In May 2024, the Hurricane Forecast Improvement Program (HFIP) and NOAA Center for Atmospheric Science and Meteorology (NCAS-M) hosted their first Summer Colloquium at the NOAA Center for Weather and Climate Prediction in College Park, MD. Jointly organized by NCAS-M, NOAA’s Environmental Modeling Center (EMC), and NOAA’s Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML), this colloquium was attended by graduate, doctoral, and post-doctoral students from Minority Serving Institutions (MSI), Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU), and other universities. The event catered to students and researchers interested in gaining experience with the Hurricane Analysis & Forecast System (HAFS) model and its various facets. This workshop marks a significant milestone for the next generation of model scientists; it was the first of its kind specifically aimed at developing NOAA’s future capacity and leadership in numerical weather prediction, modeling, and data assimilation among students from minority institutions.
HAFS is NOAA’s newest numerical model and data assimilation system. HAFS aims to provide reliable and skillful guidance on tropical cyclone track, intensity, and structure. Formally adopted in 2023 as NOAA’s flagship hurricane model, HAFS represents a significant advancement in forecasting capabilities. The Summer Colloquium exemplifies how training and collaboration are essential in advancing the capabilities of both the models and the scientists who use them.
The colloquium had four main goals: to provide an overview of Hurricane Modeling, to teach participants about all aspects of HAFS; to show them the different ways HAFS can be configured for tropical cyclones; and to offer practical sessions. The Summer Colloquium was focused on increasing the participation of students from traditionally underrepresented communities in the use of HAFS. By familiarizing participants with the HAFS model, this event paved the way for its broader adoption by the community in the near future. These training sessions equipped 15 participants with the experience necessary to use HAFS for their educational and research goals. The event included a variety of sessions ranging from a lecture on Hurricanes 101, to hands-on practical experiences running HAFS, giving participants an intensive and holistic introduction to tropical cyclone modeling techniques.
For colloquium participant Myah Rather, a student at Howard University, this event represented a step towards advancing her career in numerical weather prediction. This event gave Myah the opportunity to practice conducting her own run using HAFS – an experience that encouraged her to dive deeper into learning about the background and operations of the model. For Myah, this hands-on experience was more than just a learning opportunity; it was a chance to make meaningful contributions to the field of numerical weather prediction, setting the stage for future innovations and career growth. Although Myah previously focused on theoretical work, this colloquium facilitated her transition into modeling and better prepared her for her upcoming summer internship with NOAA AOML under Dr. Gopalakrishnan and the Hurricane Modeling Team.
By giving participants like Myah the opportunity to learn a new skill in a hands-on environment, the Summer Colloquium creates a supportive learning environment that fosters both personal and professional growth. Engaging directly with modeling tools allows participants to build confidence in their technical abilities while facilitating the widespread adoption of the HAFS by equipping the next generation of hurricane model scientists.
Program speakers include Sundararaman Gopalakrishnan, Avichal Mehra, Vijay Tallapragada, Xuejin Zhang, Fanglin Yang, Andrew Hazelton, Zhan Zhang, Gus Alaka, Hyun-Sook Kim, Maria Aristizabal, William Ramstrom, Jason Sippel, Bin Liu, JungHoon Shin, Lin Zhu, Yonghui Weng, Aaron Poyer, Jiayi Peng, Chuan-Kai Wang and Weiguo Wang.