Dr. Changnon named as 2010 Board of Trustees Professor

Congrats to NIU Meteorology's Dr. Changnon, who has been named as a 2010 Board of Trustees Professor. Established in 2007, the professorship recognizes faculty members who have achieved a consistent record of excellence in teaching, academic leadership, scholarship or artistry, and service and outreach. Special emphasis is placed on the recognition of those who have earned widespread acclaim for their scholarship or artistry and continue to engage students in their research and professional activities.

Any student interested in meteorology would covet an opportunity to intern with the weather guru of gurus, Tom Skilling.

Fortunately for NIU meteorology undergraduates, Professor David Changnon has an in. Over the past decade, he has supplied WGN-TV’s famous weatherman with more than 50 interns who have assisted Skilling with his broadcasts and Chicago Tribune weather page.

“It’s hard to put into words what it means to work with Tom Skilling,” says senior Robert Clavey II, who was encouraged by Changnon to apply for the internship. “I’m learning so much in my time at WGN that I cannot thank Dr. Changnon enough for the opportunities he offered me.”

When it comes to experts in weather and climate, Changnon has used his many contacts nationwide to make hands-on experience a hallmark of the NIU meteorology program, for which he serves as undergraduate adviser.

In the mid-1990s, Changnon won a grant to develop an applied climatology course that has resulted in students working alongside professionals, winning internships and landing jobs. During the course, students conduct research that helps businesses such as Allstate Insurance, Del Monte Foods and United Airlines make better-informed, weather-sensitive decisions.

And, yes, they help with daily weather forecasts, too, not only on WGN-TV but also at TV stations in Rockford and downstate Illinois.

“Professor Changnon is the leading advocate for including hands-on applied climatological work experience as part of an undergraduate degree program in atmospheric science,” says Julie Winkler, a professor of geography at Michigan State University. “He has developed perhaps the only truly applied climatology course offered at a U.S. academic institution.

“What a remarkable learning experience for these undergraduate students,” she adds.

Changnon himself is one of the nation’s leading scholars in applied climatology, focusing on the human and societal impacts of climate and climate change. He has researched trends in snowstorms, flooding, droughts, cyclone frequency and heat waves. He also has shown how businesses can benefit from long-term seasonal forecasts and documented the impact of climate change on agriculture, as well as the impact of changing agricultural practices on climate.

Amazingly, nearly 40 percent of his published articles, some of which have gained widespread media attention, were co-authored by students. They credit him with connecting textbooks to their life experiences and inspiring their meteorology careers.

“Without his guidance, patience and encouragement, I know I would not be where I am today in my own career,” says Tamara Houston, who as a student co-authored research with Changnon. She now works as a physical scientist for NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center.

Changnon also is known for service to his profession and to NIU. He has participated as a reviewer for the International Panel for Climate Change and served on the American Meteorology Society’s undergraduate degree-experience committee. Active in many faculty teams at NIU, he recently led a task force on curricular innovation, exploring ways to improve teaching.

“David Changnon represents the epitome of a fully engaged professor,” says Andrew Krmenec, chair of the Department of Geography, which oversees the meteorology program.

Adds colleague Lesley Rigg, “Every time I look in his office, he is with students. Every time I am amazed by the passion of a lecturer in a classroom, it is Dave’s voice I hear. And every time a professor is rallying the cause of student research and mentored learning in a faculty meeting, it is Dave. He is by far one of the most inspirational, demanding and creative teachers and researchers on campus.”

Text from Northern Today, 22 March 2010.

Undergrad Research Experiences: The Case of MET 431 (Applications in Climatology)

NIU’s Meteorology Program strives to develop valuable student “preprofessional” experiences through student participation in a variety of activities, including: faculty research projects through National Science Foundation grants and the Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship Program, forecasting for the campus student newspaper and television station, operating the DeKalb-area National Weather Service Cooperative Weather Station, serving the community as severe weather watchers, conducting weather awareness seminars in local schools, and through internship experiences with the NWS and various weather-sensitive organizations in northern Illinois.

One of the unique “preprofessional” experiences that Meteorology Program students can take advantage of during their tenure at NIU is the annual “Applications in Climatology” course taught by NIU Presidential Teaching Professor Dr. David Changnon. “Applications in Climatology” (MET 431) is a senior capstone course where students work in groups of two to four on applied climate research projects for regional decision makers. Real issues from both the private and public sectors are addressed by student/faculty teams to produce tangible results for the sponsoring organization. Dr. Changnon has published two articles that highlight the uniqueness of this course: "Design and Test of a "Hands-On" Applied Climate Course in an Undergraduate Meteorology Program" (Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, Volume 79, pages 79-84) and "Improving Outreach in Atmospheric Sciences: Assessment of Users of Climate Products" (Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, Volume 85, pages 601-606). In addition, a number of projects completed by MET 431 students have appeared in top international research journals over the last ten years. Undergraduate research experiences, like those enabled through courses like MET 431, are a hallmark of the NIU Meteorology Program. Skills learned during these experiences empower our students, helping them gain a “leg up” in the job market.

This past fall, 16 students (10 undergraduate meteorology majors and 6 geography graduate students) participated on five applied climate research projects. The teams worked with external decision makers from weather-sensitive sectors that included utilities, agri-business, transportation, risk management. On December 4, 2009, the five groups presented their research findings to a broad audience that included other NIU students, NIU MET faculty, climate scientists, and weather-sensitive decision makers. Below is a brief description of this year’s projects. If you have any questions regarding these projects feel free to contact David Changnon (MET student advisor and teacher for MET 431/531) at dchangnon@niu.edu or by phone at (815) 753-6835.

Company Sponsor: ABF Freight Systems, Inc.
Student Team: Daniel Bocklund, Jason Foster, and Charles Richie II
Title of Project: Winter precipitation event impacts on a line haul transportation service center.

Abstract: In response to a request from the regional branch manager of a line haul ground transportation center owned by ABF, Inc., an investigation into Midwestern regional winter weather synoptic conditions was initiated. This was done in order to effectively inform the client of synoptic conditions which have negative impacts on the ground transportation industry in hi area of responsibility, and also to develop a more timely decision making paradigm. Using surface climate data from first order meteorological reporting stations in the area of interest, as well as dates provided by the client on which cancellations occurred, several synoptic patterns were revealed. The storms most often causing these cancellations contained snow and freezing rain, two of the client’s main concerns.

Two synoptic patterns, those involving Colorado Lows and occasionally an Alberta Clipper, created hazardous winter weather conditions that impacted one or more line hauls. Trips to South Bend, IN, were more frequently impacted because lake-effect snowfall created further limitations on driving conditions in Northwest Indiana. This synoptic setup reveals the need for the ability to make rapid decisions based on the nature of the storms, and was used to develop a better understanding of conditions preceding the events for the client. This allowed the facilitation of the decision making tools needed by the client on a timelier basis, and helped address the client’s concerns and needs stated in his initial request.

Company Sponsor: Chesapeake Energy Corporation
Student Team: Ryan Oates, Nick Vercellotti, and Tom Walsh
Title of Project: Determining the temporal relationship of sudden stratospheric warming events to the occurrence of cold weather outbreaks in Chicago, Illinois.

Abstract: Predicting cold weather outbreaks around major metropolitan areas is of utmost importance to many different sectors of our economy. In an attempt to better understand when these outbreaks occur, the temporal relationship between near record cold weather in Chicago and sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) events in the polar vortex was investigated. A time series analysis of SSW data and temperature records from Chicago O’Hare Airport dating back to 1979 was conducted to identify SSW events and determine if and when Chicago was impacted by mean daily temperature anomalies of a 5-day average of -10°F or greater. A relationship between SSW events and cold air outbreaks was found for 40% of all Chicago cold air outbreaks. There were 93 cold events identified as opposed to only 67 SSW events. Only 25% of the time there was no cold event related to a SSW event. Most of the SSW events occurred in late winter (January – March), a total of 57, as opposed to only 16 in early winter. While a direct connection cannot be made over lag time, certain connections can be made to frequency of SSW events over a given period of year. Demonstrating the relationship between SSW and cold air outbreaks in Chicago should assist operational meteorologists in predicting future cold outbreaks.

Company Sponsor: Hintzsche Fertilizer, Inc.
Student Team: Robert Clavey and Tyler McDowall
Title of Project: Developing a climatological guidebook for a north-central Illinois agri-business

Abstract: This study analyzed climate data for DeKalb, IL, in order to provide Hintzsche Fertilizer information with which to supplement their agronomic consulting services for clients across northern Illinois. The focus of this study was to analyze growing degree units, precipitation, freeze date, and corn yield data in order to develop a climatological guidebook. Relationships between annual corn yield anomalies and seasonal growing degree units and precipitation totals were weak suggesting that a stronger relationship might exist for climate factors at shorter temporal scales (e.g., month or week). A further emphasis was placed on the climate anomalies associated with the 2009 growing season in northern Illinois in the form of a case study. Three weather-related aspects of the growing season, a wet planting period, an unusually cool summer, and wet harvest period were examined and their impacts on the corn crop yields discussed.

Company Sponsor: T-Storm Weather
Student Team: Dan Hansen, Joe Larsen, Kyle McAdams, and Kelly Rose Ortega
Title of Project: Correlating El Niño sea surface temperature anomalies with Midwest U.S. growing season temperature and precipitation anomalies.

Abstract: Temperature and precipitation anomalies can affect the development and potential yields of crops in the Midwest United States. T-Storm Weather is a company that provides weather forecasts to users in the agricultural community. Because monthly and seasonal climate anomalies and related long-range climate outlooks are so important to crop development, it is thought that the signature of large scale climate phenomena can be used to help develop these forecasts. El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is one of these phenomena and involves sea surface temperatures (SST) in the tropical Pacific Ocean. This study related winter ENSO region 3.4 SST anomalies to monthly climate division temperature and precipitation anomalies in the Midwest United States during the growing season (April-September) in an attempt to provide a growing season forecasting tool useful to this company and its agricultural users. Findings of the study show that little correlation exists between precipitation anomalies and SST anomalies for the studied months. However, relatively strong positive correlations exist between temperature anomalies and SST anomalies for the months of July, August, and September. Contingency table analysis showed that relationships vary across months and climate divisions.

Company Sponsor: Xcel Energy
Student Team: James Ball, Yi-Yin Chang, Rick DiMaio, and Andy King
Title of Project: Wind tunnel failure: An examination of high wind events on the Cedar Creek, Colorado wind farm.

Abstract: High wind events (>59 mph) can be detrimental to wind energy production in the High Plains region. This paper advances the methodology for identifying meteorological conditions that cause high winds. Data from the Cedar Creek wind farm is used for identification of four dates, which experienced turbine failures and six dates that approached failure. In addition, six high wind events in the Boulder region were analyzed to determine possible influences of Chinook winds on turbine failure at Cedar Creek. Results reveal that slowly, progressive mid-latitude cyclones over the western High Plains and the presence of moderately strong anti-cyclones west of the continental divide contribute to a majority of wind turbine failures. Decision trees were developed and tested as thoroughly as possible as the limited data of high wind events allow. Further analysis of surface and upper air data may prove beneficial in predicting high winds in real-time scenarios.

Another successful Career Day!

On Friday, November 2oth, the NIU Department of Geography held its annual "Career Day", an experience that connects the Department's current students with alumni. During this much-anticipated event, alumni make their way back to DeKalb in order to share their career development experiences with students, recruit candidates for positions or internships, and reconnect with friends and colleagues. The Career Day activities started with introductions by Dr. Chris McCord (Dean of LA&S) and Dr. Andrew Krmenec (Geography Chair), followed by Career Break-out Sessions where alumni were able to connect with students in specific subdisciplines, including meteorology.

Argonne scientists, Ms. Jenni Prell and Mr. Mike Ritsche, discuss internship opportunities with Argonne National Lab during the Meteorology Breakout Session.

The following meteorology alumni provided valuable feedback and discussions (listed by graduating class):

Mr. Gilbert Sebenste (1995) - NIU Meteorology Office
Mr. Mike Ritsche (B.S. 1997, M.S. 2001) - Argonne Nat. Lab.
Mr. Mark Russo (1998) - Chesapeake Energy
Mr. Gino Izzi (2002) - NWS-Romeoville office
Ms. Peggy Concannon (2002) - Allstate Insurance
Ms. Vanessa McCormick (2005)
Ms. Joi Kwiatkowski (2006) - URS
Ms. Jenni Prell (B.S. 2008, M.S. 2009) - Argonne Nat. Lab.

Additional MET alumni (not listed) participated in the GIS breakout session.

As part of "Geography Week", Mr. Dustin Oltman (BS in 2006; MS in 2008; AON Reinsurance) stopped by Dr. Ashley's Natural Hazards and Environmental Risk to discuss the reinsurance industry. The NIU MET faculty would like to thank Mr. Oltman for a fascinating talk and ensuing discussion.

Once again, thank you to all the Meteorology Program alumni who visited and shared their wealth of knowledge about classes, internships, jobs, and the state of our profession. We all look forward to Career Day 2010!

NIU MET Attends COD Severe Weather Symposium

Our good friends at the College of DuPage hosted a remarkable gathering of the brightest minds in severe convective storm meteorology the weekend of November 5-7th. About ten undergraduate students, five graduate students, NIU Staff Meteorologist Gilbert Sebenste, and Dr. Ashley attended the symposium at the DoubleTree Hotel in Downers Grove, IL.

The group of NIU students, staff, and faculty at the conference.

The "all star" lineup of speakers included: Dr. Chuck Doswell (CIMMS), Roger Edwards (SPC/NOAA), Dr. Adam Houston (UNL), Dr. Paul Markowski (PSU), Al Pietrycha (NWS), Dr. Erik Rasmussen (Rasmussen Systems Inc.), Dr. Yvette Richardson (PSU), Dr. Roger Wakimoto (NCAR/EOL), Dr. Morris Weisman (NCAR/MMM), and Dr. Josh Wurman (NCAR/CSWR). The symposium included a number of amazing talks and exhilarating panel discussions that focused on: understanding the latest techniques for severe weather forecasting, the use of mesoscale and storm-scale modeling physical processes leading to the development of supercells and tornadoes, the effective use of remote sensing in severe thunderstorm evolution and behavior, and the preliminary results of VORTEX II. The most remarkable experience of the weekend for the undergraduate students was the group's discussion with Dr. Chuck Doswell on Thursday evening. Dr. Doswell spoke with NIU students privately for roughly an hour, providing insight on what it takes to succeed in the profession.

The folks at NIU would like to thank Paul Sirvatka, Matt Powers, and all the other fine folks at COD who put together this amazing event. Thanks! We can't wait for the next symposium!

Tim Marshall – Damage Expert, Storm Chaser, and NIU Alumus – visits NIU

On Tuesday, November 3rd, the NIU Student Chapter of the AMS hosted a joint meeting with the Chicago AMS Chapter. The meeting featured guest speaker Tim Marshall – a 1978 graduate of the NIU Meteorology Program.

Undergrad Tim Marshall posing in front of Davis Hall (circa 1978).

Tim is a professional engineer for Haag Engineering and travels a great deal surveying storm damage across the U.S. He has conducted more than 100 damage surveys of hailstorms, tornadoes, and hurricanes. Some of the famous tornadoes he has surveyed included the F5's at Jarrell, TX (1997; he told the audience at NIU he considers this the worst damage he has witnessed), Bridge Creek, OK (1999), Greensburg, KS (2007), and Parkersburg, IA (2008). Some of the famous hurricanes he has surveyed include Hugo in South Carolina (1989), Andrew in Florida (1992), Katrina in Mississippi (2005), and Ike in Texas (2008).

Tim is also a pioneering storm chaser. During the past 30 years, Tim has filmed more than 200 tornadoes and experienced 17 hurricanes. He is also a participant in the VORTEX2 project, an ambitious field project investigation tornadogenesis in the Great Plains during the 2009-10 severe weather seasons.

Tim spoke about “The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly” storm chasing experiences he had during the 2008 season. This funny talk provided insight into the meteorology of some of Tim’s biggest storm chasing catches, as well as “busts”, during this eventful season. Thanks Tim for a wonderful talk!

Portions of this post gleamed from Wikipedia.

AMS President, NOAA Climate Services Chief, and NIU Alumnus Visits

This past week, NIU Meteorology had the honor of hosting NIU Alumnus Dr. Tom Karl. Dr. Karl graduated cum laude from NIU’s meteorology program and subsequently earned an M.S. from the University of Wisconsin – Madison and received a Doctor of Humane Letters (honoris causa) from North Carolina State University. Since 1998, Karl has been Director of the National Climatic Data Center, which, as part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, is responsible for archiving and maintaining the quality of national and international climate data bases. He has been leading all of NOAA’s climate services since early 2009.

In 2007 Karl along with other leading scientists shared in the Nobel Peace Prize with former Vice President Gore based on findings of the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. In addition to lead roles in the development of the IPCC reports, Karl has made many significant contributions to research and scholarship in climatology. He has authored and co-authored over 150 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters, been an editor for numerous journals, and served on various committees of the American Meteorological Society. He is a Fellow of American Geophysical Union and of the American Meteorological Society and serves as President of the AMS.

From 1998 to 2001, Karl worked with the Clinton Administration, providing data used to develop its climate change policy. He was cited as one of the world’s 10 most influential researchers of the 1990s who have formed or changed the course of research in a given area.

This past weekend, Dr. Karl was one of 50 recipients of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Golden Anniversary Alumni Award. The award honors individuals who have distinguished themselves either in professional fields or through involvement in civic, cultural or charitable service. As part of his weekend visit to his alma mater, Dr. Karl discussed climate change and future professional opportunities with NIU Meteorology students and faculty.

Tom Parisi and the NIU Office of Public Affairs contributed to this story.

Spring 2009 Kudos!

Another academic year comes to a close, bringing a long, long list of kudos for NIU Meteorology Program students and faculty.

First, congratulations to our student award winners, which were featured in our “2009 Cookout” blog post. Those honored were Becky Belobraydich for the Liberals Arts and Sciences Dean’s Award in Meteorology; Rachel Dearing and Bethany Norris for the Nancy Wick Award for Outstanding Achievement as Seniors in Meteorology; and Kristina Rohrbach for the Jack Villmow Award for Outstanding Achievement as a Junior in Meteorology. Congratulations Becky, Rachel, Bethany, and Kristina!

At the 62nd Annual Journalism Banquet, Carie Cunningham was awarded the Northern Television Center Weather Reporter of the Year Award. Congrats Carie!

Bethany Norris will pursue a master’s degree in Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign on a highly competitive teaching assistantship. She will be working under Dr. Larry Di Girolamo quantifying trade-wind cumulus clouds as well as developing climatologies of these clouds for incorporation into global climate models. Bethany also recently completed her honors capstone paper, entitled “Illinois Precipitation Anomalies in 2008,” which examined the unusually high precipitation Illinois received that year at several temporal and spatial scales to determine the frequency and spatial distribution of the precipitation. Congratulations on graduating with University Honors and best of luck at University of Illinois!

During the 2009 spring semester, Erik Janzon wrote an honors capstone paper entitled, "A Case Study of a Wake Low in Northern Illinois and its Numerical Model Prediction." The paper analyzed a wake low-induced severe wind event that occurred last May and the performance of the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model in the prediction of the low three hours in advance. This summer, Erik will be an intern meteorologist for the North Dakota Water Commission, where he will assist with the ongoing cloud modification experiment there. The goal of the experiment is to mitigate hail production and increase rainfall. Congratulations on graduating with University Honors and good luck this summer in North Dakota!

This past semester, Becky Belobraydich had the honor of being chosen to receive the University Women's Club Scholarship, which is based upon academic merit and personal achievement. She will be spending the upcoming summer at the University of Oklahoma in Norman, Oklahoma as the assistant for the National Weather Center Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program. Congratulations and good luck, Becky!

Graduate students Tom Walsh and Victor Gensini secured summer internships with Chesapeake Energy. Chesapeake Energy Corporation is the number one independent producer of natural gas in the nation and the most active driller of new wells. Their meteorology division, located in the West Loop of Chicago, monitors weather patterns and climate anomalies to inform their agricultural and energy clients about weather patterns that may affect those respective markets. This summer, Tom and Victor will be assisting Chesapeake with climate research and severe weather forecasting. Congratulations to Tom and Victor! Better dig out those business suits!

Graduate student Jenni Prell will continue a Co-Op placement this summer at Argonne National Laboratory. She will be continuing work assisting with climate model adjustments for modeling increased biofuel production, as well as assisting with routine field measurements made at Fermilab. Jenni will also be assisting researchers working on the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Program's newest mobile facility, the AMF2. A recent contract awarded to Argonne by the Department of Energy (DOE) has allowed the laboratory to begin development of this climate research platform that will be able to make observations on both land and ocean, allowing for atmospheric measurements to be made in remote regions. The current AMF is only land-based. Read about the AMF2 here. Good luck Jenni!

NIU graduate Monica Zappa will be leaving NIU to attend the University of Oklahoma in the Fall 2009 where she will work as a research assistant for the new Social Science Woven into Meteorology (SSWIM) program at the National Weather Center. She will also be working on her Ph.D. in the Geography Department and is planning to continue her study into societal impacts from weather disasters. Monica was also the recipient of an Outstanding Women Student Award this spring. The award recognizes the achievements of graduating outstanding women students. Congratulations, Monica! Good luck in Oklahoma!

NIU graduate student Chris Gilson will be attending Mississippi State University this coming fall to pursue a Doctorate Degree in Earth and Atmospheric Science. Chris has obtained a research assistantship and will be working under the direction of Dr. Mike Brown on a hazard mitigation project for Mississippi State University. Good luck Chris!

NIU graduate student Jeremy Spencer has secured an extremely competitive teaching assistantship at Kent State University. Jeremy plans to pursue a Ph.D. at Kent State, researching human vulnerability to weather hazards. Best of luck in Ohio, Jeremy!

2008 NIU MET grad, Hiroyuki Ito, was recently awarded a graduate research assistantship at the University of Hawaii-Manoa. This highly competitive award will fund Hiro to work at the International Pacific Research Center whose focus is on climate variation and predictability in the Asia-Pacific region, including regional aspects of global climate change. Please see this blog entry for Hiro’s amazing journey.

Dr. Walker Ashley was featured as a guest speaker at Tom Silling’s enormously popular Fermi Lab Tornado and Severe Weather Seminar. Dr. Ashley’s spoke on his recent research on tornado vulnerability. You can watch the entire seminar, including Dr. Ashley’s talk, at WGN’s website.

Backstage at the 2009 Seminar: (from l-to-r) Erik Janzon, Tom Skilling, Becky Belobraydich, and Walker Ashley.

Additionally, the NIU Meteorology faculty would like to thank the NIU-NWS Cooperative Observers who diligently took weather observations every morning at 7 am for the past 365 days. Their efforts are not only appreciated by the faculty, but by all of those who utilize these important records in their climate analyses -- from Gilbert Sebenste at NIU to the climate modelers examining global warming at NCAR. First, and foremost, we thank Kevin Nasiatka who performed admirably as the Coop's Weather Director this year. He was assisted by the following students: Trevor Edmonson, Erik Janzon, Kyle McAdams, Ryan Oates, Matias Sich, Rose Sengenberger, Carie Cunningham, Marius Paulikas, Alecia Osborne, and Ian Chang. Again, thank you.

Finally, good luck to our entire graduating senior class! Make sure you stop back by for Career Day ... or any day! Keep your eyes to the sky.