Manzanita Beach,
OregonBio
EducationPhD, University of Colorado at Boulder, Astrophysical, Planetary and Atmospheric Sciences, 2007
Dissertation: Characterizing Fog and the Physical Mechanisms Leading to its Formation in Precipitation in a Coastal Area of the Northeastern United States. Advisor: Roy Rasmussen (NCAR)
MSc, Université du Québec à Montréal, Atmospheric Sciences, 1993
Thesis:Evaluation of lower tropospheric synoptic scale vertical motion diagnosed using surface data. Advisor: Peter Zwack
BSc, Université de Montréal, Physics, 1989
Professional life
/ Detailed CV
| After obtaining my
M.Sc., I worked at the Université du Québec à
Montréal as a research assistant under the
supervision of Dr.
Peter Zwack. Projects were funded by the
Federal Aviation Administration and performed in
close collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute
of Technology Lincoln Laboratory.
The aim of the project was the development of
forecasting tools to improve terminal area weather
forecasts. I also worked on the development of a
weather analysis/forecast component for the Aircraft
Vortex Spacing System, then being developed at NASA Langley.
The focus of my work then shifted toward the
development/adaptation of a 1D atmospheric boundary
layer model to provide numerical forecasts of
ceilings & visibility as part of the Marine
Stratus Initiative for the San Francisco Intl'
Airport. The project received the "Excellence in
Aviation" Award given in 2002 by the US Department
of Transportation's Federal Aviation Administration.
|
 Montréal, view from Mont Royal |
| After feeling the
urge for adventure, I moved to Boulder Colorado in
late summer 2001 to pursue my graduate studies. I
obtained my Ph.D. from the Department of Atmospheric
& Oceanic Sciences (ATOC) at the
University of Colorado at Boulder (CU-Boulder).
My research/assistantship, studying the physical
mechanims associated to fog events in the New York
city region, was performed at NCAR/RAL under
the supervision of Dr.
Roy Rasmussen. I was later involved with a project
aimed at increasing understanding of the variability
within the boundary layer in response to radiative
stochastic forcing and how numerical models
represent this variability. This work was performed
in collaboration with Dr.
Joshua Hacker at NCAR. |
 "Flatirons" from CU campus, Boulder |
| I then held a
Scientific Visitor position at Météo-France/CNRM in
Toulouse within the GMME/TURBAU group, working with
a team headed by Dr. Thierry Bergot on the
understanding, modeling and forecasting the
variability of fog in complex environments. Involved
were analyses of comprehensive observations taken
during the ParisFog
field campaign, complemented by high-resolution
simulations using the Méso-NH
modeling system. |
 Toulouse, la "Ville Rose" |
| Back on the left-hand
side of the Atlantic, I held a NSERC/CRSNG
postdoctoral fellowship at the Data Assimilation and
Satellite Meteorology group / Meteorological
Research Division / Atmospheric
Science & Technology Directorate / Science &
Technology / Environment
Canada in Dorval, Québec, Canada. There, I
worked on a project which led to improved analyses
and forecasts of low-level winds over the oceans
through enhanced data assimilation of
remotely-sensed ocean surface wind vectors. The
project was funded by the Canadian National
Search & Rescue Secretariat and performed
under the supervision of Dr.
Stéphane Laroche. |
 Montréal, view from Old Port |
| I am now a Research Associate in Prof. Greg Hakim's group at the Department of Atmospheric Sciences/ College of the Environment / University of Washington in Seattle Washington, where my research focuses on data assimilation issues in coupled atmosphere-ocean modeling systems to improve the characterization of predictability limits of climate variability at the decadal time scale. |  Space Needle & Mt. Rainier, Seattle, Washington |
