ISU AMS Meeting Minutes

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ISU AMS Meeting Minutes
http://www.meteor.iastate.edu/ams/
March 21, 2006

Grad Panel

Dave Flory, Adam Clark, Brian Viner, and Jon Hobbs participated in the grad panel for questions regarding graduate school. The following are the major points that were discussed.

Grad schools that are considered notable for meteorology include Penn State, OU, MIT, Texas Tech, and Texas A&M (among others).

Certain schools are best for certain areas of research.

Getting an assistantship is an important factor in grad school selection.

Most people in meteorology generally do not have to pay for grad school anymore – students acquire a position that allows for a small income. Student loans are basically a nonissue.

If you plan on attending grad school, it is a good idea to be making plans early in your senior year. However, you should start thinking about it early on in your bachelor's degree career.

Writing skills are an absolute must.

Schedule and take the GRE (Graduate Record Examination) – even if it's not required for a school you're applying to. You can take it multiple times, but it does have a cost (about $120). Iowa State does have GRE tests here. You should also do a lot of studying for the GRE.

GPA is an important factor in the selection process for grad schools. Most require a 3.0 to apply. However, it is not the end-all, be-all decision. High GPAs are weighted higher in “elite” grad schools.

Other than GPA, other important factors include letters of recommendation, grad school applications, and making contacts.

Consider getting in contact with any of the meteorology professors here at Iowa State if they have any need for undergraduate help.

There is a fee to apply to grad school (generally around $50), but one of the ideas of grad school is that you will recoup the financial obligations.

If a certain topic wasn't addressed very in-depth in undergraduate studies, it does not necessarily play a large role in the graduate student selection process. For example, Iowa State does not have a large focus on tropical weather; however, if a student wanted to do graduate work on tropical systems, it is still entirely possible to go that route. Having a good command of a range of topics is important – math, physics, and so on.

Getting a minor in math, physics, and/or computer programming may help you.

Some large companies will pay for grad school. This goes back to making contacts with people in the industry.

Being independent and self-motivated are important skills to have.

If you have any questions about grad school, get in touch with any of the grad students here or any of the seniors who are going to grad school.

Campbell research-grade weather station
The Soil Tilth lab would like to mount a weather station on the roof of Agronomy. Dave Flory wants the chapter to consider helping cover the cost of a mount for it, which would be around $200.
This station would report data every minute; the other station would remain – or get moved to a different location.
Heather reported that our AMS account is sufficient enough to help out with this project.
An exact figure will be available after a proposal is submitted to Facilities Planning and Management; they have to be the ones to drill the holes to anchor the station.
Motion by Scott Lincoln to cap the limit donated to mount the station at $250; seconded by Karen Tarara. Motion carried.

General announcements
The forums are back online. Please use your first and last name when registering. Scott has to approve each account. Scott added class help forums – you can use these for general topics in your classes, not necessarily for specific problems. They will be read by your fellow students and your instructors. There is a link to the forums on the ISU AMS website.
Chapter logo contest – our chapter does not have a logo. If anybody has an idea for a logo and would like to make one, please send it to Elise (elisevj [at] iastate [dot] edu) and Scott (slincoln [at] iastate [dot] edu). A winner will be voted for at the next meeting; that person will receive a free ISU AMS t-shirt.

Cy’s Eyes
We only need a host for Wednesday's show. If you're on the fence about helping with the show, this is a great chance to get your feet wet. Sign up on the ISU AMS forums.

NCWFC
Our team didn't do so well in Pensacola, FL -- 19th place.
Remember to keep forecasting – forecasts are due by 6 p.m., but for the last period, forecasts are due by 7 p.m. (due to DST).
There is a forecast discussion on the ISU AMS forum.

KaleidoQuiz
We placed either last or second to last. Our team was very small, but we didn't drop to last place until the team disbanded.
Jason Patton will be leading the ISU AMS team next year.

Minnesota trip
If you're interested in the trip to Minnesota (Friday, March 31st to Sunday, April 2nd), please talk to Janet (thatsme [at] iastate [dot] edu) by tonight.
We will be staying at Janet's house, with food on Saturday courtesy Janet's mom.
A tour is set up at Northwest Airlines, the National River Forecast Center, and Science Museum of Minnesota. If there's time, we may stop by the Mall of America.
The cost will be around $25-$30 to cover gas and museum admission, plus food.

Intramurals
Softball is March 26th at 2:30 p.m. on Field 30 and April 2nd, 3:30 p.m. on Field 30
Broomball applications close tomorrow. Talk to Colin if you want to play.
More activities are coming for the spring; Colin will send notices for those intramurals.

AMS Picnic
April 23rd at Brookside Park from 5 to 7 p.m.

Historian
Geoff would like the finish the ISU Meteorology board game.

VEISHEA
Cy's Big Top at VEISHEA is Saturday, April 22nd.
We need people to help run the booth at Cy's Big Top. If you would like to help – of if you have any ideas for kids' games – email Justin (jgehrts [at] iastate [dot] edu).

Safety Signs Around Campus
There are severe weather safety shelter signs across campus. However, some of them seem to be in “bad” locations. We'd like to work with Facilities Planning and Management to identify these areas and alter current shelter locations.
If you'd like to help out, email Scott.

Science Nights
Two Science Nights on Thursday, April 6th. One will have the tornado simulator.
We need help with setup and manning the rooms. Email Elise if you can help out.

Severe Weather Safety Poster Contest and Grocery Bags
A few schools responded wanting to participate in the poster contest. We'll probably be judging the entries during the Minnesota trip.
The grocery bag project fell through for the spring. We sent a proposal to Hy-Vee, but they need a six-month period beforehand. We will still try to see if Dahl's and Fareway would be interested. We are thinking about submitting a Winter Weather Safety design to Hy-Vee. We will submit our Severe Weather Safety design next year as well.

PWSE – “The Road Less Traveled” Weather Explorations
Thursdays April 6th, 13th, 20th from 1-2 p.m.
Doing a hands-on project with elementary age, middle school age, and high school age girls.
We need a project – if you have any ideas, email Elise.

Severe Storms and Doppler Radar Conference
This Thursday through Saturday in West Des Moines!
Hotel information will be sent out again to refresh memories. Each group must have somebody who can pay for the group for a deposit (and the others in the group can pay back this person); save your hotel receipts! LAS is reimbursing us $700.
If you can give a ride to the conference, please email Janet!
Conference officially starts at 3 p.m. on Thursday, but Chris Maiers is giving a basic radar workshop at 2 p.m.
Remember that you are representing Iowa State University. Please make smart decisions.
Jessica Reese will be sending out information about Thursday supper at her house. It will be around 5 p.m.
Alumni luncheon – our chapter will reimburse those attending the alumni luncheon.

Tim Samaras Seminar
This Thursday at 9 a.m. in the conference room (Agronomy 3140).

National Storm Chaser Convention
Matt Foster attended this convention in Denver, Colorado from February 17-19.
It started with humble beginnings, but now has 200 attendees.
Speakers included Tim Samaras, Jon Davies, Chuck Doswell, and Dr. Greg Forbes.
www.chaserconvention.com
Matt's presentation will be put on the ISU AMS website.

Officer Nominations
Nominations will be continued to be accepted through Tuesday, March 28. Email Elise with any additional nominations. The nominations listed in these minutes are as of this meeting. This list is not necessarily final. A final list will be emailed out in a week.
Officer obligations are listed on the ISU AMS website.
Election is fall-down; if a nominee is not elected to a position, he/she has the option to run for the next-highest position (e.g. President to Vice-President).
President – Justin Gehrts, Liz White
Vice-President – Jesse Wartman, Scott Lincoln
Treasurer – Jason Patton, Dave Kochevar, Lisa Stewart
Secretary – Rachel Butterworth, Colin Oraskovich, Heidi Grove
Social Chair – Jayson Prentice, Chris Conoan, Jill Ihke
Historian – Jeff Edmondson
Webmaster – Andrew Ansorge
Academic Chair – Kaj Johnson-O'Mara, Michael Peterson, Karen Tarara
Sophomore Chair is elected in the fall.

Upcoming events:
Workout group at the rec – Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. at the rec
NWA Conference in DSM – Thursday, March 23 to Saturday, March 25
Minnesota trip – Friday, March 31 – Sunday, April 1
NWS tour – Wednesday, April 5
Science Nights – Thursday, April 6
Science Center of Iowa and Forces of Nature field trip – April, date TBA
End of year Faculty/Student Picnic – Sunday, April 2
April 4th – Watch ISU Alumnus Mike Falk on Jeopardy

NEXT MEETING – Thursday, April 20, 7 p.m.
OFFICER ELECTIONS!!!