Station Scientist
Broadcast meteorologists are often the only people in television newsrooms who have a background in science. That makes them qualified not just to deliver the weather, but also to provide more science news to the viewing audience.
The American Meteorological Society (AMS), the nation’s premier professional organization for those in the atmospheric and related sciences, is promoting the notion of regarding broadcast meteorologists as the “station scientists,” and equipping them to cover a broader range of science topics for their station, in addition to tomorrow’s weather. This would include environmental and space issues, weather and climate impacts on public health, transportation, agriculture, energy use, and other topics.
What's New:
April 7 – 11, 2008 is National Public Health Week (PHW).
PHW is dedicated to informing the public about important health issues. The American Public Health Association (APHA) organizes this national event and has selected the 2008 theme of “Climate Change: Our Health in the Balance"http://www.nphw.org/nphw08/default.htm. The AMS is an informational partner on this cross-discipline topic.
NOAA Launches Final Two Buoys to Complete U.S. Tsunami Warning System
NOAA has deployed the final two tsunami detection buoys in the South Pacific, completing the buoy network and bolstering the U.S. tsunami warning system. This vast network of 39 stations provides real-time data to the Tsunami Warning System in order to provide coastal communities in the Pacific, Atlantic, Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico with faster and more accurate tsunami warnings.
50th Anniversary of the Global Carbon Dioxide Record, 28–30 November, 2007, Kona, Hawaii
Leaders of science, business, and government will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the global CO2 record and look to the future with presentations, panel discussions, posters and exhibits addressing topics relevant to the atmospheric carbon dioxide record and climate change.
This is a unique opportunity to interact with researchers, business leaders, and policy-makers to discuss the challenge of meeting society’s energy needs while reducing carbon dioxide emissions. For more information and to register for this event: www.co2conference.org.
The NOAA contact for the package is Anatta, NOAA Office of Communications 303-497-6288 (Office) 303-591-2530 (Cell).
B Roll Video
NOAA Research Matters: 50th Year of Carbon Dioxide Records
High resolution copies are available through Chris Vaccaro, NOAA Office of Communications 202-482-0702.
640x480 52 megs (.wmv)
640x480 769 megs (.vob)
Carbon Monitoring Timeline (PDF)
It’s a Fact! Carbon Dioxide Sound Bites and Quotable Quotes (PDF)
NOAA Media Advisory: Carbon Dioxide Symposium to Highlight Science, Impacts, Economics of Greenhouse Gas Buildup (PDF)
News and Updates Email #1
In an effort to keep you informed of events and activities you might find newsworthy and of interest, we will be sending you news and updates around the 1st and 15th of each month.
Media Advisory on Extreme Summer Weather and Our Changing Climate
On Friday, August 24th, 2007, broadcast meteorologists received a global warming briefing via a national teleconference. The briefing was moderated by Dr. Robert Correll, AMS Fellow and Director of Global Change Programs at the Heinz Center, and the panel comprised of IPCC corresponding lead authors Dr. Jerry Meehl, Dr. Richard Somerville, and Dr. Kevin Trenberth, and Paul Gross, C.C.M., C.B.M., chairman of the AMS Committee on the Station Scientist. We have received overwhelmingly positive feedback about this briefing, so we are providing a complete transcript of the briefing here. We hope that you find this information helpful as you report on climate change. The AMS Committee on the Station Scientist is working to provide a global warming update similar in scope at the 2008 AMS Conference on Broadcast Meteorology in Denver. See: Media Advisory (PDF)
Ralph Cicerone Interview on Climate Change Science
On 1 February 2007 the AMS issued its statement on Climate Change, concluding that the atmosphere, ocean, and land surface are warming; humans have significantly contributed to this change; and further climate change will continue to have important impacts on human societies, on economies, on ecosystems, and on wildlife through the 21st century and beyond. See:
http://ametsoc.org/POLICY/2007climatechange.html
One day later the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change issued their latest report on Climate Change, concluding global warming is "unequivocal" and the likelihood that human activity is its primary cause is greater than 90 percent. See: http://www.ipcc.ch/
As these events were unfolding, Bob Ryan, CCM, CBM, AMS Past President, and Chief Meteorologist of NBC TV4 in Washington DC , interviewed Ralph Cicerone, President of the American Academy of Sciences about the science behind the latest IPCC findings (and, by extension, the same findings in the AMS statement). The interview took place 1 February 2007 at NAS. The unedited interview runs about 14 minutes and is available in two formats:
Streaming video: http://video.nbc4.com/player/?id=59901
Audio only: http://tinyurl.com/y6kzgr/Cicerone-Ryan.mp3
Transcript (PDF)
Note: This interview and any and all derivative works are Copyright 2007 by NBC Universal. The audio-only and transcript versions of the interview are hosted at AMS with permission and are subject to the same terms of use as the original video version. For more information see: http://www.nbc4.com/news/1012483/detail.html
The Station Scientist Concept is Working
Below is an email sent to the current committee chair, Paul Gross:
Hi Paul,
I wanted you to know that I have finally started doing some science stories of my own. Using your advice from San Antonio, I asked our weekend morning show producer if they would like some. They jumped at it and I now do "Quick Science" every Saturday. I produce my own completely, and present it on the key wall or in the weather Office using studio cameras. This way I do not have to wait on a free camera person. We usually tape after the Friday 10pm. It takes only a couple of minutes to do it, and the morning show on a weekend has something they rarely get in most markets...something fresh!
Thanks much for the inspiration!
Dan
Dan Satterfield
Chief Meteorologist
WHNT
Huntsville, AL
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