Graduate Activities

MSISA Activities

2017 AMS Washington Forum

Washington, DC | April 12-14 2016

Current students Kyle and Michael presented a summary of a workshop being put on by the MSISA program. The workshop itself aims to help businesses in the Lancaster area recognize and mitigate their weather related risks from the short term to long term as well as natural disasters.

The event was held at the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Pictured here is 2nd year student Kyle Jola. 

2017 American Meteorological Society's Annual Meeting

Seattle, WA | January 21-26, 2017

The MSISA Program was once again at the AMS Annual Meeting in Seattle January 2017. From left to right, Dr. Billings, 2nd year student Michael Post, 2nd year student Kyle Jola, 1st year student Amanda Hendrix, and program coordinator Dr. Clark.

Former student Amanda Reitbauer (Kopil) joined students from the University of Maryland and Howard University for a discussion on last year's AMS Washington Forum. 

2016 AMS Washington Forum

Washington, DC | April 12-14 2016

Current MSISA students Kyle, Andrew, Amanda, Evan, and Michael and former student Craig Pepper joined Dr. Clark at the 2016 AMS Washington Forum in Washington, DC. 

The event was held at the American Association for the Advancement of Science just half a mile from the White House.

The Forum was an excellent way for students to meet and listen to the decision makers that shape environmental policy across the US. Speakers included high ranking officials and directors of agencies such as NOAA, NASA, the Department of Energy and more. Congressional staffers were on hand to give insight to the connection scientists have with congress in shaping policy. 

2016 Public Weather Awareness Day

Millersville University | April 2, 2016

The 8th annual Public Weather Awareness Day was put on by Millersville's own AMS student chapter. The event was a great way for the public to learn about weather in a fun and exciting manner.

2016 GSA Northeastern Section Meeting 

Albany, NY | 21-23 March 2016

MSISA first year student Megan Ferguson and Professor Joseph Bushey were present at the Northeastern Section Meeting of the Geological Society of America. 

2016 Northeastern Storms Conference

Saratoga Springs, NY | March 2016

 The MSISA program traveled with the Millersville Meteorology program to attend the Northeastern Storms Conference in Saratoga Springs, NY. A Boston TV meteorologist, an Antarctic weather researcher, and a Southwest Airlines staff meteorologist were just a few of the professionals students could meet with. Students also attended poster sessions and presentations.

2016 American Meteorological Society's Annual Meeting

New Orleans, LA | January 2016

The MSISA program met with many eager undergraduate students at the 2016 annual meeting of the American Meteorological Society along with students from Millersville's MS of Emergency Management. 

First year students Michael, Evan, and Kyle attended the conference and gained valuable knowledge to help advance their careers. 

2015 Geological Society of America Annual Meeting

Baltimore, MD | November 2015

The MSISA Program met numerous prospective students at the GSA annual meeting in Baltimore, MD.

2015 AMS Washington Forum

Washington, DC | April 2015

The AMS Washington Forum was a great way for MSISA students to meet with government officials and policy leaders. The smaller setting allowed for students to interact with other students and network. 

WAS

2015 American Meteorological Society's Annual Meeting

Phoenix, Arizona | January 2015

The MSISA Program had several students attend the AMS annual meeting in Phoenix, AZ along with part of the Meteorology undergrads from Millersville University. 

AMS

MADAAG and PGS Meetings

Frostburg, MD and State College, PA | November 2014

The MSISA Program was represented at the regional meeting of the Middle Atlantic Division of the American Association of Geographers on November 7, 2014 in Frostburg, MD, as well as at the annual meeting of the Pennsylvania Geographical Society on November 14, 2014 at Penn State University.

Amber Hill
MSISA program assistant Eric Hout (at front of room) gives an oral presentation on the MSISA program to prospective undergraduate students at the MADAAG Regional Meeting.
Amber Hill
Eric beside the MSISA exhibit at the MADAAG Regional Meeting.

Discover-AQ Research Project

Golden, Colorado | July-August 2014

Students in the MSISA program participated in a research program called Discover-AQ (Deriving Information on Surface Conditions from Column and Vertically Resolved Observations Relevant to Air Quality). This program involves the collection of air quality data from a vertical column of the atmosphere in order to improve air quality forecasts, more accurately determine the sources of pollutants in the air, and more closely determine fluctuations in emissions levels. More information on the Discover-AQ program can be found at: http://discover-aq.larc.nasa.gov.

Amber Hill
MSISA graduate students and Millersville undergraduates in front of a NASA P-3 research aircraft.
Amber Hill
Dr. Clark, MSISA program coordinator, tugging at a balloon to assist it in gaining altitude.

NASA's 2014 Earth Day Global Selfie Project

April 22, 2014

The Global Selfie mosaic project was created to encourage environmental awareness and to recognize the space agency's ongoing work to protect the earth. Click here to learn more.

Amber Hill
MSISA students take a break from their coursework to pose for a picture as part of NASA's 2014 Earth Day Global Selfie campaign.
NASA MOsaic Selfie Composit
Global Selfie: 36,422 photos; 113 regions and countries; one good lookin' planet.

2014 AMS Washington Forum

At the American Association for the Advancement of Sciences building in Washington DC | April 1-3, 2014

Students from the MSISA program attended the 2014 AMS Washington Forum at the American Association for the Advancement of Sciences building in Washington DC in April 2013 where they market the MSISA program and learned about the current state of the weather and climate enterprise. Students in the MSISA program, along with students from two other universities, served as rapporteurs during the conference.

2014 AMS Washington Forum at the American Association for the Advancement of Sciences
Pictured here are seven MSISA students along with Dr. Richard Clark, MSISA program coordinator.

2014 American Meteorological Society's Annual Meeting

Atlanta, Georgia | February 2-6, 2014

Several MSISA students had the opportunity to visit the headquarters of the Weather Channel while attending the 2014 American Meteorological Society’s Annual Meeting in Atlanta, Georgia.

Amber Hill
Amber Hill (pictured above) is one of many students who participated.
Amber Hill
MSISA student Amber Hill poses with Dr. Greg Forbes of the Weather Channel.

OWLeS Research Project

Finger Lakes region, New York | Winter of 2013-2014

The OWLeS project examines the formation mechanisms, cloud microphysics, boundary layer processes, and dynamics of lake-effect systems (LeS) at unprecedented detail using X-band and S-band dual-polarization (dual-pol) radars, an aircraft instrumented with particle probes and profiling cloud radar and lidar, a mobile integrated sounding system, a network of radiosondes, and a surface network of snow characterization instruments.

Mike Charnick
Mike Charnick, MSISA student, poses by an aircraft used to profile clouds.
Radiosonde
Here, students release a radiosonde to sample a lake-effect snow system.

Discover-AQ Research Project

Huron, California | January 2013

Students in the MSISA program participated in a research program called Discover-AQ. This program involves the collection of air quality data from a vertical column of the atmosphere in order to improve air quality forecasts, more accurately determine the sources of pollutants in the air, and more closely determine fluctuations in emissions levels.

Discover AQ Project Millersville University
MSISA student, Chris Prebish calibrates the internal compass of a tethersonde before attaching it to a balloon.
Discover AQ Project Millersville University
Mike Charnick, Chris Prebish and Dr. Richard Clark, MSISA program coordinator, attach a tethersonde to a tether line of the balloon. Chris is holding the tethersonde in place, and Mike is about to attach the orange wind vane to the back of the tethersonde.