1,200 Volunteers Power Weather Science Breakthroughs

Behind every weather forecast and climate breakthrough, volunteers are making it happen.

The American Meteorological Society relies on over 1,200 volunteer leaders who organize scientific conferences, review cutting-edge research, and advance weather technology that protects communities. Hundreds more serve as journal editors, with thousands reviewing peer-submitted studies that shape how we understand and predict weather patterns.

Clark Evans leads the Scientific and Technological Activities Commission, where volunteers work across specialties from agricultural meteorology to severe weather forecasting. These scientists donate their expertise to organize major conferences, evaluate award nominations, and contribute to the authoritative AMS Glossary of Meteorology that professionals worldwide depend on.

"So much of what you do requires a ton of behind-the-scenes work that doesn't get the notice it deserves," Evans told his volunteer teams during April's Volunteer Month celebration. He credits volunteers with advancing science, growing communities, and representing the profession with distinction.

Tanja Fransen oversees the Commission on the Weather, Water, and Climate Enterprise, coordinating 4 boards and 22 committees. Her volunteers reach across organizational boundaries to tackle society's biggest challenges, from wildfire weather to ecological forecasting and disaster resilience.

One standout example: the Engineering Resilient Communities group partnered with the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety to teach homeowners practical ways to protect their properties from disasters. The Water Resources Committee collaborates with civil engineers to solve critical infrastructure challenges.

These volunteers also draft influential policy statements on weather safety, climate services, and emerging issues like ethics in artificial intelligence. During the COVID pandemic, they helped communities understand safe sheltering during severe weather when traditional approaches needed rethinking.

The Ripple Effect

The impact extends far beyond weather science. Volunteers are training the next generation of meteorologists, fostering connections between government agencies, universities, and private weather companies, and ensuring life-saving information reaches vulnerable communities faster.

Fransen's journey shows how volunteer opportunities multiply. She started by helping plan one conference, joined the Emergency Management Committee, eventually chaired it, and now serves as a commissioner shaping the entire field.

"The people you meet are those you looked up to when you began your education and career, and they become your colleagues and even better, your friends," Fransen shared.

Evans emphasizes that volunteering repays the investments others made in developing today's scientists while strengthening the entire profession. The AMS structure allows good ideas from individual volunteers to bubble up and create meaningful change across the entire society.

From reviewing tomorrow's breakthrough research to organizing conferences where scientists collaborate on climate solutions, these volunteers prove that expertise shared freely makes everyone safer.