Brandon Smith, Research Scientist (OU CIMMS/NSSL WRDD)
| Background: | M.S. Geoinformatics, University of Oklahoma (2015) B.S. Meteorology, University of Oklahoma (2013) |
| Experience: | Brandon was born right here in Oklahoma City, but grew up in Frederick, Maryland, near Washington, D.C. He returned to the Sooner State for college, earning both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the University of Oklahoma. During his undergraduate career, he was a Research Assistant with NSSL, working on the Severe Hazards Analysis & Verification Experiment as well as performing quality control of radar data. While earning his master’s degree, Brandon was a Graduate Research Assistant, mentored by NSSL’s Dr. JJ Gourley. He was then hired by OU CIMMS as a Research Associate working with the Severe Weather Warning Applications and Technology Transfer (SWAT) group. |
| What He Does: | Brandon particularly enjoys fieldwork and has been involved in a number of projects, including DC3, MPEX, IPHEx, and winter ballooning operations. He has also collaborated on quite a few damage surveys, most notably after the May 20, 2013 tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma. When he is not in the field, Brandon is creating and improving code for WDSS2 algorithms. He is currently working on improving the azimuthal shear algorithm. Azimuthal shear helps NSSL produce rotation tracks and resolve issues associated with near-radar circulations. Brandon spends a lot of time sifting through code and finding solutions for complex problems! He also assists with development of the real-time verification system for PHI. |
| Trivia: | In his spare time, Brandon enjoys fishing, railroad photography, and rooting for his hometown Washington Redskins! |
