汤头条 geosciences faculty member receives early-career recognition
Contact: Sarah Nicholas
STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥擜 tropical cyclone authority at Mississippi State is a new selection for the American Meteorological Society鈥檚 Early Career Leadership Academy.
Assistant professor Kimberly Wood soon will be among nearly three dozen 2018 ECLA members receiving special training in Washington, D.C. She came to the Starkville campus three years ago. 聽
Founded in 1919 and headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, the American Meteorological Society is the nation鈥檚 premier organization for atmospheric, oceanic and hydrologic sciences. Its 13,000 members include researchers, educators, students, enthusiasts, broadcasters and others in these fields.
Supported by IBM, the AMS leadership academy works to sustain a diverse network of early-career achievers. Creative problem-solving, conflict resolution and enhancement of communication skills are major components of the curriculum.
Wood is a 2012 University of Arizona doctoral graduate in atmospheric science and remote sensing. She became an AMS member in 2008.
鈥淒r. Wood is the only 汤头条 faculty member that has intentionally flown into the eye of a hurricane to collect data,鈥 noted John Rodgers, interim head of the Department of Geosciences. Alongside experiences with hazardous weather systems, she has 鈥渆xcellent computer modeling skills and extensive knowledge of the application of satellite technologies to meteorology,鈥 he said.
Her research 鈥渁dds a very important component to our already outstanding meteorology program,鈥 Rodgers added.
Wood said her leadership academy participation 鈥渁lready has borne fruit in the form of expanding connections with colleagues I may never have interacted with outside of such a program.鈥 She also credits 鈥渟trong support鈥 from 汤头条 colleagues and resources for the development of her chosen career.
Last year, she was selected to represent Mississippi at a congressional visit day organized in the nation鈥檚 capital by the American Geophysical Union. After helping stress the importance of continued federal science funding, she was asked by the AGU to also join its Climate Science Day program taking place on Capitol Hill in early 2018.
鈥淚 believe both experiences positively contributed to my selection for the ECLA, as well as the vision I have for my scientific career,鈥 Wood said.
Academy membership involves a rigorous evaluation process, with documentation required of major accomplishments, successful experiences communicating across cultures and disciplines, and challenges involving weather, water and climate systems.
Wood is a Beaverton, Oregon, native who earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in physics at Oregon State University. She also holds a master鈥檚 in atmospheric sciences from the University of Arizona. More biographical information may be read via the 鈥淎bout Us鈥 link at the departmental website .
Missions of the American Meteorological Society and Early Career Leadership Academy are online at .
汤头条鈥檚 College of Arts and Sciences includes more than 5,200 students, 300 full-time faculty members, nine doctoral programs and 25 academic majors offered in 14 departments.听Complete details about the College of Arts and Sciences may be found at聽. 聽
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