NCAS UPRM supports collaborative tropical weather study
The NCAS-UPRM’s graduate student Myrna J. Santiago is leading the training activities on radiosonde launches taking place at the Univeristy of Puerto Rico as part of the study entitled "Improving short-Range tropical weather forecasting in the Caribbean using enhanced upper air radio soundings at Mayagüez, Puerto Rico". This initiative is run by the NCAS program at Howard University in collaboration with the Atmospheric and Meteorology Program at UPRM. Dr. Hector Jimenez, Program’s director, is the supervisor of the undergraduate students conducting this research. Trainees are Lizxandra Flores, Christie Torres, Alexandra Ramos and Karimar Ledesma. Lizxandra was an Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology Summer Intern at the Bio-Optical Oceanography Laboratory in 2011. Alexandra and Karimar participated in the PR Weather Camp initiative in 2008 and 2009, respectively.
THE PR WEATHERCAMP EXPERIENCE
Motivated by the desire to broaden and increase exposure of students to techniques, research, academic programs and career opportunities in atmospheric sciences, meteorology and oceanography, the NOAA Center for Atmospheric Sciences sponsored the Puerto Rico Weather Camp 2012. Fifteen high school students from Puerto Rico, St. Thomas (USVI) and Milwaukee (WI), participated in this immersive summer experience held at Isla Magueyes from June 24 – 30, 2012. Campers participated in workshops, interactive activities and trips to learn about diverse topics including the complex tropical weather and climate phenomena, the atmosphere and ocean connections, the impact of climate change in the Caribbean, atmospheric research, tools for ocean observation, and many others. The PRWC 2012 collaborators included NOAA HRD, UPRM Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology program, Caribbean Tsunami Program, American Meteorological Society (UPRM Student Chapter), National Weather Service - San Juan, Univision PR, SOAR’s, PR Space Grant Consortium, UPRM Departments of Geology, Physics and Marine Sciences, and the Caribbean Integrated Coastal Ocean Observing System (CariCOOS), co-sponsors of the camp since 2010. Students training at-sea included the deployment of oceanographic instruments and visits to the NOAA PMEL CO2 and the NOAA ICON-CREWS buoys. In addition, students participated of an interactive workshop on coastal weather, and a field trip to tropical marine ecosystems to explain the connectivity between weather and coastal ecosystems. Through this experience participants interacted with university professors, graduate students, meteorologists, oceanographers and administrators, among other professionals. This summer program has been offered since 2007.
FORMER PR WEATHERCAMP STUDENT IS AWARDED NOAA EPP UNDERGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP
The University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez student Ana Patricia Torres was recently awarded the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Educational Partnership Program (EPP) Undergraduate Scholarship. This award is in recognition of her accomplishments as an undergraduate student in areas pertinent to NOAA’s mission. Ms. Torres participated in the Puerto Rico Weather Camp in 2009 and is pursuing a bachelor degree in Theoretical Physics at UPRM. She is also completing the course work for the certification in Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology at UPRM. Ana is an active member of the American Meteorological Society (AMS) student Chapter and was recently awarded with the NOAA Center for Atmospheric Sciences Travel Award to participate in the AMS 2012 annual meeting in New Orleans. During the summer of 2012 Ana will be participating of a nine week summer internship at NOAA Headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland.
