SoM Senior Becomes Published Author

SoM Senior Becomes Published Author

Senior Ariel Jacobs is now a published author at the age of 20. Her paper is titled “The Effect of Climatological Variables on Future UAS-Based Atmospheric Profiling in the Lower Atmosphere”. The article examines how surface visibility, cloud base level (CBL) height, and wind speed impact the hypothetical success rates of weather observing unmanned aircraft systems (WxUAS) and their maximum heights reached.

This opportunity to write a published meteorological article was exciting for Jacobs.

“I did not expect to have this opportunity as an undergraduate student,” she said. “It was a great learning experience from the data analysis to the peer-review process. I decided to take the lead authorship position on the paper because I had done the majority of the analysis up until that point, and I wanted to gain experience writing the manuscript.”

Although Jacobs was the leader in this research, she had some help from a few familiar faces with the School of Meteorology.

“I collaborated with Tyler Bell, Brian Greene, and Dr. Phillip Chilson on the paper,” she said. “They have been great mentors throughout my time at CASS!”

Overall, she hopes that her research and results will help advance the studies of unmanned aircraft systems.

“With most scientific papers, it is a small step forward and provides insight into how different parameters affect the frequency and height the UAS can fly,” Jacobs said.

After graduation in Spring 2021, Jacobs plans to go to graduate school.

“I plan to attain a Ph.D. because I want to become a professor,” she said. “I am currently in the middle of applications for this cycle.”

Congratulations, Ariel! The School of Meteorology is proud of your big accomplishment!