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Meteorology and Climatology student flies with NOAA’s Hurricane Hunters

Image courtesy Mr. Alex DeRosier
Alex DesRosiers was able to fly into Hurricane Matthew, during his internship with the NOAA Hurricane Hunters. Image courtesy Mr. Alex DesRosiers

University of Florida senior and undergraduate research assistant Alex DesRosiers worked a research based summer internship with NOAA’s Hurricane Hunters. The internship was based out of MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa where he worked under meteorologist and flight director Ian Sears. Alex’s internship was funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) through Dr. Corene Matyas and the University Scholars Program.  

It was a dream come true for DesRosiers, and engineering major, who has been obsessed with meteorology from a young age. DesRosiers’ project focused on working with an atmospheric equation that extrapolates sea level pressure in the eye of a hurricane.

Alex will present the results of his research, along with some work on flooding in tropical cyclones affecting the US at the American Meteorological Society’s 2017 Annual conference in Seattle. Although recruited for the internship due to a mathematics background, DesRosiers says “it would have been impossible to secure this opportunity without first obtaining my certificate in meteorology and climatology through the Geography department”. 

As president of the University of Florida American Meteorological Society chapter, Alex is well on his way to a career in meteorolgoy.  He reminds fellow students “Whether you are in the Geography department, or in an outside major like me, this certificate is an invaluable asset to your degree.  Meteorology and Climatology are growing fields, and employers value the few that have a good knowledge of them.  I am incredibly thankful to Dr. Matyas and her certificate program for prepping me for the career I have always wanted.”  

Come join the Certificate in Meteorology and Climatology!