ATMOS ANNOUNCES NEW ENDOWMENTS

JEAN M. CANNON AND KEN J. PARKER SCHOLARSHIP

“After Jean’s passing, I was looking for ways to celebrate her legacy,” says Ken Parker, BS’74 meteorology, of his deceased wife. The Cannon/ Parker Scholarship is a tribute to two “meteorology undergraduates [who] met and over the next four decades came to understand that each shared the same intense interest and wonder about Earth sciences and the same passion for education.” Following graduation from the U, Ken spent 32 years with the National Weather Service, serving in a wide range of positions from agricultural and aviation meteorologist to senior forecaster and meteorologist-in-charge. At the same time Jean, BS’75 meteorology, pursued a 22-year career as a meteorologist in the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Air Force Reserves where she made the rank of major, followed by positions at numerous aerospace companies. In the end, however, Jean went back to her first love of teaching, this time for 15 years in classrooms made up of middle school students. (She also taught as an adjunct at Boise State University for two decades.)

“What better way to continue this love of Earth sciences and education than the formation of … a scholarship for a U undergraduate meteorology student who is also passionate about those same studies?” says Parker. The scholarship will be awarded annually, based on financial need and academic merit, to one or more undergraduate students pursuing a degree offered through Atmos.

MASSEY FAMILY ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY ENDOWMENT

Jeff, PhD’15 atmospheric sciences, and Courtney Massey, MS'15 mathematics, created the Massey Family Atmospheric Science Technology Endowment to increase student exposure to data science applications in the atmospheric sciences. Their gift achieves this through an endowment to fund awards to graduate students for demonstrable contributions that advance broadly defined data science applications in the atmospheric sciences.

“During my career as a private sector atmospheric scientist,” says Jeff, “I discovered how powerful and valuable skills in computer programming, artificial intelligence, statistical model development, and cloud computing are when coupled with core atmospheric science knowledge. … We know the University of Utah’s Department of Atmospheric Sciences can be a leader in this space, and its students can help develop the technologies of tomorrow.” <

Learn more about how to support the Department of Atmospheric Sciences through an endowed scholarship or other vehicle. Contact TJ McMullin at travis.mcmullin@utah.edu.