NWS
WFO Amarillo
1900 English Rd.
Amarillo, TX
USA 79108
Dr. Stephen Bieda III is the Chief of the Severe, Fire, Public, and Winter Weather Services Branch at the National Weather Service (NWS), bringing over 15 years of expertise in meteorology and a Ph.D. in Arid Land Resource Sciences with a focus on Meteorology, Climatology, and Hazard Communications. His work centers on advancing meteorological and climatological services to safeguard public safety and enhance community resilience in the face of evolving climate and weather challenges. Dr. Bieda is a lifelong learner, honing his leadership through OPM’s Federal Executive Institute and NOAA’s Leadership Competencies Development Program (Class of 2022-2023). As a graduate of these programs, he leads with empathy, resilience, and an inclusive approach, equipping him to drive transformative change in meteorology and climatology. He is also a participant in a SES Leadership Development Program, further strengthening his executive skills. With an educational foundation in Atmospheric Sciences (B.S. and M.S.) and specialized research in hazards communication, Dr. Bieda is committed to modernizing alerting methodologies, developing high-precision, polygon-based watches and warnings, and integrating AI/ML tools to support NWS’s community-centric warning initiatives. His research spans high-resolution convective modeling, extreme fire weather, and drought impacts, making him a recognized expert who has led multi-agency exercises focused on high-impact weather scenarios. Dr. Bieda is the AMS Scientific & Technological Activities Incoming Commissioner, and an Editor for the AMS Journal of Weather & Forecasting. These roles allow him to lead scientific advancement and best practices in meteorology, fostering collaboration across the field.