Scalia Laboratory is the place that usually houses our meetings for the chapter. The lab has many different tools for us to analyze weather and hold our meetings. The lab has over 14 dual monitored computers that students can use for analyzing the weather as well as the climate. Along with those computers, we also have four Macs that are used for research and various other things. We have one computer that houses the WRF that is run daily, a weatherview program that collects current conditions data and uploads them to our website, and a lightning detection system. To support research, the lab has a 10TB data server. We currently have a brand new weather tower that is under construction. The tower will contain up-to-date weather instruments that will collect data and send them back to our lab. This new information that we will begin to receive will help with the forecasting ability of our forecasters. The lab also contains a television that's been known to play Twister when some of the chapter members congregate. There is also a projector that is used by guests presenting information on various topics related to meteorology. We have had a variety of speakers share their knowledge with the chapter, including a military meteorologist and our own students doing research.
The Ohio University Chapter of the American Meteorological Society is very young. The chapter started as the Meteorology Club at Ohio University in 2005, but since 2009 the club has transformed into an organization of the national AMS. Since then we have come a long way. We have created more positions within the chapter to help us get more people involved, as well as given more people the chance to take control of some part of the chapter. We have designated committee heads that work very closely with the officers to promote and expand the chapter within the community. Some of these new committees include: volunteer and outreach, fundraising, and StormReady. The heads of these committees will help the officers execute any plans that the chapter has in a lot more organized fashion.
This upcoming year is an extremely exciting year for the chapter; whether it be the second annual weather symposium or the activities that will be held as a chapter, this year holds a lot of potential for everyone involved. Many of our members have already accomplished some amazing things this summer. We currently have three undergraduate Hollings Scholars, one just finishing up her internship in Miami, Florida this summer working with the National Hurricane Center. We have two more Hollings scholars that will be performing their internships next summer. We also have some other students that are conducting research within the atmospheric sciences field.
With everyone's help within the chapter, we hope to branch out into the community even more this year. With all new officers ready to tackle the challenges that lie ahead, we are moving forward into the new school year with a plan and a mission. The chapter is very excited about all the opportunities that lie before them. If you are interested in meteorology, come out and join the chapter. It is not just for meteorology majors or minors, it is also for anyone that enjoys weather. Join the activities that the chapter does as a whole. There are many things that the chapter does together; anything from volleyball and taco eating contests, to volunteer work and outreach that gets the surrounding community involved with experiencing weather.