FSU meteorology student selected for atmospheric research workshop

Florida State University meteorology student Olivia Graff has been selected to take part in a prestigious workshop this summer sponsored by the world’s pre-eminent center for atmospheric research.

Graff, a junior who is also minoring in computer science and mathematics, will attend the five-day Undergraduate Leadership Workshop, sponsored by the National Center for Atmospheric Research, virtually, in June, in light of the global Coronavirus pandemic.

“Despite the workshop being held online this year, I am still very excited to attend and learn more about NCAR’s approach to atmospheric research, and further develop my leadership skills to find success in the field,” Graff said.

A life-long fascination with weather phenomena lead Graff to her studies in FSU’s Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Science, where she attends courses led by associate professor of meteorology Jon Ahlquist and Werner A. and Shirley B. Baum Assistant Professor Chris Holmes. Graff also serves as vice president of the North Florida Chapter of the American Meteorological Society and National Weather Association.

“Studying material that I am genuinely interested in and look forward to learning about inspires me daily to work hard scholastically to be able to pursue a successful career professionally,” she said. “Throughout my time here, thanks to the wonderful professors of the meteorology department, my passion for the field has only grown.”

Graff credits fellow student Anxhelo Agastra, who shared his positive experiences after attending the ULW last year in Boulder, Colo., for inspiration and encouragement to pursue the opportunity. Her next step was to secure the nomination of the FSU local selection committee to apply for the workshop.

Potential applicants must compose materials about their educational and career goals, their previous experience in leadership and their expectations from the workshop. From there, the committee members choose the FSU candidate they see as the best fit for the program and send a nomination letter to the NCAR.

“NCAR has a long history of sponsoring summer programs that attract and encourage the best young scientists. Each school is allowed only one nominee,” Ahlquist said. “As a graduate student, I was lucky enough to spend a summer at NCAR as a summer fellow in computing along with Kerry Emanuel, who was on Time Magazine's list of 100 most influential people in 2006, and Eric Barron, who was FSU's president from 2010 to 2014.

“Because that summer was so special, I have made sure that FSU has had a nominee for NCAR's Undergraduate Leadership Workshop every year since I became aware of the existence of this one-week workshop for students between their junior and senior years,” Ahlquist said.

Graff is the 11th EOAS student since 2009 to earn an ULW spot. Following graduation, she plans to pursue a career as a team leader for a group of management experts in the analysis of fire emissions and use data analysis and modeling to study emissions impacts on health on a local and global scale.