March 29, 2024

Meteorology student group wins multiple national awards

AMES — Jacob Vos, of Newton, was among the students in the Iowa State University chapter of the American Meteorological Society (AMS), which was recently named Outstanding Student Chapter of the Year by the national organization for its innovative efforts to support membership, member growth and for their contributions to the community through educational outreach, fundraising and events for K-12 students.

This is the fifth time they have received the award in the past 13 years. They were recognized at the 98th AMS Annual Meeting in Austin, Texas in January. The students earned additional honors securing first place for their local chapter poster. The poster showed the chapter’s activities over the past year including photos from social events, outreach events, and fundraising initiatives.

The 56-member club visits schools throughout central Iowa on a weekly basis to give presentations on topics such as weather safety, precipitation, cloud types, and more. In addition to the weekly class visits, club members participate in Science Nights throughout the Ames school district. The club is always adding new activities for these events.
The club also holds an annual AMS Science Fair for first through fifth grade students. Weather-themed projects are not the only type appearing here, as club members encourage projects in STEM fields.

“We think of them as so much more than just a club,” said Dave Flory, senior lecturer in geological and atmospheric sciences and one of the advisers for the chapter.

“They have developed a strong national reputation after winning the Outstanding Student Chapter of the Year award five times. Employers in the field are aware of our chapter and expect our graduates to have been a part of it. They are a dynamic, extremely active group, that reflects the level of students we get in the meteorology program.”