Barbara E. Prater
Objective
To gain experiences in the field of meteorology as an undergraduate that will give me an appropriate background for research as a graduate student in meteorology.
Education
8/95 to 5/00--Central Michigan University
Bachelor of Science
Majors: Earth Science, Meteorology concentration; Geography
Minor: Mathematics
Bachelor of Arts
Major: English
Minor: History
Cumulative GPA 3.86/4.0: Magna Cum Laude
GRE: 560 V, 770 Q, 800 A
View my transcript by semester and by subject area.
Work and Field Experience
9/99 to 5/00--Lab Assistant and Tutor, Meteorology Lab, Central Michigan University
Made and posted 3-day forecasts. Kept lab straightened and in order. Tutored students of Weather, Oceanography, Meteorology, Micrometeorology, Synoptic Meteorology, Physical Meteorology, and Dynamic Meteorology classes.
1/98 to 5/00--Senior Consultant, Woldt Computer Lab, Central Michigan University
Troubleshot and maintained computers and network, assisted users with applications, taught workshops to lab users and other consultants, and monitored use of the lab.
5/99 to 8/99--Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU), Oklahoma Weather Center
Conducted research on "The Relationship between Spread and Skill in an Ensemble Forecast" under David Stensrud, research meteorologist at the National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL), using a computer model that applied ensemble forecasting to Lorenz's convective equations and calculated statistical analyses. Also attended lectures from various University of Oklahoma faculty and NSSL, Storm Prediction Center (SPC), and Center for the Analysis and Prediction of Storms (CAPS) staff members.
Summers, 1995-1998--Teachers' Assistant, COOR Intermediate School District Summer School
Used and maintained interactive television (ITV) equipment, including sound system, camera switches and focus, and VCR projection; administered classroom discipline, kept attendance records, tutored, and performed some grading; used copy and fax machines to transfer students' work to teachers.
5/98--Research Assistant to Dr. R. N. Mower, CMU Biological Station
Collected upper-air data for Dr. Mower's work on the Air Mass Transformation Model on Beaver Island, in Lake Michigan, using radiosondes. Collected surface data using sling psychrometer, thermometer, and hand-held digital anemometer.
Computer Skills
Software
Microsoft Office Suite, Microsoft Works, Microsoft Internet Explorer; Corel WordPerfect 8; Netscape Communicator; WS-FTP; Telnet, Pine, Pico, Emacs; Norton Utilities, McAfee Virus Scan; Adobe Photoshop 4.0 and 5.0, Adobe Acrobat Reader, GIMP, Macromedia Freehand, NCAR Graphics; Maple V; McIDAS; GEMPAK; GARP
Operating systems (file and desktop manipulation):
Microsoft Windows 95, 98, NT; MS-DOS; UNIX, Linux, X Windows, Sun, KDE; Mac OS
Hardware and network
Installation and configuration of IBM peripherals and components; maintenance and some troubleshooting of network laser printers; use of some network programs, such as PC-Rdist.
Programming languages
Fortran 77 and 90, C++, HTML
Publications
"The Relationship between Spread and Skill in an Ensemble Forecast"
Oklahoma Weather Center Research Experiences for Undergraduates 1999 Publication
Graduate Activities and Awards
American Meteorological Society
Student Member, 1999-present
AMS/Industry Graduate Fellowship, 2000-01
NASA Space Grant Fellowship, 2000-01
Undergraduate Activities and Awards
Mid-Michigan Meteorological Society
Student Government Association Representative, Spring 2000
Vice President, 1999
Member of the Outreach, Fundraising, Constitution, Webpage, and Earth Day committees.
Member of the Year for 1998
Group activities:
- Observed National Weather Service Forecast Offices in White Lake and Gaylord, Michigan.
- Hosted on-camera TV meteorologist Bill Steffan for discussion on forecasting and careers.
- Organized annual trip to Chicago to attend a severe storms conference at Fermilab.
Sigma Alpha Iota, International Music Fraternity for Women
Vice-President, Ritual, Spring 2000
Recording Secretary, 1998-99
Vice-President, Membership, 1997-98
Webmaster, 1998-2000
Ritual Committee Chair (Spring 2000), Newsletter Committee Chair (Fall 1999), Fraternity Education Chair (Spring 1997, Spring 1999, Fall 1999, Spring 2000), Bylaws Committee Chair (Fall 1997)
Membership on Newsletter, Yearbook, Publicity, Historian, and Fraternity Education committees.
Sister of the Month in March 1998
Student Government Association
Representative, Spring 2000
Webmaster, Spring 2000
Teaching Standards Survey Committee Member of the Year, 1999-2000
Student representative, CMU College of Science and Technology Curriculum Committee
Gamma Theta Upsilon Geography Honorary
Golden Key National Honor Society
Scholarships
Centralis Scholar
Robert C. Byrd Scholarship
Denzil E. Thornthwaite Memorial Scholarship
Academic Honors
Dean's List-- 5 semesters - semester GPA 3.5 or greater
President's List-- 4 semesters - semester GPA 4.0