Undergraduate Research Opportunity - Hurricane Forecasting (Summer 2022)

Description: An NSF-funded REU position in the Department of Geography at Virginia Tech is available for summer 2022. The candidate will work with Dr. Stephanie Zick and Dr. Craig Ramseyer to evaluate landfalling hurricane rainfall forecasts in high-resolution hurricane forecasting models, such as the Hurricane Weather and Research Forecasting (HWRF) model.

Benefits: The successful applicant will receive the following benefits:

●      $800 per week stipend over 8 weeks

●      $1000 housing subsistence to assist with finding and securing summer housing

●      Registration, travel and lodging for a national scientific conference the following year

 

Qualifications: Undergraduate students majoring in meteorology, atmospheric science, or a related field are encouraged to apply. Prospective students should be interested in numerical weather prediction and machine learning. Strong communication and writing skills are essential. Experience with computer programming software such as Python or Matlab is also essential. Additional training will be available in Python. Experience with numerical weather prediction output in GRIB format is preferred but not required. Women and minority students are especially encouraged to apply. 

Department: The Department of Geography at Virginia Tech is a dynamic, growing, and collaborative environment with 20 full-time faculty and 25 graduate students. The department offers an M.S. in Geography, a B.A. in Geography and a B.S. in Meteorology. More information about the department is available on the website: https://geography.vt.edu/

 

Location: Virginia Tech is located in Blacksburg, VA, which is situated in the mountains of southwest Virginia, approximately 45 minutes west of Roanoke. Outdoor opportunities abound in the region, with the New River and Appalachian Trail in close proximity to the Virginia Tech campus.

 

To Apply: Questions about applying can be sent to Drs. Stephanie Zick (sezick@vt.edu) or Craig Ramseyer (ramseyer@vt.edu). Students should send their final applications to Dr. Stephanie Zick. Applications packages include a cover letter, resume or CV, and a list of three (3) references. Applications will be due February 1, 2022. 

 

*Our intention is to conduct a fully in-person experience, but developments in the COVID-19 pandemic may move some or all of the REU project to an online or hybrid format.