Hello from the long lost intern...

Hello everyone. It's been quite some time since I've written on the intern blog; relentless 10 page papers held me captive all school year, refusing to let me blog. But it's finally the summer (practically mid-summer) and I can share with you my latest meteorology experience...

I spent the last few days on “cloud” nine surrounded by TV weather personalities from all over the country. For an aspiring meteorologist; it just doesn’t get much better than that.

The American Meteorological Society held it's 36th annual Broadcast Conference at the fabulous Grand Hyatt hotel in Downtown Denver. The four-day conference brought together over 100 meteorologists to network, share ideas and tackle such important topics as how to communicate climate change.

I was fortunate enough to be able to attend the conference in a “right place at the right time” sort of deal. I am interning at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in Boulder, Colo., and was asked to help with NOAA’s booth at the conference. Free entrance to the conference, and the opportunity to meet meteorologists from around the country – I couldn’t say "no" to that. Even better was the fact that I would also get to personally guide the broadcasters on their tour of the NOAA building in Boulder.

The conference, in all, was a great experience. I spoke with a lot of great people, made some invaluable contacts and attended a very compelling talk about the improvements that have been made in tornado warnings over the last 50 years. But the ultimate moment had to have been when I was introduced to Bryan Busby, the Chief Meteorologist at Channel 9 in Kansas City, the station I’m hoping to intern for in the fall. Coincidentally, Bryan Busby and Mike Nelson are old friends, as they were friendly competitors at rival stations once upon a time in St. Louis.

Where I go to school, Bryan Busby is “the man”, being one of the top meteorologists in the Kansas City area. But even Bryan humbled himself by admitting that he still looks up to Mike Nelson. I think it’s great to know that even the big shots have their own idols. I wonder who Mike idolizes...

Overall, the conference was a tremendous experience and I am grateful for being able to attend. Getting a chance to speak with people who are doing what I aspire to do was both encouraging and motivational. The broadcast realm is a tricky business to get into, but enticing none the less. In less than a year, I will hopefully be a part of the business so that someday, at a future AMS Broadcast Conference, an aspiring meteorologist may actually be excited to meet me.