On September 24, 2024, Nicholas Barron ‘18 (BS Physics Honors) defended his Ph.D. thesis in Meteorology and Atmospheric Science titled “Investigating the Characteristics and Dynamics of Convective Updrafts in Tropical Cyclone Rainbands” from Pennsylvania State University, in College Park Pennsylvania.

Nick graduated Cum Laude from CSU in 2018 completing his BS Honors in Physics with Math minor. While at CSU Nick was heavily involved in undergraduate research with Dr. Thijs Heus. His main research focus was on using a Bayesian statistics model to recreate area distributions of shallow cumulus clouds from 1D measurements. This research led to a peer review publication with Nick being a first author on it. His research was also presented at multiple national conferences.

Nick went on for a PhD study in Meteorology and Atmospheric Science at Penn State University where he studied properties of convective updrafts in tropical cyclones by comparing airborne radar observations and numerical weather simulations under guidance of Dr. Anthony C. Didlake. After finishing his PhD, Nick joined the group of Dr. Brad Klotz at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado to work on an airborne phased array radar as a postdoctoral fellow.

Please join us congratulating Nick with his Ph.D. and wishing him luck at his new position. For details on Nick’s Ph.D. research and research plans as a postdoc please see the Alumni Research Highlight.