FIU Informal STEAM Weather Education

The Extreme Events Institute’s (EEI) International Hurricane Research Center (IHRC) at Florida International University (FIU) in Miami, Florida, as a NOAA Weather-Ready Nation Ambassador, is dedicated to make South Florida, Ready, Responsive and Resilient. This is accomplished by a variety of informal STEAM weather education outreach programs and activities. With funding from the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM), the IHRC and MODS facilitate Eye of the Storm, a free-of-charge, community event with interactive hurricane science, and preparedness activities, including the entertaining Owlie Skywarn live theater show and live air cannon missile impact demonstrations. This annual event, attended by close to 3,000 visitors, includes many local, state and federal partners, including Broward County Emergency Management, Miami-Dade County Emergency Management, NOAA National Hurricane Center, NOAA National Weather Service, NOAA Education, International Hurricane Protection Association and FDEM. EEI and IHRC also organize and facilitate Weather Day at FIU, focused on weather education, safety and preparedness and highlighting the first responders who serve the community before, during and after severe weather. Close to 1,200 K-8 students from Miami-Dade County participate in live demonstrations and hands-on activities. This event includes many local and federal partners, including Miami-Dade County Emergency Management, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, NOAA National Hurricane Center, NOAA National Weather Service, American Red Cross and the Salvation Army. The IHRC participates in the annual NOAA Hurricane Awareness Tour by joining hurricane experts to raise awareness about the importance of preparing for the new hurricane season to public officials, school groups, local residents and media. The public and media can view Hurricane Hunter aircraft like the NOAA Gulfstream IV or Lockheed WP-3D Orion or a U.S. Air Force Reserve WC-130J. The IHRC showcases Wall of Wind research and special interactive demonstrations teaching hurricane science, mitigation and preparedness. The Wall of Wind is the largest and most powerful university research facility of its kind and is capable of simulating a Category 5 hurricane. The National Science Foundation (NSF) has designated the Wall of Wind as one of the nation’s major “Experimental Facilities” under the Natural Hazards Engineering Research Infrastructure (NHERI) program. Local emergency management offices, FEMA, non-profit organizations, and local NOAA National Weather Service forecast offices also participate.