MR. RYAN & HIS CAREER

How and why did you decide to get involved in meteorology?

I have always enjoyed the weather. When I was in the fourth or fifth grade and lived in New York State, I especially looked forward to snowstorms and winter. I enjoyed just watching the day to day changes. Weather became a hobby - I read a book called "Every Day Weather and How It Works," which described how to make simple instruments, and I made my own weather instruments and forecasts. I made a barometer from a glass with saran wrap on top, my own thermometer, and a wind vane.

I also enjoyed studying math and science and building model rockets, so after high school, I had the idea of going into rocket building. I got my bachelors degree in physics at the State University of New York at Albany and then thought I'd become a science teacher (my father and both grandparents were also teachers). Along the way, I took a little meteorology as an elective, because it was something I was always interested in, and ended up getting a masters in Atmospheric Science, also at Albany. So, I came back to something that I was interested in elementary school! As a student it was an interesting journey.

Tell us about your professional career. How did it unfold? Where did it begin? How did you become involved in broadcasting?

My advisor in college was Bernard Vonnegut (brother of author Kurt Vonnegut), and he recommended me to Arthur D. Little Inc., a company in Massachusetts which was doing research in cloud physics in the late 1960s. We were doing experiments with clouds and rain drops, looking at shapes and surface tensions. Then, about 1970, there was a small TV station that was starting a news program in Boston, and I called up to ask if they wanted meteorologist. Who knows why these things happen, but that's where my television career started - it was bit of a moonlighting job!

After nine months, they cancelled that news program, but I started at another station in Providence, Rhode Island. Gradually, over the next few ears, I began working less and less in research, and more and more in television. By 1974, I was working just in television.

You were picked to report on the "Today Show" in 1978 and were the show's first regular meteorologist. How did you make this breakthrough?

Who knows?! I was doing the 6 and 11 o'clock weather in Boston on Channel 5, so they must have seen me. At the time, the Today Show was competing with Good Morning America, and they felt that having a young meteorologist would be good. The science of meteorology had been making advances and was becoming a credible part of the news. The field of forecasting and communication was becoming very important, and I just happened to get the call.

What do you enjoy most about your job, your career?

It's been fun to experience the advance in the science of meteorology and see its benefits and applications to every day life. Weather reports have become something that people rely on, and some of the products have had a significant benefit to the economy and protecting life and property. For example, our understanding of El Nino and how it affects the weather in different parts of the world has helped governments to take action well in advance of an event because they know better what to expect. It's been very satisfying as a scientist to see the advance of such benefits.

It's also fun to be part of communicating the science. Almost every day and every forecast is different, but many of the patterns are the same. It's almost like recognizing familiar faces in the weather patterns. I enjoy the local forecasting because it's is more of a challenge, and there's more interacting with the community.

You have received numerous awards in your career, including Emmy's for weathercasting and community service. How important is this kind of recognition?

Any time people say complimentary things about you, it's nice - but I've never set that as a goal. I think that people want to do the best they can at what they do, and to some extent, they do it for themselves. There's satisfaction in knowing that you did your best, and for me, it's great to pass on some things in a way that people can understand.

THE ACTUAL WORK

Tell us what you do. As the Chief Meteorologist of NEWS4, what are your main responsibilities? How much of your time is spent in the office, compared to meetings, travel, etc.?

As chief meteorologist, I am responsible for the overall operation of our weather department and making sure we provide the community the best weather information, from the forecasts starting at 5 a.m. till the last at 11 p.m., seven days a week. I'm also responsible for the equipment we have, making sure we have everything we need and that it's all operating properly. We have five people, we're all meteorologists, and we all help with production. Personally, I broadcast at 5 p.m., 6 p.m. and 11 p.m., Monday through Friday. Probably half of my time is spent on actual forecasts and production with other meteorologists, and the other half I'm in other areas within the weather office - working with our online production, our yearly weather almanac, and outside professional activities, such as serving on committees for the American Meteorological Society (AMS), the National Academy of Sciences, and the National Science Foundation. I try to contribute to the advance of the science, as well as the more public television weathercasting job.

What are the tools of the trade that you use the most? Do you use specialized computer programs?

We get all the information and raw data to do our forecasts through private companies, government sources, and the Internet - mostly from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP), which is part of the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). We also get data from the local NEXRAD Doppler radar, and we use our graphics system to present it on air. Each day, we rely on the great variety of data and various meteorological models.

The first step is preparing the forecasts. I have to do my home work each day, looking at all the data, simulations, and models. Then, in parallel with that, we begin to prepare the presentation - deciding what tools to use, such as satellites images, radar loops, and so on. Probably two-thirds of our systems and equipment are related to making the forecast, and about a third are for TV production. The whole process could take a couple of hours to much longer, if the weather patterns are complicated and changing rapidly - sometimes, it can change minute by minute.

What are the most challenging aspects of your job?

Probably snowstorms. Here in Washington, we're often right on the edge of the rain-snow line. So far this year, we've had one storm that brought 10 inches just south of us and only rain here; and another brought a lot of snow just north of us and nothing here - so many such subtleties can make such a big difference.

It's a real challenge to communicate what we know and what we don't know. As meteorologists, we're learning more and more about the role of uncertainty and how to better communicate it. Everyone wants to know if there's going to be enough snow to cancel school, and it's always a challenge to present the information. I'd love to tell people seven days in advance exactly what's going to happen, but that's not possible. We're learning as we go along and trying to better understand how the users of the weather information interpret what we say.

You're on the Board on Atmospheric Science and Climate of the National Academy of Sciences, a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, a Fellow of the American Meteorological Society, and a past president of AMS. Why are you involved in so many organizations?

I've always been active in AMS and, before I was in TV, I published a number of papers. I think it's important to actively participate in the science and support its advance in a variety of ways. Since I'm not a practicing researcher anymore, I make contributions in other ways, through this kind of involvement.

EDUCATION INFORMATION & ADVICE

Tell us about your education. What did you like and dislike about your meteorology education? Was it worth it for you? Why?

I received my bachelors degree in Physics and a masters in Atmospheric Science at State University of New York at Albany. I liked most of it, although sometimes it's difficult for a student to understand why all of the calculus, physics and dynamic meteorology are important. But they are the foundation of the science, and the better you know them, the better you'll be served in the long term.

It took me a while to find the thing that would be my career; I changed schools and majors. But every person is different, and I wouldn't change anything - it was not wasted time. When we're young, we tend to believe that life goes from point A to B to C, but it's not such a straight line. It's an ever-fascinating, curved path through life. So many things happen along the way.

What advice can you give to prospective students thinking about an education and career in meteorology?

My advice to young people when they ask about careers is this: You'll be doing something as a profession for 30, 40 or 50 years of your life, so pick something you love. It should be fun. You don't want to wake up on Monday of every week thinking that you can't wait for Friday.

What factors should prospective meteorology students consider when choosing their school?

The basic four-year program in meteorology is similar in most schools. The real difference is in what the schools specialize in. For example, the University of Oklahoma has a program with an emphasis on severe local storms, the University of Wisconsin has emphasis in Satellite Meteorology, the University of Albany and Pennsylvania State University have Synoptic Meteorology, the Florida State University has Tropical Meteorology. This means that, if you're interesting in a career in this field, you can be selective in your specialty interest.

I would also encourage any interested student to get as much info as possible from the Internet and talk to student already at these schools. The AMS web site has some great student resources on careers and scholarships, and they publish a big thick book every year called the Curricula in the Atmospheric, Oceanic, Hydrologic, and Related Sciences, which includes all of the universities and colleges in the US that offer degrees programs, a directory of faculty, and other useful information for students.

Based on what you hear in the industry, what do you think are the most respected and prestigious schools/departments for meteorology that really make a difference for graduating students?

I think that there are a number of great schools, and I'd rather not singe out a single school. Some of the best are the University of Albany, Pennsylvania State University, Florida State University at Tallahasse, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Maryland, University of Oklahoma, University of Wisconsin, University of California at Los Angeles, Colorado State University, University of Arizona, University of Washington... Any of these are terrific programs.

JOB INFORMATION & ADVICE

What is the average salary for graduating students in the US who are starting out in meteorology, in both broadcasting and research?

It really depends. Like so many of sciences now, the entry level degree is a Masters rather than Bachelors. More than half of the graduates are going into private sector of weather impact. The starting salary may be in the mid $30,000 range - but I may not be a good source. It's been more than 30 years since I had my first job in meteorology.

What are the best ways to find a job in meteorology? How can one break into broadcasting?

Summer internships will give you an idea of what it's like through behind the scenes positions. Most people who go into TV start in smaller markets to get more hands-on experience in a smaller work environment - there's no substitute for experience when presenting the weather on television. Speaking for two or three minutes and making conversation on-air is a lot harder than it looks, and the only way to learn it is to do it. People most often break into broadcasting as an assistant or with early morning or weekend positions where there's not as much money.

How is the job market now for broadcasting meteorologists? What do you think the job market will be in five years?

There may be a little bit of a contraction happening in television. The job market is tighter than it was even five years ago. With new areas of concern, such as the advance of climate change, and the intense interest in the field of meteorology, for the first time, we're seeing graduates who may have to do a lot of work to find that first position.

A lot of the pioneers of meteorology from the post World War II era have retired, but the graduates of the 60s and 70s are still here - even PhDs are having some difficulty now. There's talk among Department Chairs and AMS that we should be cautious that we're not encouraging too many students to enter the field because the job market might not be there in 10 years.

But for now, all of the universities are well funded, and National Science Foundation funding for meteorological education and research is still strong. The private sector is taking more than half of the students - companies like AccuWeather, WeatherData Inc. and Weather Service International are meeting much of the demand.

INDUSTRY TRENDS

How has new technology in weather monitoring and forecasting affected your profession?

Imagine trying to forecast with out the weather satellites, radar and computer technology! The key to how we do weather forecasts is directly related to how much accurate data can we bring in and how fast we can process that data through the power of the computer.

What are some trends in the field of meteorology?

The whole area of health and the economy has become a centerpiece of public interest as we go forward in understanding global changes. Weather is an area of science that has had great benefit to people and their everyday lives; it impacts everything from urban planning to how we spend our leisure time. Over the next 50 to 100 years, there will be fairly significant changes in our atmosphere and oceans on a global scale, and the science has created an awareness of this into a whole area related to public policy and what we think we know about the future. How do we make good use of the information? There are a lot of areas of application where scientists are moving to get better information as it relates to political and economic decisions, so the larger global community can make the best choices.

Blending the science of meteorology and business is another trend. There's a growing movement to take the application of the science to become "weather entrepreneurs." The University of Oklahoma offers a program that draws from both the Meteorology and Business departments. Some examples are working in the insurance industry with a team that evaluates weather and climate risks and event impacts; working on a weather/climate team within a power company; or providing specialized forecasts to the media and/or transportation and other weather sensitive industries.

What is WeatherNet4 and the "4-WINDS" program? Do you think that on-line weather data will ever replace traditional broadcasting?

I started the 4-WINDS Program as a way of using weather as a "window into Science, Mathematics and Geography Education". It is a unique educational program that brings the power of real-time weather into the classroom by creating a network of school weather stations that are linked to each other and the NBC4 Weather Center. Over the years we have also hosted a number of teacher workshops as part of the program so that teachers can better understand the subject, too. It is an excellent resource for both on-air use and as a classroom teaching tool. I don't think on-line weather forecasts and information will ever replace the human weathercaster. People will always want to have important information they need to make informed decisions, such as weather and health, from someone they know and can trust. That person might be their personal doctor, or the TV weathercaster they have know for many years.

CLOSING REMARKS

Is there anything else you can tell us about yourself, your career, or the profession that would be interesting or helpful to others aspiring to enter and succeed in meteorology?

I think that meteorology is an exciting science and field. It will be in the future, too. Like so many areas of science, when we answer one question, we create many more. For any young person, know that it's hard work to understand the basics - but if it's something that's exciting to you, then go for it!

If you have any questions for Mr. Ryan related to this interview, please contact him directly at Bob.Ryan@nbc.com.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For more information about the educational and career outlook for Atmospheric Science majors, click here.

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