It was our final day of Nature Unleashed Weather and the Environment Camp. Today we started out with a demonstration of the University of Oklahoma School of Meteorology's portable phased array radar called "Bobdar". The kids were able to get "radiated" (don't worry it's less than a cell phone's radiation) and test it on themselves moving around the room. After our usual snack, their parents arrived to check out camp. Dr. Kloesel Dean of Public Education and Outreach (the genius behind the camp's activities) taught the parents that meteorology/climatology is just as hard as if they were forecasting invisible children. Then, the kids were able to teach their parents everything we did this past week and show them their turbines and hurricane houses.
Among hugs and maybe a few tears, the kids went home to parents who have to put up with lectures from their kids about wind turbines, storms, and hurricanes :)
I had an amazing time this week. I learned more at this camp than the kids did. This was definitely the highlight of my summer. I really feel like I was able to make a difference in their lives by maybe changing their career paths. I feel that I made a positive impact on the community for getting these kids interested in being a scientist.
Lastly, I want to thank the Clinton Presidential Library and Museum for being a gracious host. It is really an honor to be an invited scientist. I would also like to thank Dr. Kevin Kloesel and the University of Oklahoma College of Atmospheric and Geographic Sciences School of Meteorology and the National Weather Center for offering me this enormous opportunity.
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