![](https://uwm.edu/innovativeweather/wp-content/uploads/sites/619/2023/01/20220923_TCF_SFS_8354.jpg)
Andrew Parkinson
- Alumni
I’ve been interested in meteorology for a long time, partly due to a lifelong interested in aviation, and as a lover of nature. I chose to attend UWM to study climate change and weather forecasting, and the Innovative Weather center is a tremendous opportunity to kick-start a career in the field. After completing my degree I hope to work for the National Weather Service as an operational forecaster! I grew up in Evanston, Illinois. I received my Bachelor of Science from Illinois State University in Economics and Political Science. I then went on to join the U.S. Navy, where I served on-board the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis, and deployed to Italy, Turkey, Bahrain, and Qatar. I enjoy the outdoors, Lake Michigan, hiking, biking and am a certified SCUBA diver.