Abstract: Urban spaces affect weather, climate, and environmental processes in many ways. The urban heat island and air pollution are familiar examples of how cities affect atmospheric processes. However, urbanization has also been shown to have an impact on the hydrological cycle. Flooding associated with increased runoff is a rather intuitive effect, but several decades of research have revealed that cities can initiate or enhance rainstorms. Dr. Shepherd will discuss his two decades of research on that topic and some recent findings related to the question, "Can Cities Make It Rain?" For his contributions on what he has called "the Urban Rainfall Effect," Dr. Shepherd received the 2004 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers from President George W. Bush and the AMS Helmut Landsberg Award.
Bio: Dr. J. Marshall Shepherd is a leading international expert in weather and climate and is the Georgia Athletic Association Distinguished Professor of Geography and Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Georgia. Dr. Shepherd received the 2004 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers from President George W. Bush. Dr. Shepherd was the 2013 President of American Meteorological Society (AMS). Dr. Shepherd is also the host of The Weather Channel’s Award-Winning Sunday talk show Weather Geeks, a pioneering Sunday talk podcast/show and a contributor to Forbes Magazine. Dr. Shepherd is the 2018 recipient of the prestigious AMS Helmut Landsberg Award for pioneering and significant work in urban climate and in 2017, he was honored with the AMS Brooks Award, a high honor within the field of meteorology.
Please join us and see: https://geography.indiana.edu/news-events/colloquium-series/index.html for a complete schedule.
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