Research Interests
Tropical cyclone structure and intensity change.
Tropical cyclone genesis.
Tropical deep convection.
Aircraft and satellite atmospheric observations.
Model/observation comparisons.
Ethan Murray, PhD
Postdoctoral Associate, (University of Miami/CIMAS), Hurricane Research Division
4301 Rickenbacker Causeway
Miami, Florida 33149
“For as long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to be a scientist to better understand the world around us. After exploring the fields of physics, computer science, and earth science, I found my passion in meteorology. Better understanding and informing our communities about tropical cyclone hazards motivates my research every day.”
Dr. Ethan Murray is a postdoctoral researcher in the Hurricane Research Division. His research focuses on using new and existing technology to better observe tropical cyclones. He received his PhD from the University of Colorado Boulder in 2025, focusing on comparing measurements from the compact Raman lidar to existing aircraft-based observations.
Current Work
My current work uses aircraft observations collected during the collaborative NOAA APHEX and Navy MAGPIE field campaigns in 2023 and 2024. I am using these data to better understand interactions between the atmospheric boundary layer, dry Saharan air masses over the Atlantic Ocean, and developing deep convection.
2025, PhD. Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO
2023, MS. Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO
2021, BA. Physics, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY
- Ethan Murray, Jonathan Moskaitis, James Doyle, Kristopher Karnauskas, Zhien Wang, and Jun Zhang, “An Observation-Model Intercomparison Framework for Diagnosing Tropical Cyclone Thermodynamic Change: Application to Hurricane Sam (2021),” Monthly Weather Review (2026), https://doi.org/10.1175/MWR-D-25-0047.1.
- Ethan Murray, “Investigating Tropical Cyclone Clouds, Thermodynamics, and Dynamics Via Novel Remote Sensing and Modeling Techniques”, PhD Dissertation (2025), https://doi.org/10.22541/essoar.177292599.99804806/v1.
- Ethan Murray, Jason Dunion, Kristopher Karnauskas, Zhien Wang, and Jun Zhang, “Cloud Height Distributions and the Role of Vertical Mixing in the Tropical Cyclone Eye Derived From Compact Raman Lidar Observations,” Geophysical Research Letters (2024), https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL108515
Naval Horizons Essay Competition, Office of Naval Research (2023)
Lucy Kellogg English Prize, Physics Department, Vassar College (2021)
Sigma Xi Scientific Research Society, Inducted Member (2021)
Ethel Hickox Pollard Memorial Physics Award, Physics Department, Vassar College (2020)
Departmental Intern, Physics Department, Vassar College (2020)
Foresters Competitive Scholarship, Foresters Life Insurance (2017)