My name is Dustin Williams. I grew up in North Carolina and attended the University of Oklahoma from 2002-2008, earning a B.S. in 2006 and an M.S. in 2008, both in Meteorology. I work for Atmospheric Technology Services Company, a Norman-based company, at the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site on Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands.

Kwajalein Atoll is located about halfway between Hawaii and Australia in the beautiful equatorial central Pacific. My day-to-day duties include taking hourly surface observations and issuing aviation and public weather forecasts and weather warnings for lightning and high winds. We use a McIDAS satellite system for POES and MTSAT data and have a dual-polarized Doppler S-band radar to support our programs and daily efforts. However, the most important and satisfying part of my job is providing weather support for the U.S. Army's role in missile testing and commercial satellite launches. As a mission meteorologist, I deliver weather forecasts and briefings for mission personnel and provide launch-day weather support inside our mission control center. It is an honor to serve my country in this capacity. Missions can be stressful, but I always have the atoll's white sandy beaches and crystal blue water to help me relax.

I cherish my time at the University of Oklahoma as a student in the School of Meteorology. The faculty and staff are of the highest caliber, with many being world-leading experts in their respective fields of study. They truly care for the education and well-being of their students. My time in the School of Meteorology helped me grasp the theoretical foundations of the science, as well as their practical application, and I use both every day as a forecaster. Being challenged academically helped me develop the work ethic and drive necessary to be successful at my job. In general, Norman is a great place to network and seek employment in the field, and a great college town. I miss it!

Alan Raymond completed his bachelor's degree from the School of Meteorology in May of 2007. In late 2007 Alan began his career as a broadcast meteorologist at the NBC affiliate in Amarillo, TX and has since moved on as the weekend meteorologist at WHNT News 19 in Huntsville, AL. As a meteorologist in the Huntsville market he is responsible for forecasting for all of northern Alabama and keeping the people of the Tennessee Valley safe during bouts of severe weather.

Most certainly being at OU and in the heart of "tornado alley" helped to prepare Alan for any forecast dilemma that mother nature could throw at him. He also says, "I received the absolute best education possible for my field of study and all of those long nights studying for dynamics exams were worth it." He continues with, "Attending the University of Oklahoma was the best experience of my life and by far one of the best decisions that I've ever made. The courses taught at the School of Meteorology helped cultivate a strong work ethic and discipline, which I'm sure will take me far in my career aspirations." Alan also says that the OU community will always feel like home and he tries to visit as often as possible.

My name is Michelle Ganson and I am a Forensic Meteorologist for Weather Decision Technologies, located in Norman, OK. My daily responsibilities include analyzing severe weather events, primarily hail and snow events, along with assisting in the analysis of lightning, wind, tornado, and hurricane events. The University of Oklahoma School of Meteorology curriculum combines theoretical, analytical, and applied studies to educate its students in a wide range of topics. The knowledge that I gained from the meteorology program at OU helps me feel confident in my daily responsibilities at work.