54 Nebraskaland • October 2021
MIXED BAG
I spent part of my early childhood
in southeastern Nebraska and loved
watching the weather with my dad,
who grew up in Otoe County. After,
what was to me, a scary summer
night in the basement with my family
listening to the crackling sounds of a
battery-powered radio issuing tornado
warnings, I was hooked on becoming a
meteorologist. I wanted to learn how
tornados form, about all the different
types of clouds and why it is so darn
windy in Nebraska.
If you are this person, or know
someone who is, there are some
things to consider about careers in
meteorology. First, it is not the study
of meteors, which I'm often asked.
Second, there is more to meteorology
than becoming a weather forecaster.
This is probably the question I was
asked most often in school when I told
people I was majoring in meteorology
— "Oh, so you want to be on TV?" I did
not, but that is certainly one path.
There are both private businesses and
public agencies that hire operational
meteorologists, from television
stations to the National Weather
Service. Many of these positions
involve weather forecasting. Energy
companies have a strong interest in
future weather conditions, both locally
and elsewhere, to understand potential
energy demand. Agricultural interests
are strongly tied to the weather and
some firms hire this expertise. There
is an accreditation you can obtain
to become a Certified Consulting
Meteorologist. This way you can be
an entrepreneur and develop your own
specialized company.
If research is what interests you,
there are multiple pathways. Often
what is most helpful in these careers is
education beyond a bachelor's degree.
Federal or private labs hire a range of
meteorologists — from space weather
to marine weather. If a doctorate is
in your future, there are research and
teaching careers to educate and train
the next generation of scientists. Or
maybe you'll find yourself in the role of
state climatologist and help run a state
weather network.
It's a pretty good gig, I must say.
Regardless of career, you'll always be
able to join the venerable conversation
we all have about the weather.
Martha D. Shulski, at the University
of Nebraska-Lincoln, is the director of
the Nebraska State Climate office.
SO YOU WANT TO BE A METEOROLOGIST
By Martha Shulski
Lightning and thunderstorm north of Chadron in Dawes County. JUSTIN HAAG, NEBRASKALAND
