague, and sometimes a compassionate friend. If I ever were to become a faculty advisor sometime in the future, I wish I could be as great as she is.

 
↑ top

• Where are you from, where did you receive your education, and what in?

• What first got you interested in the topics you chose to study?

I like computational fluid mechanics (CFD). And modeling clouds and precipitation is so cool! They are beautiful. 

• How has your area of research evolved since you first started doing research?

I had an internship in Lawrence Berkeley National Lab and the supervisor wanted me to simulate watershed. That’s the first time I actually did something with CFD beyond classes. Then I felt interested and wanted to explore more. 

• Where do you see your area of research headed in the future?

Currently I am working on rain only. It would be nice to expand work to solid form precipitation, snow and hail. I hope to merge all precipitation types together in the model, understanding them across all the scales.

• What is your favorite part of your job?

See my code working! Watch the results!

• What are some of your hobbies?

Fishing and snowboarding.

• Who has inspired you most throughout your career?

My advisor Ana Barros~ She knows the field well and has many brilliant ideas.

 
↑ top

• Where are you from, where did you receive your education, and what in?

• What first got you interested in the topics you chose to study?

I first became interested in weather and climate because of my Grandpa. Monitoring and explaining the weather is one of his hobbies and I was fascinated to learn from him when I was younger. Additionally, a common field trip destination when I was in school was the National Weather Service Office in my hometown. Getting to see the NEXRAD radar and operations center on these trips as a kid was always exciting and led me to study atmospheric science in college. Undergraduate coursework in radiative transfer and clouds/precipitation ignited my interest in applying instruments to study snowfall and better understand microphysical processes. 

• How has your area of research evolved since you first started doing research?

When I first started doing research in undergrad, I primarily examined the environmental and synoptic conditions associated with winter storms in Marquette, MI. I then began to incorporate observations from ground-based instruments that allowed me to evaluate the microphysical properties of different snow regimes. Currently, I am expanding my research to include additional locations that experience winter storms (e.g., Alaska, Finland, etc.) and am focusing on evaluating the effects of atmospheric rivers on snow microphysics.

• Where do you see your area of research headed in the future?

I expect my future research to focus on characterizing global snowfall properties. I want to expand my research to include data from spaceborne instruments aboard the Global Precipitation Measurement, CloudSat, and eventually the Atmosphere Observing System missions. The goals of which would be to better understand snowfall in diverse environments, validate the ground and space perspectives, and better constrain snowfall events and their microphysical properties in satellite retrievals. I also plan to explore the application of machine learning methods that can connect atmospheric precursors to snow properties.

• What is your favorite part of your job?

Getting to work with and be around brilliant people every day! It is thrilling to track everyone’s progress and growth as scientists and individuals who are ready to tackle the big questions in weather and climate research.

• What are some of your hobbies?

Running is my favorite hobby all year round! I also enjoy hiking, playing the trumpet (I was in the UW Marching Band through undergrad), and ice skating/playing hockey. My less exciting hobbies include being lazy and watching movies or binge watching a good TV series.

• Who has inspired you most throughout your career?

There are countless people who have inspired me throughout my career. Firstly, I wouldn’t be where I am today without the continuous support from my parents and family members. I’ve also been fortunate to receive instruction from fantastic professors and teachers who’ve encouraged my curiosity and passion for the weather and related sciences. Lastly, I am privileged to have great mentors and research advisors that inspire me with their own work and encouragement.

 
↑ top

• Where are you from, where did you receive your education, and what in?

• What first got you interested in the topics you chose to study?

Water-related disasters caused a lot of deaths and property loss. Since I was a kid, I dreamed about becoming a scientist and helping society. 

• How has your area of research evolved since you first started doing research?

I started my research on hydrological modeling in 2016 using conceptual models to simulate flooding events. Since then, I have continued to work on flood simulation and forecasting using distributed models with a focus on developing a framework that allows error propagation from streamflow to precipitation to better understand and characterize precipitation errors in complex terrain. Currently, I work on regionalizing precipitation error models derived from water balance approach and travel time theories.

• Where do you see your area of research headed in the future?

In the future, I expect that my research will produce generalized precipitation error models over the vast mountains using our newly developed physics-based data-driven models, hoping to provide much more inputs into precipitation errors.

• What is your favorite part of your job?

The favorite part of my job is definitely its novelty. We know that we are investigating precipitation errors from a new perspective and we hope this new perspective can provide us valuable insights regarding extreme precipitation in the mountains. 

• What are some of your hobbies?

I like bodybuilding and watching anime, and regularly hang out with my wife and friends. Recently, I started learning to cook a variety of cuisines from Asian to Mexican to American and much more to come. 

• Who has inspired you most throughout your career?

My PhD advisor, Ana P. Barros, has inspired me the most throughout my PhD journey. She taught me how to think as a scholar and how to do science. Her passion and discipline always gave me a positive impact. 

 
↑ top

• Where are you from, where did you receive your education, and what in?

• What first got you interested in the topics you chose to study?

I come from Bangladesh, a nation in the largest deltaic plain, formed by the mighty Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna basin. The country’s economy, livelihood, end agriculture are largely affected by the unique characteristics of its interconnected networks of rivers and tributaries. While blessed with rich alluvial soil, the country is vulnerable to extreme hydroclimatic events such as floods, cyclones, and droughts. My motivation to study water resources engineering emerges from the desire to enhance community resilience in the face of the climate crisis. By examining hydroclimatic extremes and their variability, I aim to improve predictability and ultimately enhance vulnerable communities’ ability to withstand and adapt to these challenges. 

• How has your area of research evolved since you first started doing research?

During my undergraduate studies, I developed a keen interested in the practical application of water modeling, particularly, in simulating interaction between river and floodplain. My focus was on investigating how encroachment on the banks of the river effect flood flows on natural channels and eventually the flow conveyance in downstream. From then, my research direction shifted significantly from river flow modeling to studying precipitation trends. As a junior engineer at IWM, I actively collaborated with my team to navigate the complexities of hydrological and hydrodynamic modeling components. This involved integrating field observations with these models to gain better understanding of surface water-groundwater resources. As I started my PhD, I spent some time to mapping atmospheric variables at a higher resolution over Northern Virginia using physical-based and machine learning approaches. This particular research eventually led me to specialize in analyzing changes in extreme precipitation at different spatial scales. To accomplish this, I leverage multi-source precipitation datasets obtained from remote sensing and earth system models, combining them with statistical modeling techniques. Specifically, I assessed trends in precipitation magnitude, frequency, and intensity in the Contiguous United States (CONUS) and High Mountain Asia (HMA) at seasonal and annual scales. My long-term goal is to develop tools such as flood forecasting and drought monitoring that will help better understanding shifts in hydrological regime and trends of high-impact events under a warming climate using observation, models, and data science.

• Where do you see your area of research headed in the future?

There have been numerous efforts to better estimate precipitation. Integrating multi-source precipitation estimates (i.e., ground observations, space-based sensors, reanalysis products, and climate model simulations) can be pivotal role in addressing research inquiries, especially in regions with limited data availability. Higher spatial resolution allows for a better understanding of trends of extreme events at regional scales. However, when examining the finer details, variability can make it extremely challenging to discern any clear direction or change, particularly, when considering future changes that involve many ensemble members. I envision my research work evolving towards the integration of multi-source datasets to build better predictive models. The aim is to enhance understanding of compound hazards in a warming world (such as the occurrence of hotter days followed by heavy downpours). Given the urgency of the climate crisis, my objective is to investigate future climate variability and predictability. Through this research, I aim to identify and map regions and communities most susceptible to the adverse effects of climate change. Decision-makers and stakeholders can use the insights and tools to inform decision-making processes.

• What is your favorite part of your job?

I love to learn about new ideas that lead to new research direction, particularly, in the realm of understanding the influence of climate crisis on extreme hydroclimatic events. One aspect that brings me immense joy is engaging in brainstorming sessions and exchanging scientific ideas with individuals who share a similar enthusiasm for fostering a regional research community.

• What are some of your hobbies?

I have been nurturing my indoor plants for over three years and it has become a source of solace and relaxation for me. Cooking is another passion of mine and I thoroughly enjoy exploring new cuisines and experimenting in my kitchen. Traveling to new and exciting destinations is something I always look forward to. 

When it comes to finding peace and tanquility, nothing compares to listening to music. It has been my go-to option for uplifting my spirits. I do love painting which I find therapeutic and I am putting my effort to try out new painting techniques. The next on my bucket list is to finally complete reading the books I have accumulated over time and have yet to finish.

• Who has inspired you most throughout your career?

My supervisor Dr Viviana Maggioni has been my biggest inspiration. I have been fortunate to be surrounded by incredibly kind-hearted individuals, particularly, my friends, especially I am amazed by the female scientists or in the process of becoming a scientist. Their determination, passion and dedication to their work inspire me greatly. Witnessing their achievements and journey towards significant contributions to their respective fields is truly inspiring. Having such supportive and inspiring figures in my life has motivated me to pursue my aspirations.

Twitter: @dolaishrat

 
↑ top

• Where are you from, where did you receive your education, and what in?

• What first got you interested in the topics you chose to study?

I remember deciding to become an electrical engineer. I wanted to understand things that I previously didn’t, like how my phone worked. What drew me to meteorology so many years later? Honestly it was largely the same driver: a desire to expand on my engineering knowledge to understand new things but this time I was more motivated to understand weather phenomena that impacted people: a larger scope beyond the instruments I was focusing on.

• How has your area of research evolved since you first started doing research?

My master’s degree was focused on antenna design and that propelled me on a path to doing research in radio frequency hardware design and testing. Now I am studying precipitation as seen by a dual-polarization phased array radar. My perspectives on this topic have continually been evolving since I started my PhD program, and I am interested to see where they take me.

• Where do you see your area of research headed in the future?

I think that technology is advancing at the same time as precipitation research with ever expanding ways to observe atmospheric processes. I see a future with more measurements utilizing the “internet of things,” communication links, machine learning techniques, improved radar spatial and temporal coverage, an increased number of satellite missions, and advancements in other technologies like lidar and radiometers. While there are challenges to be faced with an increase in measurements this means ultimately that the future holds a better representation of physical processes, microphysics, accumulation of precipitation on the ground, and weather forecasts. These improvements will filter into more informed decision making. We are just the people who will help do the work to get there.

• What is your favorite part of your job?

I’m excited to be entering a field where I can explore the ideas that I want to explore and ask the questions that I deem important. This is the magic of research that makes what I do fulfilling.

• What are some of your hobbies?

While I have others, my favorite hobby is to garden both indoors in the winter and outside when the weather is nice. Even if I’m just checking on my herb window each day it’s something that brings instant joy.

• Who has inspired you most throughout your career?

I’m inspired in different ways by all the people I have known and had the pleasure of working with throughout my career. Those people who genuinely care about others and want to see a better world are the people that tend to inspire me the most.

 
↑ top

• Where are you from, where did you receive your education, and what in?

• What first got you interested in the topics you chose to study?

I enjoyed studying Physics and Mathematics, and always had an interest in weather and space.  My interest in space came from visiting the National Space Center in my hometown, Leicester, and the specialization of my University’s Physics Department in astrophysics and other space sciences.

• How has your area of research evolved since you first started doing research?

I first started my research on satellite precipitation observations in summer 2014, only a few months after the launch of the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission’s Core Observatory (CO).  My research began with validating the GPM-CO sensors over Great Britain and Ireland.  In the 9 years since, I have continued to validate GPM products with a focus on GPM’s IMERG multi-satellite precipitation product.  In particular, I have analyzed the diurnal cycle of precipitation and climate model performance using IMERG, and I currently trace errors in the IMERG algorithm back to their source using the GPM Validation Network at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center.

• Where do you see your area of research headed in the future?

In the future, I anticipate that my research in conducting novel satellite precipitation validation studies will continue, with a focus on tracing errors in multi-satellite algorithms such as IMERG.  I also would like to support the next generation of satellite precipitation missions, including NASA’s Atmosphere Observing System (AOS).

• What is your favorite part of your job?

The favorite part of my job is statistically analyzing satellite precipitation products and identifying performance deficiencies in their algorithms.  Helping to improve our retrievals from precipitation observations is very satisfying as it aids science and society.

• What are some of your hobbies?

I like to watch a wide range of movies, and regularly visit the movie theater to see the latest releases.  I also like to bake and cook, play pickleball, and to go for frequent walks and hikes.

• Who has inspired you most throughout your career?

My PhD supervisor, Alessandro Battaglia, has inspired me most throughout my career.  Alessandro mentored me in the principles of precipitation science and research, and his passion and commitment to research in this field is influential.

Twitter: @DanielCWatters

 
↑ top