The National Weather Service (NWS) and Jackson State University (JSU) have a shared, long-term interest in expanding the number of minority professionals in meteorology and related fields (and JSU is the only HBCU that offers an undergraduate degree in meteorology). They also share a common vision of improved operational prediction and dynamic understanding of the Gulf of Mexico Coastal Zone and Gulf States weather. Therefore NOAA/NWS-JSU have established a more formal partnership in research and operational activities with the goal of Promoting Diversity in Atmospheric Science through Research, Application and in Partnership with the NWS (PDAS-RAP). Such an educational and operations-based research relationship effectively builds and expands JSU's scientific capacity while attracting and training a greater number of under-represented groups to the field of atmospheric science with time. Undergraduate students involved gain training and practical experience during the academic year and summer at NWS offices in the Southern Region. This relationship will (1) formally establish the operational research and applications environment between JSU and NOAA/NWS; (2) allow operations-based research for direct forecast applications (e.g., QPE/QPF, landfalling tropical cyclones, convection, fog, and winter weather); (3) support under-represented undergraduate students through research experiences and professional development opportunities during the academic year and summer; and (4) promote dissemination and coordination of activities within the professional community. Combined, these will provide the basis for improved overall forecast and warning capabilities within the NWS while laying a base for future work and cooperative efforts with the JSU Meteorology Program.

Preference=Oral by Croft/Watts, laptop pc and powerpoint needed