A Career Development Workshop for NSF Geosciences Postdoctoral Researchers
Teaching Resources
Writing a Research Grant Proposal
Articles:
Twenty Tips for Writing a Research Proposal
A Guide for Proposal Writing - the National Science Foundation
Ten Simple Rules for Getting Grants
Hints on Preparing Grant Proposals
Murder Most Foul: How Not to Kill a Grant Application
Slide Shows from Talks:
How to Get Research Funding - a View from Inside (PPT slides)
Writing and Publishing
How to handle authorship disputes: a guide for new researchers
Dos and Don'ts for Writing a Scientific Manuscript
How to get published in an academic journals: top tips from publishers
How to get published in high-impact journals: big research and better writing
Tips for publishing in scientific journals
See slides on how reading helps the writing
Writing Cover Letters
Essay on the Cover Letter for Academic Jobs
People Profiles
Below you may find the individual profiles and contact information for people who have participated in panels, talks, breakouts, or other aspects of the workshop.
Wendy Abshire
Senior Project Manager/Meteorologist
The COMET Program
UCAR|UCP
abshire at ucar.edu
Wendy is currently a Senior Program Manager for UCAR’s COMET Program in Boulder, CO where her duties include leading internationally recognized training efforts in the areas of satellite meteorology, hydrology, climate, water resources, winter weather, and tropical meteorology. Wendy credits much of her career success to the opportunities and connections made through both membership and volunteer involvement in both the NWA and AMS.
Amanda “Manda” Adams
Program Director of Education and Cross-Discipline Activities for the Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences Division
National Science Foundation
amadams at nsf.gov
Manda Adams is the Program Director for Education and Cross-Discipline Activities in the Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences Division of the National Science Foundation. She is a mesoscale modeler by background with research interests in phenomena that are strongly forced by boundary layer processes and/or topography. She has a particular interested in research questions that lie at the intersection of energy and atmospheric science, having collaborated on research projects with Xcel Energy, San Diego Gas and Electric, and Con Edison. She developed one of the first wind farm parametrizations for WRF. Prior to coming to NSF, Manda was an assistant professor at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and maintains a research faculty appointment there. She is on the Board of Directors for the Earth Science Women’s Network. She is also currently writing a textbook on Atmospheric Dynamics.
Chris Atchison
Executive Director
International Association for Geoscience Diversity
atchiscl at ucmail.uc.edu
Dr. Chris Atchison earned his Ph.D. in Science Education from The Ohio State University. He is an Assistant Professor of Geoscience Education at the University of Cincinnati. His research focuses on enhancing access and inclusion in the Earth sciences through experiential learning opportunities for students with sensory and orthopedic disabilities. Relatedly, he is the Founder, and Executive Director, of the International Association for Geoscience Diversity (www.TheIAGD.org), an organization charged with advocating for students and geoscientists with disabilities, while identifying and developing current instructional opportunities and resources that promote full access and inclusion in the geosciences.
Linnea Avallone
Program Director of Lower Atmosphere Observing Facilities (LAOF)
National Science Foundation
lavallon at nsf.gov
Linnea Avallone is a chemist specializing in the design, development and deployment of instrumentation for measuring atmospheric trace gases, especially from airborne platforms. She has participated in more than 20 field campaigns to investigate stratospheric and tropospheric ozone chemistry, the impact of rocket emissions, and cirrus cloud formation. While on the faculty at the University of Colorado, Linnea worked on several initiatives to foster inclusivity and diversity in science and education. She is currently manager of NSF’s Lower Atmosphere Observing Facilities and serves on interagency groups for research aviation and earth observation. Linnea received an S.B. in Life Sciences from MIT and a Ph.D. in Chemistry from Harvard University.
Bec Batchelor
Education Specialist
SOARS program
UCAR|NCAR
rbatch at ucar.edu
Dr Rebecca (Bec) Batchelor works in science education for the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR). Her efforts are focused on increasing diversity in the atmospheric sciences through an undergraduate-to-graduate bridge program called Significant Opportunities in Atmospheric Research and Science (SOARS), of which she is the Co-PI. Her roles include providing mentoring, diversity training, and support to scientist mentors, connecting with alumni and faculty, and working directly with student participants to build diversity in our field. She teaches scientific communication and ethics, plans career development and leadership training and provides career counselling to a wide range of students. She has an atmospheric science background, completing a PhD in atmospheric physics at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand, in 2005 and doing postdoctoral research at the University of Toronto (2006-2009) and at NCAR (2010-2011). She has also spent extensive periods doing research in the Antarctic and Arctic. She transitioned fully into an educational role at the UCAR Center for Science Education in 2012.
Brian Bevirt
Writer/Editor III, Computational Information Systems Laboratory
NCAR
brianb at ucar.edu
Brian Bevirt provides project management, writing, editing, photography, outreach, and mentoring for the Computational Information Systems Laboratory. His professional career in technical communication spans more than four decades producing a broad spectrum of information products for online and print media. In his current position, Brian produces annual reports, planning documents, news features, research journal articles, assessment reports, funding proposals, photo essays, research summaries, and workflows to increase collaboration efficiency. He now has two decades of experience as a writing mentor for early-career scientists.
Aditi Bhaskar
Postdoctoral Researcher
US Geological Survey
abhaskar at usgs.gov
Aditi Bhaskar is a postdoctoral researcher at the US Geological Survey in Reston, Virginia, funded by an NSF Earth Sciences Fellowship, studying the effects of green infrastructure on urban base flow. As of August 2016, she will be an assistant professor in Civil and Environmental Engineering at Colorado State University. She received her Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering at University of Maryland, Baltimore County where she was a trainee in the “Water in the Urban Environment” IGERT interdisciplinary graduate program.
Scott Briggs
Advanced Study Program Assistant
NCAR
sbriggs at ucar.edu
Scott Briggs has been with NCAR since 2002 and supports the Advanced Study Program. He is the lead organizer of the Postdoctoral Fellowship committee and supports the Software Engineering Assembly, Early Career Scientist Assembly, and the ASP Summer Colloquium. He currently sits as a member of the NCAR Web Advisory Group.
Carolyn Brinkworth
Director of Diversity, Education and Outreach
NCAR
carolyn at ucar.edu
Carolyn Brinkworth is the NCAR Director of Diversity, Education and Outreach where she advocates for and leads NCAR’s diversity, education and outreach strategic planning and operational program implementation. Additionally, she extends the NCAR diversity, education and outreach activities through the development of new collaborative partnerships and sustainable externally funded programs. Before this, she worked with NASA, Caltech, and the American Astronomical Society where she designed and led education programs, designed studies to assess campus climate for minorities, and wrote proposals and managed grants for education and outreach programs. She was honored with the NASA Equal Employment Opportunity Medal in 2013. Carolyn received her PhD in Astrophysics from the University of Southampton and is currently finishing her Masters in Education from Claremont Graduate University with a focus on minority access to STEM education.
Lawrence Buja
Director of the Climate Science and Applications Program (CSAP)
Research Applications Laboratory
NCAR
Lawrence Buja is the Director of the Climate Science and Applications Program (CSAP) at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder Colorado. CSAP addresses societal vulnerability, impacts and adaptation to climate change through the use of scenarios of projected climate change, development of tools and methods for analyzing current and future vulnerability, and integrated analyses of climate impacts and adaptation at local, regional and global scales. Focus areas are:
- Governance of inter-linked natural and managed resource systems.
- The role of urban areas in driving emissions of climate change
- Weather, climate and human health,
- GIS-based science data integration & knowledge systems.
- Regional Climate Science for Adaptation
- Behaviors, Decisions and Risk
Stephanie Chasteen
Associate Director, Science Education Initiative, and independent consultant
University of Colorado Boulder
chasteen at colorado.edu
Stephanie Chasteen is a physicist and education researcher focusing on STEM educational reform. While getting her PhD, she explored a career in science journalism, and did a wonderful internship at National Public Radio’s science desk. Her first postdoctoral appointment was at the Exploratorium Museum of Science, where she developed hands-on activities for use in high school physics. She came to Colorado for a second postdoc, where she became involved in science education and education research. Dr. Chasteen currently uses her skills in science, science communication, and education to support educational change programs at the University of Colorado and around the country, including providing resources and support to faculty, producing pedagogical videos, assessing programs, and researching characteristics of effective educational practice. Dr. Chasteen is unusual in that much of her income comes from her active consulting practice (see http://sciencegeekgirl.com, where she provides various services to support educational change in science.
Andy Churgin
Leadership Training Consultant
Chain Reaction
andy at chainreactionpartners.com
Andy Churgin, CPCC, ACC is a co-founder and principal of Chain Reaction Partners, LLC. He is a certified Co-Active Professional and Corporate Coach who coaches professionals and executives, conducts leadership development programs and facilitates team development processes. Andy is also certified to administer the tools of Relationship Awareness Theory, including the Strength Deployment Inventory and the Portrait of Personal Strengths, is a certified coach for the Booth Company 360 assessments and is certified by Team Coaching International to deliver the Team Diagnostic Assessment and coach teams to high positivity and productivity. Andy has coached hundreds of individuals from both the public and private sectors. He helps teams work more collaboratively to achieve their goals and has facilitated many strategic planning processes. He has also helped develop and deliver numerous courses on managing, leadership and communication skills for such clients as the University of Nebraska, and the University of Colorado. With his partners, he was instrumental in the design and delivery of several leadership development programs at UCAR/NCAR from 2003 to 20014. dAndy also designed and delivered a 6 month leadership development program, The Leadership Collaboratory, in partnership with the University Corporation of Atmospheric Research (UCAR) for NSF (leadcollab.org) Since 2006, he has co-led a program called Coaching and Mentoring for Excellence with his wife for the Office of Personnel Management as in integral part of their LEAD certification and has customized it for numerous government agencies. Andy has more than 20 years experience in sales, marketing and general management. He earned a bachelor of science degree from the University of Maryland.
Carle Churgin
Leadership Training Consultant
Chain Reaction
carle at chainreactionpartners.com
Carle Churgin, CPCC is a co-founder and majority partner in Chain Reaction Partners, LLC. She is a certified Co-Active Professional and Corporate Coach and master coach who coaches professionals and executives, conducts leadership development programs and facilitates team meetings and retreats. Since 1998, Carle has coached hundreds of individuals across the globe, worked with teams to be more collaborative and reach goals, facilitated strategic planning retreats and helped mediate interpersonal conflicts. She has also helped develop and deliver numerous courses on managing, leadership and communication skills for such clients as the University of Nebraska, University of Colorado, Clinica Family Health Services, EWSN and NOAA. With her partners, she was instrumental in the design and delivery of several leadership development programs at UCAR/NCAR from 2003 to 20014. Carle and her husband, Andy, also designed and delivered a 6 month leadership development program, The Leadership Collaboratory, in partnership with the University Corporation of Atmospheric Research (UCAR) for NSF (leadcollab.org) . In 2006, she developed and has co-led a program called Coaching and Mentoring for Excellence with her husband for the Office of Personnel Management. In addition, Carle has extensive management experience in communications and public relations, including owning a high technology PR agency for five years. Carle is trained in Organization and Relationship Systems Coaching, Wellness coaching and is certified by Team Coaching International in the Team Diagnostic Assessment. She is also certified as a coach for the Booth Company 360 assessments and is a credentialed facilitator to deliver Relationship Awareness Theory tools, including the Strengths Deployment Inventory.
Chris Davis
Mesoscale and Microscale Meteorology Laboratory Director
NCAR
cdavis at ucar.edu
Chris is currently the Director of the Mesoscale and Microscale Meteorology Laboratory, and former Director of the Advanced Study Program at NCAR. His research focuses on observations and prediction of tropical cyclones, particularly tropical cyclone formation, as well as other forms of organized atmospheric convection.
Dimitri Dounas-Frazer
Research Associate, Physics Education Research
University of Colorado Boulder
dimitri.dounasfrazer T colorado.edu
Dimitri Dounas-Frazer is a Research Associate in the Physics Education Research group at University of Colorado Boulder. He earned his PhD from the University of California Berkeley in 2012, where he performed high-precision measurements of atomic parity violation in ytterbium while also playing a leadership role in the diversity-oriented Berkeley Compass Project. His research focuses on studying and improving upper-division physics lab courses and increasing diversity in the sciences by supporting the persistence of students from underrepresented groups.
Louisa Emmons
Scientist III, Atmospheric Chemistry Division
NCAR
emmons at ucar.edu
Louisa Emmons is a member of the Global Tropospheric Modeling and ACRESP groups of the Atmospheric Chemistry Observations and Modeling Lab. Her research interests focus on the integration of measurements with models to investigate the impact of sources and their chemical evolution on tropospheric composition. This work includes the evaluation, and improvement, of models with observations, and the interpretation of observations with model results. Louisa has played a key role in the development of the NCAR community model MOZART (Model of OZone and Related Chemical Tracers).
Paula Fisher
Advanced Study Program Administrator
NCAR
paulad at ucar.edu
Paula manages the NCAR postdoctoral Advanced Study Program which provides an opportunity for recent-Ph.D. scientists to continue to pursue their research interests in atmospheric and related science.
Becky Flowers
Associate Professor, Department of Geological Sciences
University of Colorado Boulder
rebecca.flowers at colorado.edu
Becky Flowers is an Associate Professor at the University of Colorado at Boulder’s Department of Geological Sciences and specializes in tectonics and geochronology, and directs a (U-Th)/He geochronology lab. She is the recipient of a NSF CAREER Award and is a 2015-16 Mineralogical Society of America Distinguished Lecturer. Prior to joining CU-Boulder she was a Postdoc at the California Institute of Technology in the Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences. She has a Ph.D in Geology and Geochemistry from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, A M.Sc. from the University of Utah in Geology and Geophysics, and a B.S. in Geology from the College of William & Mary. Becky also is mom to 6 year old twins.
Peter Gent
Senior Scientist, Oceanography in the Climate and Global Dynamics Laboratory (CGD)
NCAR
gent at ucar.edu
Peter Gent is a Senior Scientist in the Oceanography Section of the Climate and Global Dynamics Division. His research is focused on theoretical and numerical models of ocean circulation in both tropical and global domains. He is best known for the Gent and McWilliams eddy scheme, now used in virtually all ocean components of climate models and in a very large percentage of ocean models. He has been heavily involved, since its inception in 1996, in the Community Climate System Model, a cooperative project between NCAR, Universities and National Laboratories. Most recently, he was Chairman of the CCSM Science Steering Committee for over four years from 2005-2009.
Rebecca Haacker
Director of NCAR Advanced Study Program (ASP) & Director of the UCAR SOARS Program
UCAR|NCAR
rhaackerat ucar.edu
Rebecca Haacker is the Director of NCAR’s Advanced Study Program and UCAR’s SOARS Center for Higher Education, which in addition to the SOARS program includes several student visitor and faculty professional development projects. Rebecca is dedicated to providing students and early career scientists with relevant skills and training to have successful careers in the geosciences. She serves on several national boards including the AMS Board for Private Sector Meteorologists, with the goal of opening new pathways for her students. Prior to joining UCAR, Rebecca taught geography at the college and graduate level, and even earlier in her career she was the director of a national park in Central America. In addition to her graduate degree in geography and anthropology from the University of Hamburg, Germany, Rebecca is a certified mediator and has extensive training in employment law, diversity, student mentoring, and counseling.
Weiqing Han
Associate Professor
Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences
University of Colorado
weiqing.han at colorado.edu
Weiqing Han is an Associate Professor in the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences at CU-Boulder. She specializes in tropical ocean circulation, dynamics, air-sea interaction, climate variability and change.
Rachel Hauser
Research Relations Specialist
NCAR
rhauser at ucar.edu
Rachel works at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) where she highlights research efforts at the center and within NCAR’s scientific community. Rachel is also responsible for helping promote and develop collaborations between NCAR and other research institutions, as well as with government, non-governmental and for-profit organizations.
Michelle Havens
Employee Relations Manager
UCAR|NCAR
mhavens at ucar.edu
Michelle began her HR career working for Steamboat Ski & Resort over 13 years ago. Over the years she has had the opportunity to work in each of the functional areas of HR and especially enjoys Employee Relations and employment law. She first worked in an education setting as the HR Director for a small technical college and then spent over six years at Colorado State University as an Employee Relations Manager and later as the Assistant Director for Complaints and Disabilities.
Marika Holland
Senior Scientist
NCAR Climate and Global Dynamics Division
NCAR
mholland at ucar.edu
Marika Holland is a senior scientist in NCAR's Climate and Global Dynamics Laboratory. Her research interests are related to the role of sea ice and polar regions in the climate system, including ice/ocean/atmosphere feedback mechanisms, high latitude climate variability, and abrupt climate change.
David Hosansky
Media Relations Manager, UCAR Communications
UCAR
hosansky@ucar.edu
David Hosansky is the manager of media relations for the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR), where he has placed stories about scientific developments in The New York Times, ABC News, National Public Radio, and virtually every other major U.S. media outlet. A former award-winning newspaper and magazine reporter, he has a M.A. in Journalism from Northwestern University.
Jim Hurrell
NCAR Director
jhurrell@ucar.edu
Kris Karnauskas
Assistant Professor
Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences
CIRES Fellow
University of Colorado Boulder
kristopher.karnauskas@colorado.edu
Kris Karnauskas is a Fellow of the Cooperative Institute for Research in the Environmental Sciences (CIRES) and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences (ATOC) at the University of Colorado Boulder. Prior to joining the CU-Boulder faculty, Kris spent six years on the faculty of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) and the MIT-WHOI Joint Program in Oceanography (also teaching at Boston College) followed by a sabbatical at the Institut Pierre Simon Laplace (IPSL) in Paris, France. Kris currently serves as Editor of the Journal of Geophysical Research-Oceans, on the Scientific Steering Committee (SSC) of U.S. CLIVAR in 2016. He is a proud alum of the 2nd NCAR Undergraduate Leadership Workshop.
Jen Kay
Assistant Professor
Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences
CIRES Fellow
University of Colorado Boulder
jennifer.e.kay at colorado.edu
Jen Kay is an assistant professor in the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences and a CIRES Fellow at the University of Colorado at Boulder. Prior to joining CU, she worked as a scientist in NCAR's Climate and Global Dynamics Division. Dr. Kay researches polar climate change, feedbacks, and variability, with a specific focus on connecting global coupled climate modeling with observed cloud, precipitation, and sea ice processes.
Scott Landolt
Associate Scientist III, Aviation Applications Program, Research Applications Lab
NCAR
landolt at ucar.edu
Scott is an Associate Scientist III in the Aviation Applications Program in NCAR’s Research Applications Labratory. Aviation weather represents the longest running and the founding element of RAL’s work. Within the Aviation Applications Program (AAP), our current research emphases are: in flight icing; snowfall and freezing precipitation; convective storm nowcasting and forecasting; atmospheric turbulence; numerical weather prediction; remote sensing; data assimilation; precipitation physics; ceiling and visibility; oceanic weather; and dissemination methods.
Kristin Larson
Director, Renewable Energy Services
Global Weather Corporation
kristin_a_larson at yahoo.com
Kristin Larson oversees the Global Weather Corporation forecasts for the Energy Sector. Dr. Larson developed portions of the Wind and Solar Energy forecasting services at the Global Weather Corporation. Dr. Larson has over ten years of experience in the energy forecasting industry; she has implemented verification systems, and managed large research projects. She has made numerous presentations at conferences and to customers and served as a subject matter expert in agile software development. Prior to joining the Global Weather Corporation, Dr. Larson worked at 3TIER and Seattle City Light. Her Ph.D. is in Atmospheric Science from the University of Washington and she has a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from Princeton University.
Sandra Laursen
Co-Director of Ethnography & Evaluation Research at CU-Boulder
University of Colorado Boulder
Sandra.Laursen at Colorado.edu
Sandra Laursen is a senior research associate and co-director of Ethnography & Evaluation Research (E&ER) where she leads research and evaluation studies focusing on education and career paths in STEM fields. Her research interests include the underrepresentation of women and people of color in the sciences and organizational change in higher education. She is also interested in inquiry-based teaching and learning, and the challenges of improving STEM education in and out of the classroom and across organizations. She earned a Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of California at Berkeley. Previously, Laursen taught chemistry at Kalamazoo College in Michigan and conducted atmospheric science research at the NOAA laboratories in Boulder. She is a faculty associate at CU's Center for the American West.
Scott Mackaro
Applied Research and Development / Technical Program Manager
Vaisala
scott.mackaro at vaisala.com
Scott Mackaro currently serves as a Product Manager and Applied Research Scientist at Vaisala where he manages and conducts applied meteorological research and development aimed at creating reusable knowledge and tools that will enhance Vaisala's Business Areas ability to efficiently execute their strategies. As a scientist, his specialties include boundary layer meteorology, numerical weather prediction, wind energy, and ceilometer based research. He is active in business development and organizational strategy, and works with teams around the world to find ways that Vaisala can solve some of the biggest weather related challenges facing the world. He has a Ph.D. in Atmospheric Science from the University of Alabama in Huntsville and a B.S. in Meteorology from Millersville University of Pennsylvania.
Scott McIntosh
Director, NCAR High Altitude Observatory
NCAR
mscott at ucar.edu
Scott McIntosh is the Director of NCAR’s High Altitude Observatory. His primary field of research lies in the understanding of how magnetism, mass, and energy are transported from the Sun's convective interior to shape and fill the solar system in which we live. Scott began his career at NCAR as a HAO post-doctoral fellow in NCAR’s Advanced Study Program in 1999. Scott has a Ph.D. in Astrophysics from the University of Glasgow.
Marissa Miller
Diversity, Education and Outreach Assistant
NCAR
marissa at ucar.edu
Marissa Miller coordinates the Diversity Brown Bag Series as well as the UNEION Training Cohort. Before joining NCAR, she was a Title I teacher through Teach for America in post-Katrina Louisiana and served as a graduate research assistant for the CU-Dialogues Program. She received her M.A. in Education Policy from CU-Boulder with a concentration in community-based change and is currently pursuing a Graduate Certificate in Diversity, Social Justice and Inclusion from the University of Colorado Matrix Center.
Helen Moshak
Director of Operations
NCAR
moshak at ucar.edu
Helen Moshak is the Director of Operations for the National Center for Atmospheric Research. She has worked extensively in management in the non-profit, government and private sectors and has a Juris Doctorate from the University of Colorado.
Louisa Nance
Scientific and Technical Project Manager
Research Applications Laboratory
and Numerical Testbed
NCAR
nance at ucar.edu
Louisa Nance is a Scientific and Technical Project Manager in the Research Applications Labratory and Numerical Testbed at NCAR.
Shelley Olds
Education and Community Engagement Specialist
UNAVCO
Shelley Olds has been teaching science and technology to teachers and other educators over 12 years. She has a Masters of Education in Instructional Systems Development and a B.S. in Earth Science / Geophysics. During her career, Shelley has developed online training modules such as Mountains to Monsoons and Gateway to Glaciation with a small instructional design firm, worked with NASA Education to coordinate education programs, led the DLESE Teaching Box project to develop classroom-ready instructional units at the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, CO, and develop a digital educational library. Shelley is currently a Science Education Specialist for UNAVCO's Education and Community Engagement program, creating free educational materials, that use geodetic data and data products for undergraduate and secondary Earth science courses and leading professional development programs for K-12, college and university faculty.
Steven Pollock
2013 US Professor of the Year, Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching
A&S Mentor
University of Colorado Boulder
steven.pollock at colorado.edu
Steven Pollock was named the named the 2013 U.S. Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. He studies student learning in large scale physics classes, and the constraints and opportunities involved in replicating "proven" curricular practices, as well as issues of gender gaps in introductory physics. He heads the K-12 Research Team for an NSF-funded research project to study the efficacy of the Learning Assistant program for preparing highly qualified teachers (the Learning Assistant model for Teacher Education in Science and Technology (LATEST) Research project) and is engaged in studies of how educational models can be extended to the upper division, including research and development of materials, curriculum, and assessment tools in Electricity and Magnetism and Quantum Mechanics.
Cora Randall
Professor of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics
University of Colorado Boulder
cora.randall at colorado.edu
Cora Randall is the Chair of the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences at the University of Colorado at Boulder, and a faculty member in the CU Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics. She earned her PhD in Chemistry from the University of California at Santa Cruz, and joined the University of Colorado in 1989 to work on the Hubble Space Telescope. She investigates processes related to stratospheric ozone depletion, polar mesospheric clouds, and atmospheric coupling through solar and magnetospheric energetic particle precipitation. She is a current or prior member of numerous international satellite science teams, and is principal investigator on the Cloud Imaging and Particle Size (CIPS) experiment on the NASA Aeronomy of Ice in the Mesosphere (AIM) satellite mission. She has published more than 100 papers in refereed scientific journals.
John Ristvey
Director of the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) Center for Science Education
UCAR|UCP
jristvey at ucar.edu
John Ristvey is currently the Director of the UCAR Center for Science Education (UCAR SciEd) under the UCAR Community Programs. In this role, he is responsible for leadership and the day-to-day operation of UCAR SciEd, including development of new ideas and funding streams and the direction of staff, management of budgets, and strategic priorities for UCAR SciEd. Large areas of work in the Center include teaching and learning (professional development, instructional materials development and NCAR Mesa Lab exhibits, school/public programs), Connections and Networking (UCARConnect and Climate Voices), and Higher Education (SOARS Center for Higher Education). John is currently the principal investigator for Engineering Experiences. This project is conducting research to better understand and promote practices that develop students' motivations and capacities to pursue careers in fields of STEM by providing out-of-school time engineering experiences in atmospheric and related sciences to middle school students from low-income families.
Alison Rockwell
Education/Outreach Coordinator
Earth Observing Laboratory
NCAR
rockwell at ucar.edu
Alison is the Education and Public Outreach Coordinator in the Earth Observing Laboratory, where she liaises between the incredible science that EOL supports and the greater community. EOL’s primary mission is to provide leadership in observing facilities, field project support, and research and data services needed to advance the scientific understanding of the Earth system. Alison's duties include supporting the public outreach efforts of various global field projects and helping to inspire the next generation of observational scientists and engineers by offering a range of educational, experiential and outreach opportunities. She is currently finishing her Master's in Science Education with an emphasis on program assessment.
Rich Rotunno
Senior Scientist, Mesoscale and Microscale Meteorology Laboratory
NCAR
rotunno at ucar.edu
Rich Rotunno is a Senior Scientist in the Mesoscale and Microscale Meteorology Laboratory whose recent scientific activities have focused on tropical cyclones, orographic precipitation and atmospheric predictability. Using both theory and numerical modeling, his work is directed at the understanding needed to make progress in the forecasting of mesoscale weather phenomena. Rich is a two-time recipient of the American Meteorological Society's Banner I. Miller Award (1991 with K. Emanuel and 2010 with G. Bryan) and in 2004 he was the recipient of the American Meteorological Society's Jule G. Charney Award.
Melanie Russ
Project Coordinator, Joint Office for Science Support (JOSS)
UCAR|UCP
melanie at ucar.edu
Melanie Russ is a Project Coordinator in the Joint Office for Science Support at UCAR where she conducts support to facilitate activities in the earth sciences.
Randy Schalhamer
Talent Acquisitions Manager
Human Resources
NCAR|UCAR
rschalha at ucar.edu
Randy began his career working for INROADS Inc., a non-profit organization that assists minority candidates find internships. He has 11 years of experience in acquiring top talent in a variety of industries including non-profit, academic, finance, corporate, food service, and sales. His work experience demonstrates my commitment and expertise in securing a diverse workforce.
Scott Sewell
Engineer IV
High Altitude Observatory, Instrumentation Group
NCAR
sewell at ucar.edu
Scott Sewell serves as the Instrumentation Group Manager for the High Altitude Observatory. He received his PhD in Aerospace Engineering in 1995 from the University of Colorado. His interests include solar physics, instrumentation development and project management.
Isla Simpson
Scientist 1, Climate Analysis Section
Climate and Global Dynamics
NCAR
Islas at ucar.edu
Isla Simpson is a Scientist 1 in the Climate Analysis Section of the Climate and Global Dynamics Division, studying large scale atmospheric dynamics and its representation in Global Climate Models. She works to understand dynamical mechanisms involved in the variability and change of the large scale atmospheric circulation and its impacts on regional climate and hydroclimate using a hierarchy of modelling approaches. The overall aim being to determine the extent which models can successfully capture the processes of relevance for the real atmosphere and to determine how they can be improved.
Val Sloan
Director of the GEO REU Network and Internship Specialist in the SOARS Group
UCAR|NCAR
vsloan at ucar.edu
Val Sloan joined the SOARS Center for Higher Education at UCAR in 2014 where she directs the Network of REU PIs in the Geosciences, which provides faculty development in managing research internship programs for undergraduates. She is also involved in designing and running NCAR internships and career development workshops for undergraduates, high school students, and postdocs. She has a Ph.D in Geology from CU-Boulder and Masters in Earth Sciences from the University of Alberta where she conducted research on glacial geology in the Pakistan Himalaya, the Canadian High Arctic, and the Yukon Territory. Before coming to UCAR, Val directed the RESESS Internship at UNAVCO for three years, taught at CU Boulder and the University of Denver, and was a research scientist at the Geological Survey of Canada.
Katie Snell
Assistant Professor, Geological Sciences
University of Colorado Boulder
kathryn.snell at colorado.edu
Katie is a geologist who uses sedimentology and stable isotope geochemistry to reconstruct ancient terrestrial climate and elevations of mountain ranges. She received her bachelor’s degree from Colorado College, her PhD from UC Santa Cruz and did postdoctoral research at Caltech before starting as an Assistant Professor in Geological Sciences at CU Boulder in January 2015.
Michael Thompson
UCAR Interim President/NCAR Chief Operating Officer/NCAR Senior Scientist
UCAR|NCAR
mjt at ucar.edu
Michael Thompson is the UCAR Interim President and the Deputy Director and Chief Operating Officer of NCAR, and an NCAR Senior Scientist. From 2010 to 2014 he was Director of the High Altitude Observatory and an Associate Director of NCAR. Prior to joining NCAR, Michael was Head of the School of Mathematics and Statistics in the University of Sheffield, United Kingdom, and was formerly a Professor of Physics at Imperial College London. Michael's scientific research activity is principally in helioseismology, asteroseismology, solar physics, and inverse problems. He has worked extensively over more than 25 years in developing and applying inverse techniques in helioseismology, and in particular measuring the stratification, rotation, and large-scale flows in the solar interior.
Geoffrey Tyndall
Senior Scientist/Section Head
Atmospheric Chemistry Observations and Modeling Lab
NCAR
tyndall at ucar.edu
Geoff Tyndall has been a scientist at NCAR since 1987. His research involves laboratory studies designed to understand the oxidation mechanisms of organic chemicals in the atmosphere, and their effects of atmospheric ozone and aerosols. Over the years he has hosted many graduate students and postdocs who came to work in the lab for periods of a few weeks up to two years. Geoff served as an editor for the AGU journal Geophysical Research Letters for 6 years (2009-2015), and hence has an in depth knowledge of the publication procedure from both sides of the fence.
Leah Colvin Wanshura
Director, Office of Postdoctoral Affairs
University of Colorado Boulder
leah.colvinwanshura at colorado.edu
Leah Colvin Wanshura is the Director of the newly established Office of Postdoctoral Affairs at CU-Boulder where she leads programs and services for postdoctoral scholars university-wide. Leah received her Ph.D. from Mayo Graduate School and completed her postdoctoral training at the University of Minnesota, where she also served as the President of the Postdoctoral Association.
Christine Wiedinmyer
Scientist III, Regional & Process Modeling
Atmospheric Chemistry Observations & Modeling Laboratory
NCAR
christin at ucar.edu
Christine Wiedinmyer is a Scientist III in NCAR’s ACOM lab where she researches how the emissions of trace gases and particles from the terrestrial biosphere impact atmospheric composition, air quality, and climate. She also investigates the effects of global change on these processes, such as how land cover and land use change alter the fluxes of trace gases to the atmosphere. As a co-founder of the Earth Science Women’s Network, a peer-mentoring network with more than 2000 members, she builds community, provides informal mentoring and support, and facilitates professional collaborations for women working in the Earth sciences.
Michael Steven Williams
Assistant Professor
Baruch College, CUNY
michael.williams at baruch.cuny.edu
Michael Steven Williams is on faculty in the School of Public Affairs at Baruch College, City University of New York (CUNY). Primarily a quantitative researcher, his interests focus on equity and diversity, the social psychological development of students, and institutional diversity in American postsecondary education. He earned his master’s degree in Higher Education from the University of Pennsylvania, and his Ph.D. in Higher Education and Student Affairs from The Ohio State University (OSU).