Podcasts by Clear Skies Ahead: Conversations about Careers in Meteorology and Beyond

DaNa Carlis, Director of NOAA’s National Severe Storms Laboratory from 2023-12-12T11:00

We talk to DaNa Carlis about finding the degree that best suits you, developing a mentoring network as an early-career scientist, and remembering to set aside time to talk with scientists one-on...

Andrew Markowitz, Meteorologist at Xcel Energy from 2023-11-14T12:06

We talk to Andrew Markowitz about working in the private sector, how to best communicate weather to the public, and the importance of counteracting misinformation on social media as a meteorolog...

Allison LaFleur, Consultant at RoVolus, LLC from 2023-10-17T10:00

We talk to Allison LaFleur about the importance of data analysis and data science in consulting work, applying meteorological knowledge to solve environmental issues, and the advantages of worki...

Kayla Hudson, Meteorology Graduate of Jackson State University from 2023-09-12T11:00

We talk to Kayla Hudson about Black pioneers in meteorology, reframing your mindset as a student, and the benefits of diverse internships.

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Matthew Brown, Postdoctoral Fellow at the National Severe Storms Laboratory from 2023-08-15T11:00

We talk to Matt Brown about the evolution of southeast storms, postdoctoral work-life-balance, and being your authentic self as a scientist in the weather, water, and climate community.

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Kelly Núñez Ocasio, ASP Postdoctoral Fellow at the Mesoscale&Microscale Meteorology Laboratory at NCAR from 2023-07-11T11:00

We talk to Kelly Núñez Ocasio about the excitement of aircraft missions studying African easterly waves, the challenge of effectively communicating your science, and being strategic about pursui...

Maria Molina, Assistant Professor in the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Science at the University of Maryland from 2023-06-13T11:00

We talk to Maria Molina about the courage needed to successfully change careers from broadcasting to research, mentoring the next generation of researchers in the weather, water, and climate sci...

Melissa Burt, Assistant Professor and Assistant Dean for Diversity and Inclusion at Colorado State University from 2023-05-16T11:00

We talk to Melissa Burt about the importance of internships in guiding career paths, seeing people for who they are and what they bring to the table, and how the climate and cultures of organiza...

Maureen McCann, Weekday Morning Meteorologist at Spectrum News 13 in Orlando from 2023-04-11T11:00

We talk to Maureen McCann about the strengths and challenges in broadcast meteorology, the importance of internships in career development, and the growing synergy between emergency management a...

Alicia Wasula, President of STM Weather from 2023-03-14T10:00

We talk to Alicia Wasula about the benefits of mentorship and networking, the challenges and opportunities involved in a career in forensic meteorology, and the importance of communicating scien...

Alec Kownacki, Meteorologist with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy from 2023-02-14T11:00

We talk to Alec Kownacki about the benefits of mentorship and networking, the growing field of air quality meteorology, and using communication skills to bridge the gap between the scientific co...

Ashley Orehek-Rossi, STEM Librarian at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, KY from 2023-01-17T11:30

We talk to Ashley Orehek-Rossi about her role as a STEM librarian, perseverance in seeking career opportunities, and the importance of libraries in academia and beyond.

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Matthew Cappucci, Meteorologist at MyRadar, The Washington Post and Fox5DC from 2022-12-13T11:00

We talk to Matthew Cappucci about his role as a broadcast meteorologist in multiple media markets, navigating science communication challenges around social media, and what it is like to be a fi...

Justin Sharpe, Research Scientist with CIWRO at the University of Oklahoma in Norman from 2022-11-15T11:00

We talk to Justin Sharpe about his role as a research scientist with CIWRO at the University of Oklahoma, navigating communication challenges around environmental hazards, and what it means to b...

Angel Enriquez, Meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Glasgow, Montana from 2022-10-11T11:00

We talk to Angel Enriquez about his role as a meteorologist at the National Weather Service, navigating educational challenges transitioning from high school to college and what it means to be a...

Mariama Feaster, Graduate Research Assistant at the University of Alabama in Huntsville from 2022-09-13T11:00

We talk to Mariama Feaster about her tornado research, navigating learning challenges with an autism diagnosis, and finding her voice in the weather, water and climate community.

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Becky DePodwin, Senior Consultant at Guidehouse from 2022-08-16T11:00

We talk to Becky DePodwin, a Senior Consultant at Guidehouse, about her background in meteorology leading to a career in emergency management consulting, the awareness of burnout and mental heal...

William Turner IV, PhD Student in Atmospheric Science at University of California, Davis from 2022-07-26T11:00

We talk to Will Turner, a PhD Student in Atmospheric Science at University of California, Davis about his love for music, giving back to his community through teaching high school math, and his ...

Violeta Yas, Meteorologist for NBC New York at Rockefeller Plaza in New York City from 2022-07-12T11:00

We talk to Violeta Yas, a Meteorologist for NBC New York at Rockefeller Plaza in New York City, about how journalism led her to a career in bilingual broadcast meteorology, the importance of bei...

Kristie Ebi, Professor at the Center for Health and the Global Environment at the University of Washington in Seattle from 2022-06-28T11:00

We talk to Kristie Ebi, Professor at the Center for Health and the Global Environment at the University of Washington, about the growing field of climate change and health, the importance of res...

Nick Cavanaugh, Founder and CEO of Sensible Weather, in Santa Monica, California from 2022-06-07T11:00

We talk to Nick Cavanaugh, Founder and CEO of Sensible Weather, about his roles in academia, finance, and as an entrepreneur, his love for the outdoors, and how he uses embedded fintech in the e...

Nicole Casamassina, Hydrologist at the National Weather Service Southeast River Forecast Center in Peachtree City, Georgia from 2022-05-24T11:00

We talk to Nicole Casamassina, Hydrologist at the National Weather Service Southeast River Forecast Center about her eight grade speech on going green, how she created connections outside of met...

Kevin Petty, Vice-President of Weather and Earth Intelligence at Spire in Boulder, Colorado from 2022-05-10T11:00

We talk to Kevin Petty, the Vice-President of Weather and Earth Intelligence at Spire about his interest in mathematics and secondary education, how teaching physical geography led him into weat...

Ayesha Davis, Meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Boulder, Colorado from 2022-04-26T11:00

We talk to Ayesha Davis, a Meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Boulder, Colorado about being a full-time graduate student while working in forecasting operations, the unique weather...

Alyssa Bates, Research Associate at the University of Oklahoma's Cooperative Institute for Severe and High-Impact Weather Research and Operations and NWS Warning Decision Training Division, in Norman, Oklahoma from 2022-04-12T11:00

We talk to Alyssa Bates, Research Associate at the University of Oklahoma's Cooperative Institute for Severe and High-Impact Weather Research and Operations and NWS Warning Decision Training Div...

Lessons in Storm Chasing with Jana Houser and Robin Tanamachi from 2022-03-22T11:00

We talk to Jana Houser, Associate Professor at Ohio University, and Robin Tanamachi, Assistant Professor at Purdue University, about their love of tornados, a respect for nature, and the distinc...

Gina Eosco, Social Science Program Manager at the Weather Program Office within NOAA's Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research in Silver Spring, Maryland from 2022-03-08T11:00

We talk to Gino Eosco, the Social Science Program Manager at the Weather Program Office within NOAA's Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research in Silver Spring, Maryland about the relationship...

Alice DuVivier, Project Scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado from 2022-02-22T11:00

We talk to Alice DuVivier, Project Scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) about using Alan Alda's improv philosophy to improve her public speaking, how polar meteorolog...

Doug Kluck, Climate Services Director for the Central Region at NOAA’s National Centers For Environmental Information in Kansas City, Missouri from 2022-02-08T11:00

We talk to Doug Kluck, Climate Services Director for the Central Region at NOAA’s National Centers For Environmental Information in Kansas City, Missouri, about how to inform local and regional ...

Steven Glazier, Lead Meteorologist at WeatherNation in Denver, Colorado from 2022-01-25T11:00

We talk to Steven Glazier, a Lead Meteorologist at WeatherNation, about how drag racing with his father sparked his interest in weather, why he loves working in a weather geek environment, and c...

Rosimar Rios-Berrios, Research Meteorologist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado from 2022-01-11T11:00

We talk to Rosimar Rios-Berrios, a Research Meteorologist at NCAR, about her personal connection to hurricane research from growing up in Puerto Rico, why she enjoys public speaking, and how she...

Larry Gloeckler, Principal Data Engineer at the Demex Group in Washington, DC from 2021-12-28T11:00

We talk to Larry Gloeckler, a Principal Data Engineer at the Demex Group about consulting for the energy and commodities sector, performing risk analysis for supply chains, and how machine learn...

Brad Johnson, Assistant Professor in Geography at Florida State University in Tallahassee from 2021-12-14T11:00

We talk to Dr. Brad Johnson, an Assistant Professor in Geography at Florida State University about his early work in interagency coordination, his transition to academia, the roles of research, ...

Morgan Yarker, Certified Consulting Meteorologist and Founder and Owner of Yarker Consulting in Cedar Rapids, Iowa from 2021-11-23T11:00

We talk to Morgan Yarker, a Certified Consulting Meteorologist and Founder and Owner of Yarker Consulting about being an expert witness in a courtroom, the credibility and community she gained b...

Isha Renta, Management and Program Analyst, Oceanic and Atmospheric Research at NOAA in Washington, DC from 2021-11-09T11:00

We talk to Isha Renta, a Management and Program Analyst in the office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research at NOAA about adapting to a military mindset while working in the Navy, using a logic mo...

Kandis Boyd, Deputy Division Director at the National Science Foundation in Alexandria, Virginia from 2021-10-26T11:00

We talk to Kandis Boyd, a Deputy Division Director at the National Science Foundation about her extensive experience in the government sector, her strong belief in mentoring, and how she's devel...

Kerrin Jeromin, Meteorologist and Communications Strategist at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colorado from 2021-10-12T11:00

We talk to Kerrin Jeromin, a Meteorologist and Communications Strategist at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory about how her passion for performance led her to broadcast meteorology, purpo...

Jake Carstens, Graduate Research Assistant at Florida State University in Tallahassee from 2021-09-21T11:00

We talk to Jake Carstens, a Graduate Research Assistant at Florida State University in Tallahassee about the factors to consider when pursuing graduate school, the rewarding experience of teachi...

JP Kalb, Weather Observer at San Jose Airport Weather Station in Cupertino, California from 2021-09-07T11:00

We talk to JP Kalb, a Weather Observer at San Jose Airport Weather Station, about how his position helped inspire his thesis, creating a vlog to highlight aspects of his life as an autistic mete...

Irene Sans, Editorial Manager and Meteorologist at Weather&Radar in Miami, Florida from 2021-08-24T11:00

We talk to Irene Sans, Editorial Manager and Meteorologist at Weather & Radar, about her early behind-the-scenes experience in emergency management, the importance of mentorship and continua...

Jan Dutton, CEO of Prescient Weather in State College, Pennsylvania from 2021-08-10T11:00

We talk to Jan Dutton, CEO of Prescient Weather, about pursuing an MBA to boost his standing in the private sector, the different weather markets and products he has been involved with, and how ...

Kelsey Doerksen, Space Systems Engineer and Satellite Operator at Planet in San Francisco, California from 2021-07-27T11:00

We talk to Kelsey Doerksen, Space Systems Engineer and Satellite Operator at Planet, about building a Mars Rover with her college classmates, how to keep a fleet of satellites healthy, safe, and...

David Curtis, Senior Vice President of WEST Consultants in Folsom, California from 2021-07-13T11:00

We talk to David Curtis, Senior Vice President of WEST Consultants, about realizing the potential of automated flood warning systems in his career, finding the next generation of skilled communi...

Michelle Hawkins, Severe, Fire, Public, and Winter Weather Services Branch Chief at the National Weather Service in Silver Spring, Maryland from 2021-06-22T11:00

We talk to Michelle Hawkins, Severe, Fire, Public, and Winter Weather Services Branch Chief at the National Weather Service, about how a supervisory position allows her to set up others for succ...

Paul Pisano, Consultant in the Transportation Operations Sector, in Arlington, Virginia from 2021-06-08T11:00

We talk to Paul Pisano, a consultant in the transportation operations sector, about the merits of his time as a civil servant, applying technology to transportation challenges, and how public sa...

Sarav Arunachalam, Deputy Director at the Institute for the Environment at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill from 2021-05-25T11:00

We talk to Sarav Arunachalam, Deputy Director at the Institute for the Environment and Acting Director for the Center for Environmental Modeling for Policy Development at the University of North...

Special Episode: AMS Early Career Leadership Academy from 2021-05-11T11:00

Let's be clear about leadership: it's not just about being a manager. We talk to Becky DePodwin, Leyon Greene, and Matt Lacke about being co-chairs of the Early Career Leadership Academy, its in...

Meredith Garofalo, Certified Broadcast Meteorologist at WeatherNation in Centennial, Colorado from 2021-04-27T11:30

We talk to Meredith Garofalo, Certified Broadcast Meteorologist at WeatherNation, about the value of working in all areas of the newsroom, flying alongside a satellite on the military's largest ...

Javier Fochesatto, Professor and Chair of the Department of Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks from 2021-04-13T11:00

We talk to Javier Fochesatto, Professor and Chair of the Department of Atmospheric Sciences, about how there is no use for a great scientific idea if it cannot be expressed, why he encourages st...

Tom Kilpatrick, Oceanographer at the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management in Sterling, Virginia from 2021-03-23T11:00

We talk to Tom Kilpatrick, Oceanographer at the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, about the competitiveness of tenure track faculty positions, the challenges of being a student athlete while st...

Jeff Strong, Research Scientist at AIR Worldwide in Boston, Massachusetts from 2021-03-09T11:00

We talk to Jeff Strong, Research Scientist at AIR Worldwide about moving from academia into the private sector, translating high level science to a wide range of stakeholders, and driving across...

Tanya Brown-Giammanco, Managing Director of Research at the Insurance Institute for Business&Home Safety in Richburg, South Carolina from 2021-02-23T15:52:13

We talk to Tanya Brown-Giammanco, Managing Director of Research at the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety about building the testing facility that she now operates, engaging with...

Matt Fronzak, Weather Portfolio Advisor and Principal Aviation Systems Engineer at the MITRE Corporation in McLean, Virginia from 2021-02-09T11:00

We talk to Matt Fronzak, Weather Portfolio Advisor and Principal Aviation Systems Engineer at the MITRE Corporation, about working in baggage and cabin service for Delta Air Lines before becomin...

Doug Hilderbrand, Weather-Ready Nation Ambassador Lead at the National Weather Service in Silver Spring, Maryland from 2021-01-26T11:00

We talk to Doug Hilderbrand, Weather-Ready Nation Ambassador Lead at the National Weather Service, about the reality working shifts on a 24/7 schedule, how the Southeast tornado outbreak in 2011...

Vanessa Alonso, Sunrise/Midday Meteorologist at WCBI in Columbus, Mississippi from 2021-01-12T10:00

We talk to Vanessa Alonso, the Sunrise/Midday Meteorologist at WCBI, about borrowing every book on weather from the library while in grade school, being the first student to graduate the Univers...

Don Berchoff, CEO at TruWeather Solutions in Reston, Virginia from 2020-12-22T11:00

We talk to Don Berchoff, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at TruWeather Solutions in Reston, Virginia, about flying reconnaissance missions in the Air Force, integrating weather data into opera...

Carl Schreck, Research Scholar, North Carolina Institute for Climate Studies at North Carolina State University in Asheville, North Carolina from 2020-12-08T11:00

We talk to Carl Schrek, a Research Scholar with the North Carolina Institute for Climate Studies at North Carolina State University, about experiencing the power of Hurricane Fran firsthand, how...

Melissa Huffman, Warning Coordination Meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Corpus Christi, Texas from 2020-11-24T00:00

We talk to Melissa Huffman, a Warning Coordination Meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Corpus Christi, Texas about her experience with Hurricane Harvey and partnering with local eme...

Rob Cifelli, Research Scientist and Lead of the Hydrometeorology Modeling and Applications Team at NOAA’s Physical Sciences Laboratory in Boulder, Colorado from 2020-11-10T11:00

We talk to Rob Cifelli, Research Scientist and Lead of the Hydrometeorology Modeling and Applications Team at NOAA’s Physical Sciences Laboratory, about the difficulty of long-term planning with...

Karthik Mukkavilli, Machine Learning Project Scientist in the U.S. Department of Energy's Exascale Initiative at the University of California from 2020-10-27T11:00

We talk to Karthik Mukkavilli, Machine Learning Project Scientist in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Exascale Initiative, about the next generation of computing, its transformative power, the em...

Azar Abadi, Research Assistant Professor at the University of Nebraska’s College of Public Health Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska from 2020-10-13T11:00

We talk to Azar Abadi, Research Assistant Professor at the University of Nebraska’s College of Public Health Medical Center, about how climate change is affecting people worldwide, the need for ...

Ryder Fox, Research Fellow in the Department of Energy Computational Science Graduate Fellowship Program at the University of Miami and Consultant at Diversity Learning Solutions from 2020-09-22T11:00

We talk to Ryder Fox, Research Fellow in the DOE Computational Science Graduate Fellowship Program at the University of Miami and Consultant at Diversity Learning Solutions, about their nontradi...

Sheila Steinberg, Professor of Social and Environmental Sciences and Faculty President at Brandman University in Irvine, California from 2020-09-08T11:00

We talk to Sheila Steinberg, Professor of Social and Environmental Sciences at Brandman University, about her field work in the Peace Corps, infusing mixed methods research into curriculum, work...

Brett Edwards, Meteorologist at AccuWeather in State College, Pennsylvania from 2020-08-11T11:00

We talk to Brett Edwards about his work as a Meteorologist at AccuWeather. We discuss the unrivaled importance of networking, the need for coding skills in the industry, his personal forecasting...

Bernadette Woods Placky, Chief Meteorologist and Climate Matters Program Director at Climate Central in Princeton, New Jersey from 2020-07-14T11:00

We talk to Bernadette Woods Placky, Chief Meteorologist and Climate Matters Program Director at Climate Central, about transitioning out of broadcast television, how a minor in French eventually...

Randy Bass, Manager of the Federal Aviation Administration’s Weather Research Branch and AMS Certified Consulting Meteorologist from 2020-06-09T11:00

We talk to Randy Bass, a Manager of the Federal Aviation Administration's Weather Research Branch and an AMS Certified Consulting Meteorologist, about serving as an officer in the Air Force, clo...

Colleen Iversen, Senior Staff Scientist in the Environmental Sciences Division and in the Climate Change Science Institute at Oak Ridge National Laboratory from 2020-05-12T11:00

We talk to Colleen Iversen, a Senior Staff Scientist in the Environmental Sciences Division and in the Climate Change Science Institute at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, about communicating scie...

Tim Heller, Talent Coach and Media Weather Consultant at HellerWeather in Houston, Texas from 2020-04-14T11:00

We talk to Tim Heller, a talent coach and media weather consultant at HellerWeather in Houston, Texas, about how broadcast meteorology has evolved during his 35 years in the studio, unusual coll...

COVID-19 Special Episode: Going Remote from 2020-04-07T14:00

We talk to previous guests Elizabeth Austin, Albert Betancourt, Tony Praino, Max Vido, and Jeff Yuhas about working in weather during the pandemic.

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Max Vido, Meteorologist at ACES Power in Indianapolis, Indiana from 2020-03-17T11:00

We talk to Max Vido, a Meteorologist at ACES Power, about finding a niche in the energy and long range product line at Accuweather (his previous job), his beneficial mentoring experience with th...

Jeff Yuhas, K-12 science teacher at the Morristown-Beard School in Morristown, New Jersey from 2020-03-03T11:00

We talk to Jeff Yuhas, a K-12 science teacher at the Morristown-Beard School, about a blizzard interrupting his childhood paper route, watching the clock tick backwards during his consulting car...

Ronelle Williams, Broadcast Meteorologist at KSNW-TV in Wichita, Kansas from 2020-02-18T11:00

We talk to Ronelle Williams, a Broadcast Meteorologist at KSNW-TV, about why Walmart deserves credit while he was putting his first reel together, trading jokes with Al Roker, and being in the f...

Marshall Shepherd, Georgia Athletic Association Distinguished Professor of Atmospheric Sciences and Geography at the University of Georgia from 2020-02-04T11:45

We talk to Marshall Shepherd, Georgia Athletic Association Distinguished Professor of Atmospheric Sciences and Geography at the University of Georgia, about getting stung by a honeybee, appearin...

Albert Betancourt, Catastrophe Management Analyst at American Family Insurance from 2020-01-21T14:00

We talk to Albert Betancourt, Catastrophe Management Analyst at American Family Insurance, about taking a road trip with his dog and discovering that insurance catastrophe modeling was his dream...

Elizabeth Austin, Forensic Meteorologist and CEO of WeatherExtreme from 2020-01-07T11:00

We talk to Elizabeth Austin, Forensic Meteorologist and CEO of WeatherExtreme, about the public speaking skills needed to give depositions and testimony in the courtroom, how she was able to sta...

Elliot Abrams, Broadcast Meteorologist and Senior Vice President at AccuWeather (retired) from 2019-12-24T11:00

We talk to Elliot Abrams, Broadcast Meteorologist and Senior Vice President at AccuWeather (now retired), about why human meteorologists won’t lose their jobs to computers, the stress of coverin...

Mona Behl, Oceanographer & Associate Director of NOAA's Sea Grant Program, University of Georgia (UGA) from 2019-12-10T13:00

Our fourth episode of Clear Skies Ahead features Mona Behl, oceanographer and associate director of NOAA's Sea Grant Program - University of Georgia (UGA).
Episode transcript (https://www.amets...

Mona Behl, Oceanographer&Associate Director of NOAA's Sea Grant Program, University of Georgia from 2019-12-10T12:00

We talk to  Mona Behl, Oceanographer and Associate Director of NOAA's Sea Grant Program about the first time she saw the ocean, using science to inform public policy choices, managing publicly f...

Tony Praino, Chief Engineer&Meteorologist, IBM Research from 2019-11-26T09:37

We talk to Tony Praino, Chief Engineer and Meteorologist at IBM Research about the allied skills of engineering and programming for the field of meteorology, his early work on digital storage sy...

Jim Kurdzo, Radar Meteorologist, MIT Lincoln Laboratory from 2019-11-12T10:23

Our second episode of Clear Skies Ahead features Jim Kurdzo, a radar meteorologist at MIT Lincoln Laboratory in Lexington, Massachusetts.
Episode transcript (https://www.ametsoc.org/index.cfm/a...

Jim Kurdzo, Radar Meteorologist, MIT Lincoln Laboratory in Lexington, Massachusetts from 2019-11-12T09:23

Our second episode of Clear Skies Ahead features Jim Kurdzo, a radar meteorologist at MIT Lincoln Laboratory, about the different programming languages used for radar analysis and algorithm deve...

Jen Henderson, Social Scientist, Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences from 2019-10-29T11:20

In our first full episode, we talk to Jen Henderson, an interdisciplinary social scientist at CIRES, about her early training as a creative writer, her interest in the life of Dr. Tetsuya Fujita...

Welcome to Clear Skies Ahead! from 2019-10-21T18:30

In this first "teaser" episode of Clear Skies Ahead, learn all about the American Meteorological Society's newest podcast and meet some of the professionals working in weather, water, and climat...