Principal Investigator :: Redina Herman
Where :: Western Illinois University, Department of Geography
When :: 16 September - 4 October 2013
Facility :: Doppler on Wheels (DOW)
The Doppler on Wheels (DOW) was deployed to Western Illinois University (WIU) from September 16 to October 4, 2013. The DOW was used as part of the PI Redina Herman’s GEOG 300: Principles of Meteorological Instrumentation course, which had an enrollment of 19 undergraduate Meteorology majors, ranging from Sophomores to Seniors. There were 9 field deployments to various sites in west-central Illinois. In addition to student projects in the weather instruments course, the DOW was also involved in 7 outreach events for the community and local schools.
Educational Objectives
This was the first opportunity that the Meteorology program at WIU had to use a large piece of research equipment such as the DOW. Both current and former students were very excited to get the opportunity! The primary objective for the DOW deployment was to enhance instruction in the Meteorology program at WIU. The secondary objective was to use the DOW for outreach when it was not being used for courses in the Meteorology program.
The DOW was used to enhance instruction in the Meteorology program in numerous ways. All of our current Meteorology undergraduate and Geography graduate students(some of whom are former Meteorology undergraduate students) had the opportunity to tour the DOW and receive training. A few of our former students, one driving 6 hours, made a trip back to WIU to see the DOW. Our department also has a discipline-‐specific student organization called the Severe Weather Club, with about 30 members. The Severe Weather Club toured the DOW. Th following courses, taught as part of the Meteorology program, toured the DOW:
Sept. 16, 2013: Department of Geography course tours of the DOW
Sept. 17, 2013: Department of Geography course tours of the DOW
The DOW was directly incorporating into the Principles of Meteorological Instrumentation course. The use of the DOW in the Instruments course had several goals: (1) introduce students to the operation of a research radar, (2) plan and carry out a field project, including scanning strategy, site selection and flexibility while in the field, and (3) visualize radar data using SOLO3 and interpret the data to gain insight into the observed phenomena. Since this is an instruments class, the course material focused on instrument issues rather than an in-depth look at the radar operations.
In addition to enhancing the Instruments course, the DOW campaign also provided data for future student research projects. Several students from the weather instruments course have expressed an interest in continuing their data analysis and using project results in their Senior Thesis. Two student groups are presenting their findings at our Undergraduate Research Day in April 2014. One student group is presenting results at the 2014 Central Iowa National Weather Association Severe Weather and Doppler Radar conference at the end of March 2014. The data will also be used in the GEOG 333: Meteorological Data Analysis and Visualization course.
The second objective for the DOW visit was educational outreach. Our goal was to have the DOW doing outreach when it was not being used by students in the instruments course. The DOW visited four local schools where students from junior high and high school learned about the DOW. There were also two multi-county community events (Conservation Day and Farm Safety Day) taking place during the DOW’s visit to WIU. Students from WIU’s Severe Weather Club accompanied the DOW technician to these events and talked to 4th and 5th grade students about the radar and weather awareness. Western Illinois University and the Department of Geography also sponsored a presentation by Karen Kosiba (Thanks Karen!) that was advertised on local television stations and newspapers and open to the community. The DOW was available after the presentation for members of the community to tour. Numerous news articles, both on air and in print, were also written about the DOW while it was at WIU.
>> Download the WIUDOW Facility Request
>> Download the WIUDOW Final Report
