Amanda Bowden is a second-year PhD student in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences at CU Boulder studying the Madden-Julian Oscillation, a tropical weather disturbance of clouds, rainfall, winds, and pressure. Bowden is a Department of Energy Computational Science Graduate Fellow — and last summer, her fellowship took her to the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, where she studied atmospheric rivers. In 2019, Bowden worked as a Pathways Student Trainee for the National Weather Service in Guam. She believes that “you should give every experience a chance to determine if this is your niche or not.” And the title of her autobiography would be “Tales of a Weather Weenie.”

Humans of CIRES Q&A

Q: What is your role at CIRES?

I am a second-year PhD student at CU Boulder, advised by Kris Karnauskas and funded by the Department of Energy Computational Science Graduate Fellowship. My PhD research focus is to evaluate how Madden-Julian Oscillation activity will change in a future climate and how it impacts atmospheric rivers and tropical cyclones.

Q: Tell us about your fellowship.

Recently, I was awarded the Department of Energy Computational Science Graduate Fellowship. The benefits include pursuing my own research topic at an institution of my choice, interning at multiple DOE facilities throughout my graduate studies, and funding for conference travel. This summer, I interned at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab with a research focus on the intensity of atmospheric rivers.

Q: Where is the most exciting place you’ve traveled to for your research/job?

I traveled to Guam in the summer of 2019 for my seminal research experience. I wrote forecast discussions, attended meetings with other Pacific Islands Stations, and modified the Fire Danger Rating System as a Pathways Student Trainee for the National Weather Service forecast office in Guam. This internship allowed me to participate in multinational collaborations to improve weather prediction and create a modified scale for fire weather prediction, which is now used by the Guam Forestry Department.

Q: Best advice someone’s given you?

“You should always try to take new opportunities when you can.” You should give every experience a chance to determine if this is your niche or not. When you do take a chance on that opportunity, you should put all your energy into doing well and going above the standards for the job. This can help build connections with other researchers and mentors, which will have long-term effects on future job opportunities in the field.

Q: What would the title of your autobiography be?

Tales of a Weather Weenie