Writing
Get to know me a little better.
My journey with meteorology
When I was eight, my dad took me to the beach to check the surf as a hurricane swept offshore. The wind whipped our faces while we stood there side by side, watching the iron gray clouds race over the ocean, the angry waves churning. We would not surf that day.
We had gone to the beach between squalls as Hurricane Irene, a particularly nasty Category 3 storm, passed just off our coast. Although my home was safe, I knew that Irene was devastating. Fascinated, I watched the hourly updates from the National Hurricane Center. I couldn’t have known it then, but that experience would change my life.
By the time I was in fifth grade, I knew historical details about hundreds of storms. I would run off the school bus and check the National Hurricane Center for updates, not just when there was a storm coming, but every day as a hobby. I discovered an interactive map that unlocked a new dimension to my interest: Instead of simply tracking the storms, I could decipher the factors that created them, and make my own predictions.
There is something satisfying - and terrifying - about watching all the variables come together to create a perfect, intensifying storm.
Simply put, I loved it. I still do.
That same year, I began to compete in science fairs with great success from the start, at one point placing in the top 300 nationwide. My competitive nature found an outlet to satisfy my curiosity about the way things work. But although I found a formula for winning awards, eventually it came at a cost. I began to do research on topics that I didn’t care about, just because I knew I could win. I was successful at science fairs and bored with science.
Then came my freshman year of high school. The research felt like a chore and my passion was nonexistent. My science research teacher bluntly told me, “Alex, you’re not going to win by continuing with this microbiology project you don’t care about. Research something that excites you.”
Those words hit me hard. For the first time, I took a step back to reflect on what I was doing. My teacher was right, I was not interested in microbiology. But if I tried something else, I might not win. And if I couldn’t win, what was the point? Then I realized, the point is not just to win awards, but to do something I enjoy. I could do research on meteorology, which I loved. And because I already knew so much about weather, I could actually solve real-world problems with my research.
I took a tactical risk and changed course, even though my competitive nature felt anxious about diving into the unknown. But I started to believe that meteorology could be more than just a hobby. I was passionate. I was engaged. Instead of feeling like a chore, the research felt fun.
In the years since, I’ve communicated with world-renowned experts. I learned how to use software to create sophisticated models that analyze satellite imagery. I’m currently programming a nine-variable hurricane wind speed model using a custom-designed equation, and I hope to be a published researcher by this time next year.
I’m still just as fascinated by the intensity, power, and beauty of hurricanes as I was on that stormy beach. But instead of just watching, I’m using my strength at research and my passion for weather to genuinely advance the field of meteorology, and to change the world.
We had gone to the beach between squalls as Hurricane Irene, a particularly nasty Category 3 storm, passed just off our coast. Although my home was safe, I knew that Irene was devastating. Fascinated, I watched the hourly updates from the National Hurricane Center. I couldn’t have known it then, but that experience would change my life.
By the time I was in fifth grade, I knew historical details about hundreds of storms. I would run off the school bus and check the National Hurricane Center for updates, not just when there was a storm coming, but every day as a hobby. I discovered an interactive map that unlocked a new dimension to my interest: Instead of simply tracking the storms, I could decipher the factors that created them, and make my own predictions.
There is something satisfying - and terrifying - about watching all the variables come together to create a perfect, intensifying storm.
Simply put, I loved it. I still do.
That same year, I began to compete in science fairs with great success from the start, at one point placing in the top 300 nationwide. My competitive nature found an outlet to satisfy my curiosity about the way things work. But although I found a formula for winning awards, eventually it came at a cost. I began to do research on topics that I didn’t care about, just because I knew I could win. I was successful at science fairs and bored with science.
Then came my freshman year of high school. The research felt like a chore and my passion was nonexistent. My science research teacher bluntly told me, “Alex, you’re not going to win by continuing with this microbiology project you don’t care about. Research something that excites you.”
Those words hit me hard. For the first time, I took a step back to reflect on what I was doing. My teacher was right, I was not interested in microbiology. But if I tried something else, I might not win. And if I couldn’t win, what was the point? Then I realized, the point is not just to win awards, but to do something I enjoy. I could do research on meteorology, which I loved. And because I already knew so much about weather, I could actually solve real-world problems with my research.
I took a tactical risk and changed course, even though my competitive nature felt anxious about diving into the unknown. But I started to believe that meteorology could be more than just a hobby. I was passionate. I was engaged. Instead of feeling like a chore, the research felt fun.
In the years since, I’ve communicated with world-renowned experts. I learned how to use software to create sophisticated models that analyze satellite imagery. I’m currently programming a nine-variable hurricane wind speed model using a custom-designed equation, and I hope to be a published researcher by this time next year.
I’m still just as fascinated by the intensity, power, and beauty of hurricanes as I was on that stormy beach. But instead of just watching, I’m using my strength at research and my passion for weather to genuinely advance the field of meteorology, and to change the world.
College and beyond
My long-term goal is to help improve people’s lives by advancing the field of meteorology. We see evidence daily that the world is facing greater threats from climate change. Advanced weather models based on machine learning, like the one I built for my award-winning 2021 research project on predictive modeling of tropical cyclone rapid intensification by analyzing convective patterns with convolutional neural networks, will become integral to our success as a global community.
The 2020 hurricane season was catastrophic for Central America and the Gulf Coast. In the United States, seven tropical cyclones that made landfall were classified as billion-dollar disasters, according to NOAA. Because the conditions that caused this hyperactivity will only become more frequent, my research holds the potential to help communities and save lives.
For the last 10 years I have studied and researched tropical weather systems to improve predictions. My interest in weather began when I was eight years old, when I first visited the National Hurricane Center website to learn about Hurricane Irene. Living on a barrier island on Florida’s Atlantic coast, I watched with fascination while Irene whipped our winds and battered our beaches. While some kids grew up following sports teams, I followed tropical cyclones and the hurricane seasons that affected my community.
My interest and subject knowledge in meteorology have grown over the past decade. I now communicate with scientific leaders in meteorology, read full NHC discussions, analyze factors that lead to storm development, and make my own predictions. I have pursued independent science research projects leading to my first-place win and Best-in-Fair Grand Award/Ying Scholar recognition 2021 State Science & Engineering Fair of Florida for my continuing research on tropical cyclones. My previous years’ research studied the interactions between tropical cyclones and the Saharan Air Layer and the El Nino/La Nina phenomenon. In my latest research project, I designed a predictive machine-learning model to assess the relationship between convective patterns and rapid intensification in hurricanes. In May 2021, I presented my research as a finalist at the Regeneron International Science & Engineering Fair (ISEF.)
My education in the atmospheric sciences will give me the opportunity to achieve my goals. I plan to pursue an undergraduate degree in tropical meteorology, with minors in computer science and either political science or communications. I believe that it is important not just to understand complex weather systems, but to be able to effectively communicate my research to others and influence policy in a meaningful way.
In college and in my professional career, I will create more adaptive weather models that respond to changing climate conditions, which will help communities enhance their hurricane awareness and preparedness. My research and my passion will be invaluable in preparing coastal communities for storms, helping to protect property and save lives.
The 2020 hurricane season was catastrophic for Central America and the Gulf Coast. In the United States, seven tropical cyclones that made landfall were classified as billion-dollar disasters, according to NOAA. Because the conditions that caused this hyperactivity will only become more frequent, my research holds the potential to help communities and save lives.
For the last 10 years I have studied and researched tropical weather systems to improve predictions. My interest in weather began when I was eight years old, when I first visited the National Hurricane Center website to learn about Hurricane Irene. Living on a barrier island on Florida’s Atlantic coast, I watched with fascination while Irene whipped our winds and battered our beaches. While some kids grew up following sports teams, I followed tropical cyclones and the hurricane seasons that affected my community.
My interest and subject knowledge in meteorology have grown over the past decade. I now communicate with scientific leaders in meteorology, read full NHC discussions, analyze factors that lead to storm development, and make my own predictions. I have pursued independent science research projects leading to my first-place win and Best-in-Fair Grand Award/Ying Scholar recognition 2021 State Science & Engineering Fair of Florida for my continuing research on tropical cyclones. My previous years’ research studied the interactions between tropical cyclones and the Saharan Air Layer and the El Nino/La Nina phenomenon. In my latest research project, I designed a predictive machine-learning model to assess the relationship between convective patterns and rapid intensification in hurricanes. In May 2021, I presented my research as a finalist at the Regeneron International Science & Engineering Fair (ISEF.)
My education in the atmospheric sciences will give me the opportunity to achieve my goals. I plan to pursue an undergraduate degree in tropical meteorology, with minors in computer science and either political science or communications. I believe that it is important not just to understand complex weather systems, but to be able to effectively communicate my research to others and influence policy in a meaningful way.
In college and in my professional career, I will create more adaptive weather models that respond to changing climate conditions, which will help communities enhance their hurricane awareness and preparedness. My research and my passion will be invaluable in preparing coastal communities for storms, helping to protect property and save lives.
A personal challenge
It took me a long time to learn how to motivate myself. For most of my educational career, learning came easily to me. Because I never had to work to understand things, I quickly grew bored of many of my classes.
I scored good grades, especially on tests. But as my homework grew more time consuming, I invested less in assignments that felt to me like busywork. For a while, I didn’t care because I mistakenly believed that understanding the material would be enough, and my test scores would carry me through.
The problem came when my grades started to slide. I could see what I was doing wasn’t working, but I didn’t want to change. For a few semesters, I tried sticking with my old habits while hoping for better results. Understandably, it didn’t work; It just led to stress and unhappiness.
The turning point came with my 2020 science research project on hurricane intensity. I became so engaged in my research that I didn’t want to stop working. I spent many hours learning to code, creating my aerosol-quantification and storm intensity models. And because I was interested in the topic, my study didn’t feel like work. A dormant pride in learning began to re-emerge.
That work ethic carried over into my other classes. My research kick-started a desire to do more than the minimum. After that, I turned from a slacker to a straight-A student, proud of my work and its impacts.
I scored good grades, especially on tests. But as my homework grew more time consuming, I invested less in assignments that felt to me like busywork. For a while, I didn’t care because I mistakenly believed that understanding the material would be enough, and my test scores would carry me through.
The problem came when my grades started to slide. I could see what I was doing wasn’t working, but I didn’t want to change. For a few semesters, I tried sticking with my old habits while hoping for better results. Understandably, it didn’t work; It just led to stress and unhappiness.
The turning point came with my 2020 science research project on hurricane intensity. I became so engaged in my research that I didn’t want to stop working. I spent many hours learning to code, creating my aerosol-quantification and storm intensity models. And because I was interested in the topic, my study didn’t feel like work. A dormant pride in learning began to re-emerge.
That work ethic carried over into my other classes. My research kick-started a desire to do more than the minimum. After that, I turned from a slacker to a straight-A student, proud of my work and its impacts.
Learning to reach out
In 2016, at age 13, I went to “college” for the first time as part of Duke University’s Talent Identification Program. Duke TIP is a three-week summer camp where gifted students study college-level courses.
It was my first extended trip without my parents, and the first time I had to make new friends from scratch. Naturally, I was scared at first. Everyone there was a stranger, connected only by our academic proficiency and curiosity about the world.
Before TIP, I stayed in the same circle of friends for years, and was uncomfortable reaching out to others. But from the first day at camp, I made personal connections with everyone I met. After saying goodbye to our parents, we were all just “first year TIPsters” sharing an experience. And by reaching out to new people, I started the process of opening up.
Soon my new friends and I talked about everything from music to books to celebrity news. Connecting gave me immeasurably improved confidence. Despite our differences, I felt close with everyone there - and still do. At TIP I learned to open up, express interest in others, listen to diverse perspectives, and value new people in my life.
The experience taught me flexibility. I’m now able to enter a situation and quickly connect with others, no matter our differences. I see parallels between TIP my future college experience, and believe I will again thrive in an environment full of interesting and diverse people.
It was my first extended trip without my parents, and the first time I had to make new friends from scratch. Naturally, I was scared at first. Everyone there was a stranger, connected only by our academic proficiency and curiosity about the world.
Before TIP, I stayed in the same circle of friends for years, and was uncomfortable reaching out to others. But from the first day at camp, I made personal connections with everyone I met. After saying goodbye to our parents, we were all just “first year TIPsters” sharing an experience. And by reaching out to new people, I started the process of opening up.
Soon my new friends and I talked about everything from music to books to celebrity news. Connecting gave me immeasurably improved confidence. Despite our differences, I felt close with everyone there - and still do. At TIP I learned to open up, express interest in others, listen to diverse perspectives, and value new people in my life.
The experience taught me flexibility. I’m now able to enter a situation and quickly connect with others, no matter our differences. I see parallels between TIP my future college experience, and believe I will again thrive in an environment full of interesting and diverse people.
Learning to learn
Through Duke TIP, I spent four summers at Wake Forest and Duke Universities, where I lived in dorm rooms and took daily college-level classes on business, political science, social science, climate change and creative writing. TIP prepared me to live away from home and develop independent social skills, and helped me connect with other high-performing students, friendships I maintain to this day.
Through my interest in science research, I have communicated with experts ranging from sand sculptors to professors of microbiology and meteorology. In fact, my first work on college campuses happened when I was in the fourth grade, working in Florida Tech’s photography darkroom, researching environmentally sustainable solar lighting. Later, I worked in Florida Tech’s microbiology lab with my first university mentor, Dr. Alan Leonard, who taught me proper lab safety techniques as well as in-depth microbiology knowledge. I have also taken classes and summer camps at Florida Tech on subjects ranging from marine biology to math, 3-D CAD modeling, and programming.
Most recently, I worked with meteorology and climate scientists across the country to improve tropical weather forecasting models. In many of these experiences, I worked with researchers I admire to produce scientific knowledge that helps other people.
Through my interest in science research, I have communicated with experts ranging from sand sculptors to professors of microbiology and meteorology. In fact, my first work on college campuses happened when I was in the fourth grade, working in Florida Tech’s photography darkroom, researching environmentally sustainable solar lighting. Later, I worked in Florida Tech’s microbiology lab with my first university mentor, Dr. Alan Leonard, who taught me proper lab safety techniques as well as in-depth microbiology knowledge. I have also taken classes and summer camps at Florida Tech on subjects ranging from marine biology to math, 3-D CAD modeling, and programming.
Most recently, I worked with meteorology and climate scientists across the country to improve tropical weather forecasting models. In many of these experiences, I worked with researchers I admire to produce scientific knowledge that helps other people.
Learning to lead
In the fall of 2019, my city launched a municipal youth council to promote civic engagement among high school students. I was intrigued by the opportunity to engage with local leaders and actually help my community. Before then, I’d seen various school clubs that had good intentions but faced setbacks accomplishing much, in part because of a lack of meaningful community partnerships. I felt this new youth council could be an emerging independent service group, driven by people my age, that could genuinely enact real change in my city.
I interviewed for a spot on the inaugural youth council, and was accepted. I quickly realized that I wanted to serve in a leadership role, and when the time came to select a chairman, I put my name in the race. Once again I was selected. It was my first time facing both the honor and the pressure of leading an influential service organization, and there was a learning curve.
Although I had many ideas, I soon found that being a leader isn’t about forcing everyone to follow one’s own agenda. Instead, a leader should make sure that everyone’s voice is heard and their talents are utilized. A leader works to further the interests of the group, not one’s self. It wasn’t easy to learn to give up my own agendas in favor of team collaboration to make things happen, but I learned to bring my team together. I became a stronger leader as a result. I was recently unanimously re-elected for a second term, showcasing the trust the council feels in me.
I interviewed for a spot on the inaugural youth council, and was accepted. I quickly realized that I wanted to serve in a leadership role, and when the time came to select a chairman, I put my name in the race. Once again I was selected. It was my first time facing both the honor and the pressure of leading an influential service organization, and there was a learning curve.
Although I had many ideas, I soon found that being a leader isn’t about forcing everyone to follow one’s own agenda. Instead, a leader should make sure that everyone’s voice is heard and their talents are utilized. A leader works to further the interests of the group, not one’s self. It wasn’t easy to learn to give up my own agendas in favor of team collaboration to make things happen, but I learned to bring my team together. I became a stronger leader as a result. I was recently unanimously re-elected for a second term, showcasing the trust the council feels in me.