20th annual Southeast Severe Storms Symposium welcomes weather experts to MSU next weekend

Contact: Sarah Nicholas

STARKVILLE, Miss.—Mississippi State’s Division of Geosciences is welcoming among the nation’s prime professionals in meteorology in April for the twentieth annual Southeast Extreme Storms Symposium, the primary in-person extreme climate assembly on campus since 2019.

Held April 2-3 on the primary ground of Previous Major Tutorial Heart, the convention brings collectively meteorologists, college students and climate specialists to debate and learn the way extreme climate impacts the Southeast area. Roughly 100-150 contributors are anticipated to attend the occasion organized by the MSU student-led East Mississippi chapters of the Nationwide Climate Affiliation and American Meteorology Society.

Register by April 1 at 5 p.m. at http://www.eastmsnwaams.com/registration.html. On-site registration additionally will probably be accessible April 2.            

Sponsored by MSU’s Division of Geosciences, Faculty of Arts and Sciences and Workplace of the President, the symposium options 4 Mississippi State meteorology alumni as keynote audio system. They embrace:

—James Spann, chief meteorologist for ABC 33/40 in Birmingham, Alabama

—Amy Freeze, a meteorologist for FOX Climate Streaming Service

—Captain Will Simmons, from the U.S. Air Drive 53rd Climate Reconnaissance Squadron (Hurricane Hunters)

—Jennifer M. Name, an atmospheric analyst at Tennessee Valley Authority and Licensed Consulting Meteorologist for the power sector.

“James Spann is certainly one of our celebrities within the climate world and is universally acknowledged and liked for his protection of extreme climate in Alabama. As quickly as we introduced James Spann was certainly one of our keynotes, our chapter members obtained so excited,” stated Shaina Wilburn, an MSU Ph.D. pupil in earth and atmospheric sciences and this yr’s symposium chair. 

Professionals from FOX Climate, a 24/7 streaming service operated by FOX Information Media, will probably be in attendance to movie interviews centered on the significance of MSU’s meteorology program and conduct a nationwide weathercast from campus.

MSU introduced this fall a dedication from FOX Climate to determine the FOX Climate Endowed Scholarship and the FOX Climate Annual Scholarship to additional enhance variety and increase alternatives for tutorial success within the discipline of meteorology.

Wilburn stated the occasion is a “priceless alternative” for college kids to community and be taught extra in regards to the meteorology group and discipline.

“As a result of this yr is our twentieth anniversary, we made certain to ask MSU meteorology alumni to headline the symposium as our keynotes,” Wilburn stated. “We need to emphasize the household ties produced by our division that can proceed to positively have an effect on our college students and permit them to trust of their diploma.

“Our objective with keynote audio system is to introduce college students to the distinctive paths inside the meteorology discipline,” the Nashville native stated. “I need college students to know that regardless that we’re in a distinct segment discipline, there are so many jobs that require climate forecasts or analysis. Some college students could not know that consulting meteorologists can affect firm or authorities choices, they are often requested to testify in court docket as professional witnesses and may make a residing in issues that may not instantly come to thoughts. Each sporting occasion wants a climate forecast, airways want forecasts—the climate is a type of common components that can all the time play a component in planning and on a regular basis life.

“As a result of our convention is smaller than the nationwide conferences held by the AMS and the NWA, college students have a extra private likelihood to current their analysis and obtain suggestions on their work,” stated Wilburn.  

The East Mississippi chapters of the NWA/AMS promote excellence in skilled meteorology via analysis, forecasting, broadcasting and schooling. Pupil officers work to construct relationships between all who work with and examine meteorology in East Mississippi and the encompassing space and take the lead in organizing the annual symposium.

A part of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, the Division of Geosciences is acknowledged for its excellence in broadcast meteorology, climate forecasting, extreme climate analysis, hydrometeorology, synthetic intelligence, climate modeling and local weather sciences. One in three of present on-air broadcast meteorologists is a graduate of MSU’s nationally acknowledged meteorology program. For extra data, go to www.geosciences.msstate.edu.

MSU is Mississippi’s main college, accessible on-line at www.msstate.edu.