Rhoen Fiutak joined the Unidata Program Center as a student summer intern on May 23, 2022. She completed her bachelor’s degree in physics from Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT in May 2019 and went on to complete her master’s degree in education from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, PA in August 2021. She is entering her second year as a master’s student at Colorado School of Mines in Golden, CO this fall, in the applied mathematics program.
Rhoen's experience in STEM research and education has given her an appreciation for the value of effective data communication and the platforms it relies on. “Earth sciences are an area where models and visual tools can be used in a way to create varied storylines, whether that be about our climate or what is occurring in our atmosphere,” she says. “Reconciling varied perspectives to create an argument or narrative on data communication platforms like the ones developed at UCAR is critical to conversations on our changing climate and weather. When I was teaching, I wanted students to be able to access educational tools that allowed them to realize their role in bringing meaning to numbers. Therefore, Unidata’s goal of sharing geoscience data and creating tools to visualize that data spoke to my interests.”
This summer, Rhoen will be working with Unidata's AWIPS development team and with our educational designer on a range of projects. “The opportunity to bring my love for education and love for modeling problems in our earth and environment together this summer in working with the AWIPS team allows me to further develop skills and learn from mentors who are creating something unique” she says.
About her time away from the Unidata Program Center, Rhoen adds this: “If you are ever craving some wood-fired pizza, you may find me on the Basic Kneads Pizza food truck at a brewery in the Denver area throwing dough and firing up the oven.”
Please join us in welcoming Rhoen to the Program Center for the summer!
Posted by Sean Arms on June 07, 2022 at 05:01 PM MDT #