Internet 2 Allows Iowa Meteorologist to Meet with Students in Michigan

Weather Forecast Office Des Moines Senior Meteorologist Brad Small participated in a video conference on June 9, 2003, with Kindergarten through 5th grade students to discuss meteorology and careers in the National Weather Service. This event was unique because Small was in Iowa, while the students were at their school in Michigan.

The technology of Internet 2 and the Iowa Communications Network (ICN) allowed Small to interact with the students and answer their questions in real time. This was the first use of Internet 2 for Iowa Public Television's (IPTV) School to Careers program, and the National Weather Service in Des Moines.

Internet 2 is a not-for-profit consortium led by over 200 U.S. universities, which is accelerating the creation of a next generation Internet employing new technologies and capabilities.

Several times a year Small uses the ICN fiber optics network to talk to students of all ages about meteorology and careers in the National Weather Service through IPTV's School to Careers program. Small said, "We conduct interactive videoconferences using IPTV's equipment reaching several schools, and potentially hundreds of students, all at the same time. IPTV was exploring bridging the ICN to Internet 2 and reaching students who don't have ICN access. The school from Michigan has an Internet 2 connection and showed an interest in meteorology."

"Talking to students about meteorology and the National Weather Service through Iowa Public Television's School to Careers program is always fun and rewarding," said Small. "The students are curious about the weather and we never seem to have enough time to answer all their questions. This experience was even more exciting because it was our first use of Internet 2 technology and opens the door for National Weather Service staff to conduct real-time video conferencing with students nationwide."

Forecast Office Participates in First NOAA Science Camp for Seattle Middle Schoolers

Middle-school-age children in Seattle, WA, got hands-on science experience with scientists at the NOAA's Sand Point facility during the agency's first science camp for kids June 23-27, 2003. The pilot project was the brainchild of Lt. Cmdr. Thomas Callahan, NOAA Corps, science coordinator with NOAA's Office of Response and Restoration, National Ocean Service, in Seattle. NOAA Administrator Vice Adm. Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Jr. (USN, Ret.), provided $15,000 in a special outreach grant to fund the project. Two educational coordinators and three middle school science teachers worked with the NOAA scientists, including staff from the NWS Weather Forecast Office (WFO) Seattle, WA, to develop age-appropriate projects and activities; two additional teachers served as camp counselors. The camp was free to the 100 children, ages 10-12, who attended.

The WFO staff in Seattle offered students an opportunity to learn about forecasting the weather as one of the topics during the week. Other topics included exploring the oceans, protecting salmon and sea lions, restoring marine environments, and charting shipwrecks and the sea floor. On the last day of camp, the kids conducted a "research cruise" with vessels constructed from cardboard boxes. This final activity challenged them to work together to complete their cruise and use what they learned during the week.

WFO Seattle Meteorologist-In-Charge Chris Hill said his staff created a slide show about the NWS mission, that emphasized forecast and warning programs and atmospheric observations. Students also helped inflate a weather balloon and the campers released the balloon for all the students to watch and learn about wind measurements aloft.

"We highlighted how NWS works with our partners to achieve our mission, new digital forecasts, and where to obtain NWS products and services including the Internet and NOAA Weather Radio. We also discussed Washington state weather hazards and showed our award winning Washington weather hazards video," said Hill.

Warning Coordination Meteorologist Ted Buehner said, "The teachers and NOAA support staff informed us that our presentation was well received. The kids buzzed over the weather action video and balloon inflation and launch." Callahan added, "We wanted to show kids what NOAA is all about and how NOAA science affects their lives, whether through protecting the coastal zones and marine life, providing daily weather forecasts, or managing the local fisheries. They learned that scientists are 'real' people, and that science can be fun and exciting. What better way to recruit future NOAA scientists!"

The science camp supports NOAA's environmental literacy, outreach, and education priority for the 21st century, under the NOAA Strategic Plan.

"We hope to offer the camp each year in Seattle, as well as in other areas of the country that have a number of NOAA facilities and scientists," Callahan said. "How well we did this year may help determine how quickly we achieve that goal."

Training Center's Bob Hamilton Helps WMO Train Africans in Upper Air Observations

Robert S. Hamilton, meteorologist/master instructor at the NWS Training Center in Kansas City, MO, spent a week in Botswana, Africa, recently to help the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) provide training in upper air observations. Other than suffering 18 hours of discomfort from jamming his 6-foot, 3-inch frame into an airplane seat for the two flights, Hamilton said the experience was educational and rewarding.

"I would love to go back and do some more training for the entire Region 1 [Africa]," Hamilton said, "but I don't know if that will happen."

Hamilton was chosen to participate in the April 7-11, 2003, "Training Workshop on Upper Air Observations" organized by the WMO in Gaborone, Botswana. About 45 English-speaking residents of 20 countries in Africa participated in the workshop. Countries represented included Egypt, Kenya, Mozambique, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Uganda and Zimbabwe.

The WMO organized the workshop to allow participants to compare and contrast various methods of obtaining weather observations and identify correctable problems. Many of the countries, Hamilton said, lack training and finances to keep upper air programs in operation. Almost all have only one balloon launch each day and some still use a manual method to take upper air observations.

"There is a huge problem with safety procedures when dealing with hydrogen," Hamilton said, "and many of the countries have persistent breakdowns with their hydrogen generators. Some countries have no way to communicate their observation data to the outside world and the instability in some countries compounds their difficulties."

Hamilton's appointment to the WMO's "Expert Team on Training Activities and Training Materials" might lead him back to Africa to provide more assistance. The people of the region are friendly, helpful, and eager to learn, he added. "I'd look forward to another trip."

Gaborone is a European-type small town where motorists drive very fast on the left side of the road, according to Hamilton. Restaurant menus were similar to those in any U.S. city, but the food left him hungry for juicy Kansas City strip steaks.

The biggest contrast between Botswana and the United States Hamilton noted was the lack of industrialization.

"Instead of trying to do more work with fewer people or with a machine," he said, "they had a lot of people doing work that a single machine could do. For example, they had crews of 20-30 people sweeping the streets instead of using a street sweeper. The other thing I noticed the times we had a chance to get around town was that everyone, and I mean everyone, had a cell phone."

Employee Milestones

• Click here to see NEW APPOINTMENTS/TRANSFERS to NWS through June 30, 2003.
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