Maria Zatko's weather forecast for the second week of January was sunny and 70 degrees.
Zatko, president of the Penn State Branch of the American Meteorological Society (PSUBAMS), joined the club on its trip to Phoenix on Jan. 7 to attend the annual American Meteorological Society Student Conference.
"We almost didn't want to come back," Zatko (senior-meteorology) said of the trip.
PSUBAMS, a club at Penn State with almost 90 members, provides networking and learning opportunities for those hoping to continue their studies in meteorology. More than 30 of its members attended the trip to Phoenix, marking the largest Penn State representation at an AMS conference.
"[The club] really opens your eyes for various opportunities," Kevin Bowley (senior-meteorology) said. "It's a résumé builder, and it's a jump-start for whatever career you want."
During the AMS conference, members attended lectures and exhibitions and also participated in group activities with other students from across the country.
Chris Nowotarski, vice president of the club, said the networking aspect helps members tap into resources for anyone interested in a career involving weather.
"Our goal is to expose members to what's out there," Nowotarski (senior-meteorology) said.
The club frequently hosts speakers, including professional meteorologists and professors, at its meetings. Bowley said the speakers present information to PSUBAMS members about what it's really like to be a meteorologist.
"When you tell people you're a meteorologist, they're always like, 'Oh, so you must be on TV,' " he said. "But being a weatherman is a pretty small fraction of what's out there."
The club's conference trip was sponsored by the University Park Allocation Committee, but PSUBAMS also finds ways to raise its own money. One fundraiser Zatko said is especially popular is a weather calendar photo contest in which members take photographs of "weather phenomena" that are published in the calendars they sell.
Zatko said she is especially excited for PSUBAMS's next main event in April, when club members will hold a conference for elementary and middle school students.
The club meets in its "weather station," a room in the Walker Building that has been newly renovated. Zatko encourages others to drop in and see what the club has to offer.
"Just start attending the meetings, and if you're a little unsure about which path you're going, we'll solidify that here," she said.
After its trip to Phoenix, the club is starting to plan a trip to Atlanta for the next conference.
"It gives you the opportunity to see classmates out of class," Bowley said. "And you also get to have fun while learning."
