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. In the summer of 1977, Keyser participated in the NCAR Summer Fellowship in Scientific Computing program, where he met Mel Shapiro, who co-advised his fellowship research project. After graduating from Penn State in 1981, Keyser worked in the Severe Storms Branch of the Laboratory for Atmospheres at NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center until 1987. During this phase of his career, he was mentored by Louis Uccellini and Joanne Simpson, who had a profound influence on his career. Keyser has also had a significant career in academia. He taught introductory synoptic meteorology at Penn State during the fall semester of 1980. He has since become a professor and has mentored many students, instilling in them the best practices he learned from his own mentors.

Scope and Content Note
This interview with Dan Keyser, conducted by Jinny Nathans, the archivist at the American Meteorological Society, on June 6, 2018, provides a detailed account of Keyser's career trajectory and the influences that shaped his career. The interview begins with Keyser's early interest in weather and his internship at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia. He then discusses his education at Penn State and the influence of his adviser, Rick Anthes. Keyser also talks about his participation in the NCAR Summer Fellowship in Scientific Computing program and his work at the Naval Postgraduate School. Keyser reflects on his time working at the NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center and the mentorship he received from Louis Uccellini and Joanne Simpson. He also discusses his transition into academia and his experiences as a professor, emphasizing the importance of teaching and mentoring students. He shares his satisfaction in seeing his students succeed in their careers. Keyser also discusses his early membership with the American Meteorological Society (AMS) and its impact on his career. He talks about the importance of reading the AMS Bulletin and how it exposed him to the atmospheric sciences. Keyser mentions influential papers by Fred Sanders and Dick Reed that shaped his research. He emphasizes the approachability of established scientists at AMS conferences and the importance of face-to-face interactions. Keyser expresses his appreciation for the recognition he has received from the AMS throughout his career and the value of AMS publicationss. He discusses the changes in scholarly publishing and the challenges of staying current with digital journals. Keyser also reflects on the evolution of presentation technologies and the loss of serendipity in research. He shares an anecdote about his early days at NASA/Goddard and the freedom he was given to pursue his research. Keyser concludes the interview by expressing his gratitude for the opportunity to reflect on his career. The interview provides a comprehensive overview of Keyser's career and his contributions to the field of meteorology.