Hold on to your hats! There's a storm coming. Ruth Pryor is a research coordinator in Florida. She lives in an area of the world where severe storms often threaten coastal towns. But scientists won't sit back and let nature roar through the area.
At the Center for Ocean-Atmospheric Prediction Studies, scientists analyze weather patterns for upcoming problems.
"There are so many areas of research that go on in our center," says Pryor. "I help grad students with their meteorology studies. And I help our main research scientist, who is actually known as Dr. El Nino because he is studying the effect with such intensity."
Everyone knows that weather in the southern states can be unpredictable and ferocious, and that a storm's long arm can reach further inland.
"We just had a meeting in an airport lounge with scientists from LSU [Louisiana State University], Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia Tech," says Pryor. "It sounds more like a football match, but we were there to talk about the hazards that severe storms can have on them.
"Severe storms, landfall hurricanes and earthquakes are just some of the things that can affect our area," she says.
George Macintosh is a research coordinator. He is also interested in weather patterns. Last year, a hot and dry summer in his area caused many crops, used to cooler and wetter temperatures, to fail.
What do farmers do when their crops dry up and whither away in the dust? Most try to cash in on crop insurance. What crops are covered? Should a failed batch of experimental grapes get the same insurance as a field of potatoes?
Macintosh tries to establish which crops should be insured. "I research the special characteristics of different crops and put in time developing insurance plans for each of them," he says.
Macintosh deals with many farmers and scientists when developing insurance programs. "It's a team approach to problem solving," he says. "It's a challenge to work with all different kinds of people, but for the most part it's a positive experience.
"There is an awful lot of diplomacy involved," he adds. "You have decide what will work, and you are sometimes under a lot of pressure. You have to be able to communicate well with others."
Working with others is one of Andrew DeVogelaere's favorite aspects of his work. DeVogelaere coordinates research at the Monterey Bay Natural Marine Sanctuary in California. "You get to work with so many bright, highly motivated and enthusiastic people."
Of course, working in the California environment is also a bonus. "I work in all kinds of beautiful areas, on sandy beaches, on rocky shores, in kelp beds," he adds.
But the sites on these beaches aren't always pleasant. DeVogelaere is currently coordinating research to figure out why so many sea lions were found dead along the California coast this year. "People were seeing a lot of them along the beach and wondered what was happening," he explains.
Through research, scientists were able to find out that harmful algae blooms, sometimes known as red tide, were affecting the sea lions. "We traced its presence in the anchovies that the sea lions were feeding on," says DeVogelaere. Sea lions were having seizures or dying due to this exposure.
"Once we knew this, we were able to give the sea lions tranquilizers, which helped them out," says DeVogelaere. The study not only let the scientists help the ailing sea lions, but it gave them valuable new information about the effects of red tide.
"We have opportunities to be a part of all kinds of interesting science, from using weather balloons to marine robots," says DeVogelaere. "It's wonderful to be able to directly help the mammals, and to develop better methods and understandings in research."