Academic Vita

 

Marcus D. Walter

 

Email: mdw5005 at psu.edu

Web: www.personal.psu.edu/mdw5005/

 

EDUCATION:

B.S. in Meteorology with Honors

Option in Weather Forecasting and Communications

Schreyer Honors Scholar

Bunton-Waller Scholar

The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA

Graduation: Spring 2008

 

HONORS THESIS: “Interpretation of Return Levels Under a Changing Climate”

Thesis Supervisor: Arthur Small

Honor Advisor: Jenni-Louise Evans

 

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS:

American Meteorological Society (AMS)

Society of the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans (SACNAS)

 

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE:

Research Protégé, May 2007 to August 2007

Significant Opportunities in Atmospheric Research and Sciences (SOARS), Boulder, CO

Research Mentors: Dr. Richard Katz, Dr. Barbara Brown

● gained a greater understanding of the occurrence of extreme climate events

● interpreted, performed statistical analysis on annual extreme stream flow data

● worked with statistical programming language R as an analytical tool

● presented research at summer SOARS symposium and AMS national conference

 

Undergraduate Research Assistant, June 2006 to August 2006

Summer Research Opportunities Program (SROP), University Park, PA

Research Mentor: Dr. William Brune, Penn State Meteorology Department Head

● developed a complex understanding of ozone chemistry

● designed and built an environmental chamber to run atmospheric ozone experiments

● searched for undiscovered mechanisms that formed ground-level ozone

● presented research at summer SROP symposium

 

Participant, January 2006 to August 2006

Minority Undergraduate Research Experience (MURE), University Park, PA

● researched weather information for a local TV weather show, Weather World

● analyzed historic weather and climate data for use in TV weather show

 

LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE:

PSUBAMS President, April, 2007 to May 2008

Penn State Branch of American Meteorological Society, University Park, PA

● managed organization with more than 90 student members

● developed professional, educational, and social events for student members

● organized educational, social programs and events for members and students

● solicited and secured funding to send 19 students to the American Meteorological

   Society Annual Meeting in New Orleans, LA

 

Session Chair: Conversations with Professionals, February 2007 to May 2008

AMS Student Conference Planning Committee, New Orleans, LA

● assisted in the organizing national student conference

● recruited speakers to present valuable information to student attendees

● served as the year-round point of contact for speakers in “Conversation with

   Professionals Session”

● served as the “Student Welcome”--speaking to more than 500 students.

 

Representative, September 2005 to May 2006

Bunton-Waller Fellows Program, University Park, PA

● participated in bi-weekly meeting,

● developed educational and social events for Bunton-Waller Fellowship recipients

 

Teaching Intern, January 2005 to May 2005

Geography 121: Understanding Geographic Data, University Park, PA,

● assisted students in understanding and completing class projects

● tutored students in and out of class

● provided assistance to teaching assistant during class

 

 

BROADCAST EXPERIENCE

Student Presenter, August 2007 to May 2008

Penn State Weather Communications Group, University Park, PA

● produced special student centered weather features for The Weather Channel®

● received national television exposure for features

 

Shift Manager, Member, January 2005 to May 2008

Campus Weather Service, University Park, PA

● forecasted the weather on local radio stations

● created web weather forecasts for the Campus Weather Service website

● produced video weather forecasts and trained students to CWS video shifts

 

Director, Floor Manager, January 2005 to May 2007

Penn State Weather Communications Group, University Park, PA

● directed local Penn State Weather Show WeatherWorld

● manage timing, run-down of weather show

 

WORK EXPERIENCE:

Ticketing Staff, August 2007 to November 2007

Intercollegiate Athletics Department, Penn State, University Park, PA

● disseminating football tickets to student ticket holders

● removed trash from in front of student ticket gates

● guided students safely through the ticket entrance gates

 

Clerk, May 2005 to August 2005

Cook County Recorder of Deeds Office, Chicago, IL

● assisted customers locate information on property in Cook County

● manually organized thousands of historical property files dating from 1870 to 2005

 

Student Custodian, Summer 2002-2004, Winter of 2003-2005

Proviso Township High Schools, Maywood, IL

● teamed with other to clean classrooms and high schools clean

● operated heavy cleaning equipment such as scrubbing machines, high speed buffers

 

 

OTHER EXPERIENCES:

Volunteer, January 2005 to May 2008

Ability Athletics Program, University Park, PA

● physically trained with, motivated handicapped, disabled athletes

● competed with athletes in track and field meets

 

Volunteer, April 2006, 2008

Hurricane’s Outreach Program to Educate Students (HOPES), NBC 10, Philadelphia, PA

● gave Philadelphia area students a tour of Penn State’s meteorology department;

● exposed students to life as a meteorology student at Penn State

 

Participant, June 2004 to August 2004

PRE-First Year Engineering and Science Program, University Park, PA,

● participated in a rigorous program designed to prepare students for first year in college.

 

 

AWARDS/HONORS

(AMS) Paros-Digiquartz Scholarship, Fall 2007

American Meteorological Society, Boston, MA

● awarded to 21 senior meteorology students in nation based on merit/accomplishment in field

 

Society of Distinguished Alumni Scholarship, Fall 2007 to Spring 2008

Schreyer Honors College, University Park, PA

● awarded on the basis of academic excellence and achievement

 

Hans A. Panofsky Scholarship in Meteorology, Fall 2007 to Spring 2008

Penn State Meteorology Dept., University Park, PA

● for demonstrated superior academic ability and financial need for obtaining a degree

 

Joel and Peggy Myers Scholarship in Meteorology, Fall 2006 to Spring 2007

Penn State Meteorology Dept., University Park, PA

● awarded to students who have particular interest/aptitude to forecasting and communications

 

Charles L. and Anna R. Hosler Scholarship in Meteorology, Fall 2005 to Spring 2006

Penn State Meteorology Dept., University Park, PA

awarded to students enrolled in Department of Meteorology who have achieved superior academic records or who manifest promise of outstanding academic success

 

Matthew J Wilson Honors Scholarship, Fall 2004 to Spring 2008

College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, University Park, PA

● in recognition of undergraduates who have superior academic records

 

Dean’s List, Five Semesters, Fall 2007

Magnus Charitable Trust Scholarship, 2004 to Spring 2008

BP Scholarship, Fall 2004, 2005

Sam Walton Community Scholarship, Fall 2004 to Spring 2005

Maywood Chamber of Commerce Scholarship, Fall 2004 to Spring 2005

Coca Cola Scholarship, Fall 2004 to Fall 2007