Conference builds confidence: Students present research, gain market perspective

A group of 35 Penn State undergraduate meteorology students received a boost of confidence in their career outlook at the annual American Meteorology Society (AMS) national conference held Jan. 4–8 in Phoenix. While there, the students presented their research findings, got advice on what to do after graduation and learned about industry innovations.

Junior Max Vido valued the opportunity to present on his summer undergraduate research experience that took him to the Chesapeake Bay area near Norfolk, Virginia, to study the sea level rise.

“I had a lot of the professionals come up and talk to me. They seemed genuinely interested in what I did and were impressed. It was very intimidating at first, but after talking to a few people about my research, I was able to be more confident in talking about what I learned this summer. It was a cool research experience and being able to present on it in Phoenix was exciting,” said Vido.

Senior Kelly Balmes presented research on the effect of clouds on solar radiation. She attended previous AMS conferences and watched other students present on their research. She says presenting this year was an indication of her own professional growth.

“Being able to see how Penn State has prepared me, to the point where I feel comfortable presenting at a conference to professionals, was amazing, especially knowing that in a few months, I’ll be one of those professionals,” she said.

Lexie Herdt and Matt Flournoy, two undergraduate meteorology students, also presented at the conference, along with more than 10 other Penn State faculty members, researchers and graduate students.

The conference also provided numerous opportunities to receive advice from both recent graduates and established meteorology professionals.

“It was quite helpful to hear what path these recent grads took after college, whether it was to further their education or get into the job market,” says John Nicola, a senior beginning to look for jobs.

“Hearing from younger professionals who went through school recently gives you a better grasp of what it’s like to get a job today.”

As part of the conference, AMS also hosted a career fair, providing a convenient way for the conference attendees to explore available career and graduate school opportunities with representatives from academic institutions, government agencies and companies in the field.

“A big thing that was stressed at the conference was the importance of having skills or experience in data analysis or computer programming,” said Brad Guay, a junior in meteorology. Guay notes that the conference also gave him a chance to see which parts of the industry are growing, which will help when searching for job.

“It was great to get perspective from others in the field on how I should be marketing my skills to get a better position, down the road,” said Nicola.

The Department of Meteorology also sponsored an alumni networking event, which gave students a chance to interact with meteorological professionals. Nearly 200 people attended the event, where alumni spoke candidly about their satisfaction with the meteorology program -- which provided yet another confidence boost for students.

“It really makes you feel really good about yourself when alumni tell you you’re coming from one of the most prestigious schools for meteorology,” said Lexie Herdt.

“Going to a conference like this really does provide a lot of opportunities for you to step up as you start looking for your career,” said Herdt, “but it’s all up to you, how much you want to put into it.”