Russell Danielson

I have been interested in meteorology since I can first remember. I recall watching it snow with my Mom on school nights hoping that it would accumulate enough for school to be cancelled. Events like the flooding from the remnants of hurricane Gustav in 2008, the groundhog day blizzard of 2011, the tornadoes of November 17, 2013, and the double derecho of June 30, 2014 have captured my interest in the recent past fueling my interest to become an operational meteorologist. In May of 2015, I graduated from Valparaiso University with a B.S. in meteorology. While studying at Valparaiso I captivated my curiosity in the weather by participating in many storm chasing trips including 4 eleven day trips that ventured to the Central Plains to states like Texas and all the way to Montana. During my senior year I was elected the director of the Storm Intercept Team and gained valuable leadership experience while leading the storm chase trips. During my time at Valparaiso, I had two great internships that furthered my fascination in the field of meteorology and confirmed my beliefs in wanting a job in the field. The first was at a private forecast company in Palatine, IL called Weathercommand where they perform many of the same duties as they do here at Innovative Weather, including live radio broadcasts and forecasts for major league baseball teams. The second was at the National Weather Service Chicago office where I completed multiple research projects, most notably on the value of aviation forecasts. With the help of the later, I was able to secure a Pathways internship with the National Weather Service Albuquerque office that will likely lead to a full time position as a National Weather Service employee. My interest in areas other than weather include playing and watching sports. I am a die-hard Cubs, Bears, and Bulls fan as well as a huge Valparaiso University basketball fan.