NSSL’s Bob Rabin has been selected to receive the 2016 EEO/Diversity Award for Exemplary Service. This is the first year that NOAA’s Office of Oceanic & Atmospheric Research has presented EEO/Diversity awards, and recipients will be recognized at a town hall meeting next Friday, February 26.

Bob took over diversity outreach activities at NSSL about five years ago. He serves as the Lab representative on the OAR EEO Advisory Committee. Beyond maintaining a record of NSSL’s diversity programs, he has been involved in several college and university outreach projects, mentored minority students, and attended national conferences on behalf of the EEO Office.

Notably, Bob attended the Native American Higher Education Consortium in March 2014 in Billings, Montana, where he met with faculty and students working on a project to build an earth imaging satellite (BisonSat). He became a mentor to one of the students, Noel Stewart, who brought her interest in hydrology to NSSL for a one-month stay in September 2014.

Meeting at SKC (Members of Alaska inter-tribal council, SKC educator and student)

Preparing for the research presentations

Bob also spent two summers in Barrow, Alaska, participating in a STEM course at Ilisagvik College. He taught the students about remote observations and gave them the chance to learn how to forecast the local weather. He later offered an online course called “Indigenous Knowledge on Climate Science,” a program he would be happy to provide again.

Class picture in Barrow, Alaska

Moving forward, Bob is helping develop a possible partnership between NOAA and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. He is also pursuing opportunities for NOAA employees to assist with instruction at Tribal Colleges. His investment in diversity and outreach activities enriches our community at NSSL and beyond.

Congratulations, Bob!