Named Sessions

The Dr. Janet Liou-Mark Memorial Session on Effective Strategies for Increasing Minority Participation in the Atmospheric Sciences

Wednesday, 15 January 2021, 1:00–2:00 PM EST 
Part of the 30th Conference on Education

This session recognizes Dr. Janet Liou-Mark of the New York City College of Technology for her dedication and life’s work to the creation of access and success for underrepresented minority Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) students. Janet was a pioneer, a visionary, and a true educator who enjoyed empowering others with knowledge and who relished opportunities to spark the passion of life-long learning in the next generation of learners. She found creative ways to attract, retain, and graduate students in the STEM disciplines. Her research expanded to creating, identifying, and testing educational models that can be adopted and sustained at institutions across the nation.

Although the geosciences have seen slight increases in college enrollment, the overall discipline (and its workforce) yet remains grossly disproportionate in its lack of inclusion of diverse groups, and this plight is particularly true for minority students in the atmospheric sciences. A preponderance of well-constructed, evidentiary reports in the recent literature bemoan the current and predicted future state of the nation’s geoscience landscape. This session, therefore, seeks projects that strike at the heart of this conundrum by demonstrating innovative and transformative strategies and best practice solutions to this vexing problem.  The session seeks to highlight methodologies for attracting, recruiting, and retaining diverse ethnicities into the atmospheric sciences. In concert with this goal, the session also seeks projects that demonstrate practices that increase participation, access, awareness, and interest of under-represented minorities in atmospheric science. The goal of this session is not only a noble endeavor, but it is also a moral and a scientific imperative. 

 

Robert Sharman Session on Advancements in the Analysis and Prediction of Turbulence for Aviation, Range and Aerospace Operations, Part I and Part II

Thursday, January 14 2021, 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM and 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM 
Part of the 21st Conference on Aviation, Range, and Aerospace Meteorology

This session recognizes Dr. Robert Sharman of the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) for his groundbreaking, impactful, and persistent work in the field of atmospheric turbulence observations and predictions in support of aviation operations. Bob is one of the world’s preeminent turbulence researchers. He has written numerous peer-reviewed papers on the topic and been a key individual in the development and operational deployment of multiple turbulence analysis and forecasting products used by aviators across the world today. 

Our ability to observe, analyze, and forecast turbulence continues to improve each year. Nonetheless, turbulence remains a leading cause of aircraft accidents and injuries among commercial air carriers to this day. This session invites papers that explore recent advances and techniques in observing, analyzing, and forecasting turbulence. In addition, and equally important, the session seeks papers focused on novel methods and practices to effectively assess, model, predict, and share safety-critical turbulence hazard guidance among all aviation decision-makers.

 

Mercury to Methane, High Latitudes to Houston, and NASA to NASCAR: 40 Years of Air Pollution Research in Memory of Robert Talbot

Friday, 15 January 2021, 1:00–2:00 PM EST
Part of the 23rd Conference on Atmospheric Chemistry 

Professor Robert W. Talbot, a well-known member of the atmospheric chemistry community, passed away on 2 February 2020. He used atmospheric measurements to improve our understanding of tropospheric chemical composition, and his career spanned more than four decades. He focused on impacts on air quality, ecosystems, and climate. He published more than 270 papers, and mentored dozens of graduate and undergraduate students. This session aims to honor Prof. Talbot’s achievements and connect his past contributions to current work. We welcome everyone in this session, especially Prof. Talbot’s former mentees and colleagues, to discuss their current work in the context of their past work with Prof. Talbot.