American Meteorological Society Centennial Oral History Project

  • Collection DOI:
    Principal Investigator:
    Jinny Nathans, Sophie Mankins
  • In celebration of the 100th Anniversary of theAmerican Meteorological Society, interviews were conducted with its many members and leaders.  These interviews serve to recognize the strength, diversity, and accomplishments of the AMS community, from the beginning right up to today.

    For more information, visit: ametsoc.org/index.cfm/ams100/oral-histories/

Interviewee Sort descending Collection Description Interviewer Date of Interview Location of Interview Affiliation
Arlene Laing American Meteorological Society Centennial Oral History Project

Arlene Laing is a distinguished meteorologist who currently serves as the coordinating director designate for the Caribbean Meteorological Organization, a coordinating agency for sixteen English-speaking Caribbean territories with meteorological services. She began her role in this position in June 2018. Laing's educational background includes a degree in meteorology from the University of the West Indies, and a Master’s and PhD in meteorology from Penn State University.

Jinny Nathans Denver, CO American Meteorological Society
Becky Depodwin American Meteorological Society Centennial Oral History Project

Becky DePodwin is a meteorologist who is focused on emergency management, risk communication and hazard preparedness.  She has worked for companies such as Accuweather and Guidehouse and is active in mentoring meteorologists in the private sector. 

Scope and Content Note

Jinny Nathans Denver, CO American Meteorological Society
Brian Etherton American Meteorological Society Centennial Oral History Project

Brian Etherton is a meteorologist who has worked extensively on climate modeling. He is currently a Principal Scientist at Vaisala, a Finnish company that provides environmental and industrial measurement solutions, where he leads the climate modeling team.

Jinny Nathans, Sophie Mankins Denver, CO American Meteorological Society
Bruce Telfeyan American Meteorological Society Centennial Oral History Project

Bruce Telfeyan is a seasoned meteorologist with a lifelong passion for weather and its scientific study. His interest in meteorology was sparked at a young age, around 11 years old, when he experienced a series of severe weather events including a big blizzard in March of 1960, Hurricane Donna in September of the same year, and three blizzards during the winter of 1960-61 while growing up on Long Island, about twenty miles east of Manhattan. Telfeyan's early fascination with weather led him to pursue a career in meteorology. His early mentor was Mr.

Jinny Nathans Denver, CO American Meteorological Society
Chet Ropelewski American Meteorological Society Centennial Oral History Project

Chet Ropelewski is a meteorologist who began his career in an unconventional way. Unlike many of his peers who developed an interest in meteorology from a young age, Ropelewski's initial interest was in geology and geophysics. He pursued a bachelor's degree in physics, which he completed in June 1964. However, he soon realized that he did not enjoy modern physics, particularly quantum mechanics. Ropelewski's career path took a turn when he received a draft letter from his draft board shortly after his graduation.

Sophie Mankins Phoenix, AZ American Meteorological Society
Chris Landsea American Meteorological Society Centennial Oral History Project

Chris Landsea is a prominent meteorologist who has made significant contributions to the field of hurricane research. He began his career as a graduate student at Colorado State University in 1988, where he had the opportunity to work with the renowned scientist, Dr. Bill Gray. During his time as a student, Landsea had the unique opportunity to fly into hurricanes for research purposes. His first flight was into Hurricane Gilbert in 1988, which turned out to be the strongest hurricane ever observed at the time.

Jinny Nathans Ponte Vedra, FL American Meteorological Society
Clifford Mass American Meteorological Society Centennial Oral History Project

Clifford Mass is a renowned meteorologist who has had a significant impact on the field of atmospheric sciences. He has had a long and illustrious career, during which he has worked with some of the most influential figures in the field, including Carl Sagan, Steve Schneider, and Dick Reed. Mass began his career at Cornell, where he worked with Carl Sagan on a numerical model of the Martian atmosphere. This work resulted in his first publication, which was published in the Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences.

Jinny Nathans Denver, CO American Meteorological Society
Dan Keyser American Meteorological Society Centennial Oral History Project

Dan Keyser is a distinguished meteorologist who began his career at an early age through an unpaid internship as a meteorological technician at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia between 1964 and 1971. His interest in weather was sparked in fifth grade when his teacher introduced a weather unit to the class. Keyser attended Penn State from 1971 through 1981, earning a B.S. in 1975, M.S. in 1977, and Ph.D. in 1981. During his time at Penn State, Rick Anthes was his adviser for all three degrees and had a profound influence on his career.

Jinny Nathans Denver, CO American Meteorological Society
Daniel Gilford American Meteorological Society Centennial Oral History Project

Daniel Gilford is an atmospheric scientist who has had a lifelong fascination with the power and impact of hurricanes. His interest in meteorology was sparked by his personal experiences with hurricanes in Florida during the 2004 hurricane season, when he was just fifteen years old. He vividly recalls the awe-inspiring power of Hurricane Jean, which caused a tree to crash down near his home. Gilford pursued his interest in meteorology at Florida State University, where he earned his bachelor's degree [3].

Jinny Nathans Ponte Vedra, FL American Meteorological Society
Gary Lackmann American Meteorological Society Centennial Oral History Project

Gary Lackmann is a professor at North Carolina State University in the Department of Marine, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences. Additionally, Lackmann is Editor in Chief of the journal Weather and Forecasting. His research interests include the prediction of severe storm events, improved numerical models and how diabatic processes impact storm dynamics. Lackmann holds a Ph.D. in Atmospheric Sciences from the University at Albany, State University of New York (SUNY).

Jinny Nathans Denver, CO American Meteorological Society