- Home
- About NSSL
- Events
- NSSL Laboratory Review 2021
NSSL Laboratory Review 2021
November 16–19, 2021, Norman, OK
Laboratory science reviews are conducted every five years to evaluate the quality, relevance, and performance of research conducted in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR) laboratories. This review is for both internal OAR/NOAA use for planning, programming, and budgeting, and external interests. It helps the Laboratory in its strategic planning of its future science. These reviews are also intended to ensure that OAR laboratory research is linked to the NOAA Strategic Plan, is relevant to NOAA Research mission and priorities, is of high quality as judged by preeminence criteria, and is carried out with a high level of performance.
The three thematic areas for this review are:
- Observations and Understanding
- Numerical Modeling and Forecast/Warning Applications
- Engagement of Customers, Stakeholders, and Users
NOAA National Severe Storms Laboratory Response to Panel Review Recommendations, 2024 Update (PDF, 29 Oct 2024)
NOAA National Severe Storms Laboratory Response to Panel Review Recommendations (PDF, 7 Aug 2023)
Summary Report of the Science Review of the NOAA National Severe Storm Laboratory, November 2021 (PDF, 6 Jun 2023)
Charge to reviewers (PDF)
Review Panel
Marc L. Levitan (Panel Chair)
- Lead Research Wind Engineer, National Windstorm Impact Reduction Program
National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland
Frédéric Fabry
- Associate Professor, Department of Atmospheric and Atmospheric Oceanic Sciences
- Director, Bieler School of Environment, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
Pete Manousos
- Consultant and Senior Meteorologist, FirstEnergy Corporation, Akron, Ohio
Gretchen Mullendore
- Director, Mesoscale & Microscale Meteorology Laboratory, National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado
Steve Nesbitt
- Professor and Associate Department Head, Department of Atmospheric Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Illinois
J. Marshall Shepherd
- Georgia Athletic Association Distinguished Professor of Geography and Atmospheric Sciences
- Director, Atmospheric Sciences Program, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia
Olga Wilhelmi
- Head, Geographic Information Science Program
- Project Scientist IV in the Research Applications Lab at the National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado
Sepi Yalda
- Professor of Meteorology, Millersville University Department of Earth Sciences
- Director, Millersville University Center for Disaster Research and Education, Millersville, Pennsylvania
Agenda
All times Central Standard
Day 1: November 16, 2021
9:00–9:15 am | Welcome and Introductions |
9:15–10:00 | OAR and Portfolio Overview |
10:00–10:10 | Break |
10:10–11:10 | NSSL Overview and Discussion |
11:10–11:30 | Break |
11:30–12:40 pm | Lunch with Young Scientists (closed) 40 min on-camera discussion, 30 min off |
12:40–12:45 | Introduction: Observations and Understanding |
12:45–1:15 | Deployable instrumentation used to collect observations |
1:15–2:15 | Fieldwork and Analysis Part 1 |
2:15–2:30 | Break |
2:30–3:30 | Fieldwork and Analysis Part 2 |
3:30–3:45 | Break |
3:45–4:15 | Review Panel Discussion (closed) |
4:15 pm | Closeout of Day 1 |
Day 2: November 17, 2021
9:00–9:10 am | Welcome and Refresh/Reset |
9:10–10:05 | Phased Array Radar |
10:05–10:15 | Break |
10:15–10:20 | Introduction: Engagement of Customers, Stakeholders, and Users |
10:20–11:15 | User-Centered Framework, Social and Behavioral Science |
11:15–11:30 | Break |
11:30–12:30 pm | Collaborative Research Environments |
12:30–1:00 | Lunch with Young Scientists (closed) |
1:00–1:15 | Break |
1:15–1:20 | Introduction: Numerical Modeling and Forecast/Warning Applications |
1:20–2:15 | WSR-88D Science |
2:15–2:30 | Break |
2:30–3:30 | Multi-Radar Multi-Sensor Science (MRMS) |
3:30–4:00 | Stakeholder meeting for Engagement of Customers, Stakeholders, and Users theme (closed except for panel and stakeholders) |
4:00–4:30 | Review Panel Discussion (closed) |
4:30 pm | Closeout of Day 2 |
Day 3: November 18, 2021
9:00–9:10 am | Welcome and refresh, continue with Numerical Modeling and Forecast/Warning Applications |
9:10–10:15 | Observation-based severe convective tools |
10:15–10:30 | Break |
10:30–11:30 | Warn-on-Forecast |
11:30–12:30 pm | Multi-Themed R2O Success Stories |
12:30–1:30 | Lunch break (closed) |
1:30–2:15 | Stakeholder meeting for Numerical Modeling and Forecast/Warning Applications theme (closed except for panel and stakeholders) |
1:30–2:15 | NSSL and OAR leadership with LO reps (closed) |
2:15–3:00 | Break and Review Panel Discussion (closed) |
3:00 pm | Closeout of Day 3 |
Day 4: November 19, 2021
9:00–10:30 am | Panel Discussion (closed) |
10:30–10:45 | Break |
10:45–11:45 | Panel report-out and recommendations to OAR/NSSL management (closed) |
11:45–12:00 pm | Closeout and thank-yous |
Presentations and Introductions
These presentations are intended to be viewed in advance of the Review. Review panel members will have the opportunity to discuss the content of these presentations with the subject matter experts during the Review.
Acronyms List (PDF) · NSSL Organizational Chart (PDF)
Day 1: November 16, 2021
NSSL Overview and Organizational Excellence
- Lab / Science overview — Jack Kain
- Administrative overview — Kurt Hondl
- NSSL's Workplace Culture — Pam Heinselman
Watch on YouTube (43:11) | Download video presentation slides
Live presentation slides:
Observations and Understanding: Fieldwork
Deployable instrumentation used to collect observations — Sean Waugh
- Mobile Mesonets, Soundings/Windsond, Particle Imager — Sean Waugh
- CLAMPS/Lidar Truck — Elizabeth Smith
- LMA/Mobile LMA — Vanna Chmielewski
- EFM — Kristin Calhoun
- Microphysics: PASIV and Hail Camera — Sean Waugh
- NOXP — J.J. Gourley
- UAS — Melissa Wagner
- Social Science — Kim Klockow-McClain
Watch on YouTube (43:44) | Download video presentation slides
Live presentation slides:
Fieldwork and Analysis (Part 1) — Erik Rasmussen
- Tornadoes: RiVorS, TORUS20/22, VUSA, PERiLS — Erik Rasmussen
- Storm Electrification and Microphysics — Vanna Chmielewski
- Precipitation and Flooding — J.J. Gourley
Watch on YouTube (28:39) | Download video presentation slides
Live presentation slides:
- Fieldwork and Analysis Part 1 — Erik Rasmussen
Fieldwork and Analysis (Part 2) — Mike Coniglio
- Storm/Env. Processes: PECAN, Mini-MPEX, PERiLS, TORUS — Mike Coniglio
- Planetary Boundary Layer (PBL) research — Elizabeth Smith
- Subseasonal to Seasonal to Long-term Climo Work — Kim Hoogewind
- Social & Behavioral Data — Kim Klockow-McClain
Watch on YouTube (39:05) | Download video presentation slides
Live presentation slides:
- Fieldwork and Analysis Part 2 — Mike Coniglio
Day 2: November 17, 2021
Observations and Understanding: PAR Program
Phased Array Radar — Kurt Hondl
- PAR Introduction — Kurt Hondl
- ATD Engineering — Danny Wasielewski
- Engineering R&D — Sebastian Torres
- Meteorological R&D — Charles Kuster
- PAR Future — Kurt Hondl
Watch on YouTube (50:58) | Download video presentation slides
Live presentation slides:
- Phased Array Radar — Kurt Hondl
User-Centered Research Framework
Social and Behavioral Science — Kim Klockow-McClain
- Forecasting A Continuum of Environmental Threats — Kodi Berry
- Interweaving SBE Through all R2O — Kim Klockow-McClain
- Collaboration Efforts With NWS and Other Entities — Joseph Trujillo-Falcón
Watch on YouTube (33:37) | Download video presentation slides
Live presentation slides:
- User-Centered Framework, Social and Behavioral Science — Kim Klockow-McClain
Collaborative Research Environments — Alan Gerard
- Experimental Forecast Program — Adam Clark
- Experimental Warning Program — Kodi Berry
- Naturalistic Environment (Stakeholders in Ops) — Katie Wilson
- Year-round Partnerships — Heather Reeves
Watch on YouTube (41:26) | Download video presentation slides
Live presentation slides:
- Collaborative Research Environments — Alan Gerard
Forecast/Warning Tools and Techniques: RADAR
WSR-88D Science/Engineering R&D — Larry Hopper
- WSR-88D Upgrades and Radar Product Improvement — Terry Schurr
- Signal Processing Techniques — Chris Curtis
- Hydrometeor Classification and Winter Weather — Jacob Carlin
- Quantitative Precipitation Estimation — Alexander Ryzhkov
- Severe Weather Research— Jeffrey Snyder
- Linking Polarimetric Radar Observations and Numerical Models — Jeffrey Snyder
Watch on YouTube (65:35) | Download video presentation slides
Live presentation slides:
- WSR-88D Science — Larry Hopper
MRMS — Kenneth Howard
- MRMS Overview — Heather Grams
- MRMS Products and Operational Capabilities — Steven Martinaitis
- MRMS Scientific Research and Development — Jian Zhang
- MRMS Cloud — Anthony Reinhart
- Continuing R2O Success — Heather Grams
Watch on YouTube (37:38) | Download video presentation slides
Live presentation slides:
- Multi-Radar Multi-Sensor Science (MRMS) — Ken Howard
Day 3: November 18, 2021
Forecast/Warning Tools and Techniques: Probabilistic Forecast R&D
Observation-based severe convective tools — Travis Smith
- MYRORSS and AI/ML — Kiel Ortega
- Warning-scale Probabilistic Hazard Information — Kristin Calhoun
- PHI with NWS Core Partners — Holly Obermeier
- GLM/GOES-16 — Kristin Calhoun
- FLASH — J.J. Gourley
Watch on YouTube (50:41) | Download video presentation slides
Live presentation slides:
- Observation-based severe convective tools — Travis Smith
WoF — Patrick Burke
- Warn-on-Forecast System — WoFS Overview — Patrick Burke
- Scientific Research & Development — Lou Wicker
- High Performance Computing — Lou Wicker, Joshua Martin
- Post-processing and Verification — Patrick Skinner
- User Engagement and Case Examples — Katie Wilson
- Flash Floods/FLASH — Nusrat Yussouf
- Future Directions for WoFS — Patrick Burke
Watch on YouTube (66:12) | Download video presentation slides
Live presentation slides:
- Warn-on-Forecast — Patrick Burke
R2O/R2A Success Stories
R2O/R2A Success Stories — Alan Gerard
- NEXRAD/dual-pol
- MRMS/FLASH
- NSSL WRF and HREF Viewer and Probabilistic Forecast Guidance
- Updraft Helicity/Hourly Max Fields
- NSSL MP
- VORTEX-SE
Watch on YouTube (25:34) | Download video presentation slides
Live presentation slides:
- Multi-Themed R2O Success Stories — Alan Gerard
Supporting Documents
NSSL Documents
- NOAA National Severe Storms Laboratory Response to Panel Review Recommendations, 2024 Update
- NOAA National Severe Storms Laboratory Response to Panel Review Recommendations
- Summary Report of the Science Review of the NOAA National Severe Storm Laboratory, November 2021
- NSSL Draft Strategic Plan, 2021–2030
- NSSL Strategic Plan, 2015–2020
- NSSL Diversity & Inclusion Plan
- NSSL Charter, November 2021
- Phased Array Radar Report to Congress: Weather Radar Follow-on Plan
- Report to Congress: Tornado Warning Improvement and Extension Program Plan
- VORTEX-SE Science Assessment, 2020
Corporate Documents
- Department of Commerce Strategic Plan, 2018–2022
- NWS Strategic Plan, 2019–2022
- NOAA Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan, 2020–2024
- NOAA R&D Vision Areas, 2020–2026
- OAR Strategic Plan, 2020–2026
- OAR Implementation Plan, 2021–2026
- OAR Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA) Strategic Plan
- OAR Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA) Implementation Plan