The SGA is looking to fill executive positions for the 2017-2018 academic year! Drop off your application at the SACD box on door 169 in the SGA office or send it as an email to nmt.sga.sab@gmail.com. This is your last chance to submit an application for an exec-utive position. However, chairs will begin hiring staff for their departments over the summer and next fall, so stay posted for more opportunities. Positions to be filled:Paydirt Editor-in-ChiefStudent Activities Chair DirectorStudent Activities Fall & Spring ChairsStudent Activities Advertising ChairChief Financial OfficerAssistant Financial OfficerStudent Activities Technical Director

Now Hiring!

Paydirt Staff:Editor-in-Chief: Alan GrossLayout Editor: Allie ArningJournalism & Photography: Melba Tajallieh Aguilar, Dennis Trujillo, Joseph ApodacaGraphic Design: Garrett MasseyHonorary Staff Member: Seth Price

Special Thanks to Student and University Relations

Community Event Calendar

Graduation ............................................................. Sat. 5/13

Crane Run .............................................................. Fri. 4/28

PAS: Leela Gilday .................................................. Fri. 4/28

For more details on events check out: socorronm.org and nmt.edu.

Fine Arts Show & Sale ......................................Thurs. 4/27

Finals .........................................................Sat. - Fri 5/6 - 12

NUDE CAT you? No. NUDE CAT ME. Aren't all cats nude? Or is it specifically hairless cats? West Hall is home of many great and mysterious inscriptions. Due to the location, maybe this is a porn thing? A quick Google search of "nude cat" reveals some disturbingly raunchy stuff, including an entire genre of "adult feline" books. The full inscription reads "NUDE CAT MEOW," but somehow that seemed too obvious. We prefer to think of an enthusiastic dorm dweller dreaming of being drawn like a French female feline.

Sidewalk Sightings

Paydirt

April 26, 2017Final Issue

Looking Up

You probably didn't ask for it, but we made it

anyway! Introducing NMT's very own expansion pack for Cards Against Humanity: a gut-wrenchingly entertaining game for techies that will help you satirize and cope with ev-erything about Tech life from the mundane to the taboo.

The cards will go on sale on nmtpaydirt.com and at the Paydirt office before the end of the school year. We're selling them at cost for our printing expenses, which should be about $10 for each 120 card deck.

We're also giving away 3 of our first edition decks of the game, so go to nmtpaydirt.com/rewards to enter in the raffle if you haven't already!

Cards AgainstNMTAn awkward gatherings game for horrible techies.

We're giving away 3 decks of our Cards Against NMT expansion pack! Check the back cover for details.

Cards AgainstNMTAn awkward gatherings game for horrible techies.

The vultures have been seen circling over campus again. That means only one thing: the semester is drawing to a close here at NMT. With only a few weeks

left in the semester, we have seen freshmen dropping like flies only to be carried off by the aforementioned vultures. Oh, and don’t worry about the political situation throughout America and the world. It’s not like there is a potential for World War 3 to happen any time soon; funding for higher education wasn’t just cut entirely by the state of New Mexico; and absolutely don’t think about tuition increasing by a minimum of 5% and possibly up to 22% this upcoming semester. The hysterical laughs of the students can be heard down the hallways and corridors of NMT. Whether these are sounds of joy or pain remain to be seen. We know that finals are upon us as our classes fill up with students we haven’t seen all semester, and somehow they all ask the same questions. Will there be extra credit? Will there be a curve? Low and behold, except for those students who know of the Ghosh Constant, there is little hope. RAs have been required to pass out applications to the remaining freshman for McDonald's, Burger King, and UNM. The seniors have been hit with a bad case of senioritis and walk around campus with a thousand-yard-stare muttering to themselves, “just a few more days,” while fending off the vultures looking to swoop in and make a meal of them. We here at Paydirt have been able to bring to you some of the final words of one NMT student who silently slipped off to UNM in the night. “As each day passes by, I reflect on all the procrastinating that I have done throughout the semester and wonder why, why did I save all of my homework for the last two weeks? As I silently cry to myself and adjust my Pikachu onesie, I continue to binge watch Smallville and tell myself, ‘I still have time’.“ This reportedly came from one of the walls in West Hall. Professors and students alike are feeling the pressure as the end of the semester looms ever closer. Students report professors dawning gray capes, growing out long flowing white beards, and ordering long pointy hats, all in preparation for finals week. A student, who did not wish to be named (but with the initials A.G.), reportedly heard professors practicing their end of the year lectures, the most ominous of course being four simple words. YOU SHALL NOT PASS! There is still between 25%-50% of your grade left up in the air. For those of you who have As (if you exist) must be feeling pretty good right about now; everybody else, however, better buckle down, pick up some old issues of Paydirt, and figure out how to survive finals week. Here is a quick list. 1. Don’t procrastinate (oops, too late!); 2. Get enough sleep (HAHAHA! Not going to happen!); 3. Eat healthy food (what do you mean, ‘Red bull isn’t healthy’?!). Try to distress as much as you can (I mean de-stress) and remember that it’s never too late to visit the OSL.

Dennis Trujillo

The End is Nigh...(satire)

VISIT US ON FACEBOOK @skeenlibrary AND ON OUR HOME PAGE: http://infohost.nmt.edu/~nmtlib/

EMRTC (Energetic Materials Research Testing Center) allows students to work in real-world engineering scenarios. It teaches students something professors cannot do within

their ability in the classroom. By allowing students to work alongside engineers, they can gain a realistic view of engineering applications. As well as working with engineers, one can work with experienced technicians that have refined skills in the operation of heavy machinery. The engineers and experienced workers at EMRTC always look for the safest and most cost-effective methods of testing explosives and privately owned equipment. EMRTC is also known for the First Responder Training Program, which provides training to our nation's first responders to help them effectively mitigate crisis events involving explosives. The First Responder Program regularly meets at Macey Center to attend courses on appropriately dealing with terrorist threats. I personally began working at EMRTC in the Purchasing department. Working in Purchasing kept me busy and allowed for a good stepping stone into other departments. As I became accustomed to working in Purchasing and making paperwork my best friend, I applied to work in Ordnance. Ordnance has allowed me to work alongside the engineers and veteran ordnance members and assist in setup and cleanup on a test site. EMRTC has also worked previously alongside Sandia in ensuring the U.S. nuclear arsenal is safe, secure, reliable, and can fully support our nation's nuclear deterrence policy. All in all, working at EMRTC allows me to gain experience in collaborating with engineers on hands-on projects that will one day help me to be a well-rounded and safety-oriented engineer.

Joe Apodaca

Explosive Student Careers

For the first year I was at Tech, I didn’t even know that we had a student newspaper; not a single issue

had been printed for years. There is no denying that we live in an age of declining print media. At a small school like NMT, where no English or Journalism majors exist, it would seem that the task of maintaining a sustainable student newspaper would be next to impossible; however, it is something that Tech students have found the time and patience to do for over half a century. Paydirt, like 49ers or midnight breakfast, is one of those distinctly quirky techie traditions that, love it or hate it, helps to forge the culture of our amazing little school. A lot has happened at Tech since it was founded 128 years ago, and the deeper you dig into its past, the more amazing (and generally NSFW) the stories become. The Paydirt office is full of archives and articles spanning back to before the 1980s; some document the dedications of new buildings around campus, while others are more bizarre. We discovered one CD at Paydirt from the 1990s christened “Chocolate Ass” that features a horde of scantily clad ladies wrestling in what appears to be melted chocolate in the SAC. The moral of the story is that Tech has always been a weird place, so be proud to be a bit weird. That’s part of what it means to be a techie. With that being said, Paydirt is your newspaper. It documents your stories and cultural quirks that future generations will be able to look back on and understand what it means to be a techie. As most of this year’s Paydirt team plans to graduate or move on, I challenge you to keep the paper as a part of your communal identity at Tech. As our Layout Editor, Allie Arning, eloquently stated, the experience of being able to captivate and unite both student life and the Socorro community has been one of the most rewarding aspects of working at Paydirt. Our mission has always been to provide news and entertainment for as many Tech students as possible. It hasn’t always been perfect, but we refused to let Paydirt be anything less than authentically techie. Now, Paydirt is waiting for you to tell your story.

Sincerely,Alan Gross

Letter From the Editor... The library is a place that all techies come to know well in our time here at Tech, but there is a vast reserve of resources at the

library that you may not know about. Elizabeth Lyons, the Head of Circulation and Interlibrary Loan Services here at NMT’s Joseph R. Skeen Library, has graciously answered some questions that will help us all cram more effectively during finals week. Q1: What is one library resource that students are currently un-derutilizing, and what should they do to make better use of that resource?

Print and digital resources are definitely underutilized. Google and Amazon are good, but more often than not we have exactly what you're looking for and it's FREE! Many of these resources can be accessed at infohost.nmt.edu/~nmtlib/. If you have any ques-tions, call 505-835-5614, email nmtlib@gmail.com, or stop by the circulation desk.

Q2: In terms of student outreach, what is the library's primary goal?

We see the library as an advocate for student success. Our primary goal is to ensure that students have all the resources needed to do scholarly work that is credible, comprehensive and innovative.

Q3: What's coming up at the library? Are there any big plans or changes set to take place in the next year?

Dr. David Cox, a life-long learner who is genuinely interested in establishing the library as the center of research, scholarship, and student achievement, has been selected as Skeen Library's new di-rector. We are looking forward to the exciting changes that are sure to follow. We will also be hosting our 7th Annual Mini Golf Tournament during the weekend of Fall Orientation. Please stop by for a couple rounds and a chance to have your picture on "The Clench," our highly coveted top prize.

Q4: Where do you find such good coffee?Our coffee supplier is Grounds for Change. They are a small or-ganic coffee company out of the Pacific Northwest. The library has been ordering coffee from them for over 5 years, much to the de-light of our patrons.

Elizabeth went on to say that “Whether you need assistance with a project, help locating resources or just a quiet place to study on your own or as a group, the library is here for you.”Dennis Trujillo & Alan Gross

Get Your Study On: Success at the Library

Skeen Library BiblioGraphicHow are YOU using Skeen Library?

Amazing NMT: The VLASunday, late afternoon. Tyler had just awoken in a Monster energy

fueled cold-sweat from a perfectly lackluster night of Call of Duty and impulsive Facebook messages to the pretty girls from his junior high class of 2006. The evening sun cut through the crumpled blinds and fell upon the open incognito tab displaying the pornography from the previous evening’s conclusion. He took a humbly appreciative moment to gaze at the screen before closing the Metallica-sticker-covered MacBook he held custody over every Tuesday, Thursday, and alternating weekends with his ex-roommate Brett. He peeled away his damp sleeping beany and replaced it with the more fashionable springtime/times-when-he-couldn’t-find-the-sleeping-beany cousin. Loose papers feathered to the linoleum as he erratically yanked his unzipped backpack onto his left shoulder, stepped into the cloud of fresh body spray, grasped the rusting axle of his longboard, and set out into the breeze. Tyler felt the hairs on his arms rise as the tiny rubber wheels glided over the wet concrete. Oh the sensation which overcame his heart and loins, as he feigned unawareness towards the presence of pedestrians, before suddenly bending knee and back to quickly swerve out of the collision. How foolish they looked with their gaping mouths and flabbergasted eyes, petrified by the conundrum of dodging left or right. He yearned to yank bicyclists from their wedgy thrones and shake them, spitting and howling; “You fool! You know not what it is to feel so alive!” Yet, there was a simple satisfaction in a mere smirk, catching the pompous breeze from that comical metal pony. On and on he went, wistfully parading through the campus, with neither care nor destination. Suddenly, his legs stiffened; his spine tensed. For, budding in his superstunner glistening line-of-sight, was the hum and rumble of an oncoming longboardist. He tried desperately to organize his

expression into one of superior indifference, but the more his mind raced, the more control he lost of his body. He felt the wheels begin to wobble, the board begin to serpentine back and forth. The foe approached. Tyler couldn’t help but envy the color composition of his tank top and the contrast between the white and bright red portion of his Vans sneakers. How could his counterpart have maintained such poise? While Tyler hurdled, the oncomer merely floated towards him. As their eyes met, Tyler was shocked to feel his tension release. His legs slackened and his face relaxed. Tyler was even subconsciously prompted to give one of his signature half-smiles. And in his bliss, Tyler neglected the dedicated concentration essential to the control of his hotdog reminiscent steed. His heart stopped as the left-front wheel jammed and sent him immediately careening off the bow. A lifetime passed, before his right cheek made a squelchy thud across the clammy thigh of the oncomer. Both men collapsed to the pavement. Tyler collected himself and his eyes began to focus on the really-quite-small pebble wedged beneath his wheel. He felt a firm, yet soothing pressure on his chest and raised his eyes to inspect his situation. Again, Tyler’s heart jumped. Their eyes met as his wipe-out mate slurped the drool precariously hovering over Tyler’s beating chest. They shared a playful giggle and hesitated before shakily rising to their feet. How tender the touch of this stranger’s unkempt hair. How playful the poke of goatee stubble. Their eyes met once more. They laughed as they broke the gaze in perfect synchronicity. Warmth overcame Tyler. Warmth like he had never fathomed.

“No homo,” said Tyler.“No homo,” said the oncomer.

Seth FrederickTyle

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Deep in the New Mexican desert an hour west of Tech, a flock of silent mechanical

beasts slowly turn their heads in the turbulent wind. Even the largest bull grazing nearby looks like an ant in comparison to the 27 radio antennas, which weigh in at 230 tons each. The Very Large Array (VLA) is a radio interferometer operated by the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) office on the NMT campus. For nearly 40 years, the VLA has been a centerpiece to the field of astronomy in the state of New Mexico, utilizing some ingenious modern science to capture high resolution data from the cosmos. Capturing precise data from astronomical bodies far away has always been tricky with conventional telescopes. Distortion from the Earth’s atmosphere and obstacles in space, combined with the difficulty of focusing on objects so far away, can easily lead to a uselessly blurry or incomplete image on the astronomer's end of the telescope. Enter genius 19th century physicists Albert Michelson and Edward Morley. They devised a technique to detect a proposed “aether” that was thought to be the medium through which light traveled. This was to be done by splitting a light source into two beams of light with a special piece of glass and bouncing both beams off of mirrors back towards the beam splitting glass. The two beams were then recombined within the beam splitter and projected onto a viewing surface. While the experiment failed to support the existence of aether, it was found to be a very useful tool to measure the interference between beams of light and even detect very small displacements in a target object. The interferometer was re-adapted for astronomy within a few years from the original experiment. Since then,

interferometers have been used as a vital tool for observing microscopic objects, astronomical bodies, and even gravitational waves. However, the VLA is obviously pretty different from the original Michelson-Morley interferometer. How does the VLA work and why is it different from a conventional single telescope? To understand this, we first have to discuss aperture. An aperture is an opening through which light or other types of electromagnetic radiation travels, usually into an optical sensor like a camera or an eye. Changing the size of an aperture affects both how much light gets through and how focused that light is, which is why you might be able to see better when you squint your eyes. In terms of optical telescopes, the larger their apertures, the better their angular resolution (clarity of small and distant objects) becomes. This rule applies to radio telescopes as well, but the wavelengths of the radio waves that astronomers want to detect are about 1,000 times longer than visible light. This means that a much bigger opening/aperture is needed to collect these radio waves at a similar angular resolution as an optical telescope - so big that a single radio antenna with the same angular resolution as the Hubble Space Telescope would need to be nearly 22 football fields long!

However, using interferometer technology and a lot of math, astronomers and astrophysicists can “cheat” by making a giant virtual radio antenna out of a bunch of precisely positioned smaller antennas. The further apart these individual antennas are spaced, the greater their aperture and angular resolution become. The VLA antennas are placed on a “Y” shaped track system that allows for the aperture configuration to be changed for the best resolution and sensitivity for the object being observed. Since the antennas are all positioned in different spots, any given radio wave will also hit them at slightly different times. The data from each of these antennas is then merged together, like in the Michelson-Morley interferometer, resulting in an interference pattern that can be mathematically processed to find the angle and distance from the wave source and create a map of the object being observed. Some arrays similar to the VLA even use antennas spaced all around the world and use the rotation of the Earth as a method to collect data from many different positions. The VLA is a crucial tool crucial for research being done by astronomers around the world and is truly a feat of science and engineering. Approved in 1972, the VLA cost about $78 million to complete, though subsequent additions, such as a fiber optic link to the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) antenna 65 miles away in Pie Town, have greatly increased the VLA’s capabilities. For those who haven’t been to the VLA yet, make sure to visit before leaving Tech. Watching all

of the antennas, which are 82 feet in diameter each, move in unison is an experience

that is certain to make the inner scientist in any techie feel awed.

The VLA site is open to visit for a self-guided tour on most days. Guided tours

occur on the first Saturday of each month at 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., and 3:00 p.m.

Sources: NRAO, ALMA, Florida International University Dept. of Physics. Fact-checked by a NMT professor of physics.

Alan Gross

When Dr. Wells and I first spoke, he had been President for only two months. At

the time his goals were threefold: to increase and diversify fundraising, to improve student recruitment and retention, and to promote the reputation of NMT around the state. He couldn’t have known then how seriously our institution’s fiscal position would be threatened only nine short months later, but his chosen priorities could hardly be more apt. Earlier this month, Governor Susana Martinez vetoed all higher education funding for the state of New Mexico, citing concerns over tax increases, though analysts say it has more to do with political posturing. As of today, the state has not set a budget for higher education, and New Mexico’s many public colleges and universities are set to run out of funding on June 30th. Under intense national scrutiny, the Governor has said she will approve some form of higher education budget after a special legislative session, but little progress has been made towards that aim. New Mexico Tech has been told to expect a 1% to 9% cut to our budget this year. This is on top of large cuts already made last year. Since 2009, Tech’s funding has decreased by over $5.5 million. This represents a 22% decrease in purchasing power, which is a large factor in the local economic decline. Further cuts not only jeopardize Tech’s stability, but the whole of Socorro. Our new VP of Administration and Finance, Dr. Olin Cleve McDaniel, has been feverishly working to analyze every possible outcome. Currently, the best case scenario will require a 5% tuition increase and a loss of no more than 40 students, all of which is occurring in a time of decreasing higher education enrollment. Only a few months ago, Dr. Wells pledged not to increase tuition for the coming year, but that is simply no longer feasible. We engineers are a practical bunch, and most students seem to be taking the news in stride. As we are already a lean institution, a larger cut will mean making painful reductions to staffing and services. The administration has said their top priority is maintaining the rigor of our university and promised to increase tuition no more than 5%, as “anything more just wouldn’t be fair to our students or their families,” but something will have to give. The tuition increase coincides with the partial defunding of the Lottery

Scholarship, which many Tech students rely on to be able to attend school. Many bills were put forth to replace or compensate for the sunsetting liquor excise tax, some of which would have further disadvantaged New Mexican students, but in the end, the legislature simply reduced the amount of funding the scholarship would provide. It is likely this will mean disenrollment for some low-income students, which does threaten the 40 student loss threshold suggested by Vice President McDaniel. As usual, Dr. Wells is firmly optimistic. “Everybody I’ve talked to during the legislative session has told me how pleased they’ve been and how much they value Tech in the state. They know we exist, and they want us here.”

In the interim, Wells is steadily progressing on his lofty goals, including building relations with alumni, working with the advancement office to reach out to industry, and directing the research foundation to make better use of our intellectual property. “That’s all part of the larger goal of making people aware of tech. We’re about to launch TV ads now. Hopefully, in another year, everyone in the state will know exactly what Tech is and what we do.” As for student retention, Wells has been hard at work making Tech into a “sticky campus” where students choose to spend their free time. You may have noticed more and better events around campus; that’s sticky campusing at work. His pride and joy is the future recreation center, put into the works by student request, which will feature an indoor Olympic sized pool and track, a two-story climbing wall, and half a dozen different workout spaces. “We’ve set a goal of bringing this new recreation center to campus. We’ve talked to the mayor about working together on that, and he’s very excited… we already have a

concept design we’ve been taking around.” I’ve seen the concept (it’s a secret, shh), and let me tell you, it is awesome. Also on the table is the renovation of the Loma Theater. Through cooperation with the Bursums and the Indigo Theater in Las Vegas, there are plans to replace the projector and screen, staff the theater with Tech students, and get the doors open again. Tech is also in talks with the city and Kroger, who have two years remaining on their lease of the Smith’s building, to renovate the complex into a makers’ studio, innovation platform, and design clinic. It is hoped this will not only be functional for students, but help to stimulate the local economy by encouraging entrepreneurship. Dr. Wells has said from the beginning that transparency and accessibility are priorities for his administration. From his walk to campus every morning, through the many events he attends, to the student forums he hosts, Dr. Wells has quickly become the most visible member of Brown Hall. Everywhere he goes, he finds time to stop and chat with students and staff. As a result, he is both widely liked and seems to have an unusually good grasp of the concerns and priorities of our campus. While many official emails go unopened, our pathologically busy students take the time to read the announcements he occasionally sends out, knowing that they will be informative and frank. The difference in tone on campus is palpable; because students feel their concerns will be taken seriously, problems are discussed with an earnest mind for solutions: less whining and more building. This ability to inspire confidence from the grassroots up is easily the greatest strength of this administration. So kids, times are tough. Tech is faced with unprecedented uncertainty, and yet there is no doubt we will come together and persevere. How can you help? Well, start by contacting your state legislator to let them know you value higher education and its role in building a stronger New Mexico. Next, become an independent ambassador for our school. Do you love being a Techie? Are you proud of the rigorous education you’ve received here? Start talking about it! Help Tech develop the reputation it deserves, and if you have the opportunity, recruit promising new students.

Melba Tajallieh Aguilar

"In another year, everyone in the state will know exactly what Tech is and what we do."

The Weather Column

safety techniques. Even if you're bouldering, always climb with an experienced partner who can show you the ropes (pun intended). When in doubt, climb with an official NMT group that can teach you how to climb safely. The end may be nigh, but that’s no excuse not to stay active and healthy. If climbing isn’t your forte, there are plenty of places around Socorro to hike and camp as well. In the spirit of rock climbing, however, I have included some cool facts about the sport just in case you were wondering.

1. There are three major styles of rock climbing. a) On-sight: to ascend the wall without aid or any foreknowledge; b) Flash: similar to on-sighting, but the climber has previous information about the route; c) Red point: when the climber makes a free ascend after having tried it first.

2. The world record in climbing speed was set by Czech climber Libor Hroza, ascending a 15 meter (49 foot) speed course in 5.73 seconds, during a competition in Arco, Italy.

3. The longest rock climb, also considered the hardest, a smooth, sheer granite slab more than a half-mile high called the Dawn Wall, was made by Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson. Ashima Shiraishi, a 13 year old girl from New York, set a record by conquering "Open Your Mind Direct," a famously tough climb in Spain, known now as the most technically difficult rock climb done by a female ever.

4. Rock climbing began as a recognized sport in the 1880s in England, after the solo first ascent of the Napes Needle by Walter Parry Haskett Smith . Climbing is fun and great exercise: it can burn anywhere from 500 to 900 calories per hour! If you are staying in Socorro to take summer classes, to work, or you just love the place that much, give rock climbing a chance; you might just ‘fall’ in love with the sport. Ok, hopefully there will be no falling, but either way it just may be something you really enjoy.

Dennis Trujillo

A Beginner's Guide to Rock Climbing

The semester is ending, and everybody can feel the stress; it seems like the

world, the state, and everything else is in shambles. That means now is an especially important time to take a break, try to relax, and find a way to blow off some steam once finals are over. One of my personal favorites is to go out and rock climb with friends. Socorro County has some pretty good places to climb, especially Box Canyon. Those of you who have the gear know what and where I am talking about; those of you who don’t, take highway 60 out towards Magdalena, follow it for about 9 or 10 miles, and look for a small sign that says “The Box” on the left hand side of the road. If you have never climbed before, find someone who has and see if they will take you out. Alternatively, NMT offers several climbing classes and a climbing club that regularly go out to Box Canyon. Either way, you will be in for a good time. Take plenty of water and a snack or two as well. Remember that rock climbing isn't a very dangerous sport if you follow proper

with a number of Virginia Tech meteorology alumni from the past 14 years of Virginia Tech storm chasing. The nine of us have been heavily involved in the development of the meteorology program at Virginia Tech and have a lot of experience in the field chasing storms. These alumni have gone on to work at the Weather Channel, the National Weather Service, or graduate school. Storm chasing is not at all like the movies. We will wake up each morning, create a forecast and a target area, and then spend the day driving to the target area, or waiting in a parking lot for storms to fire in the early afternoon. We don’t know where we will spend the night, or where we will drive. Most likely, we will stay in the region bound by I-25, I-35, I-10, and I-90, though we have made notable excursions outside of this region. The average storm chase crew sees a tornado once in every nine days of this routine. The Virginia Tech storm chasers and myself have been averaging a little better: one in every six days or so. Will we see tornadoes on this storm chase? Only time will tell. You can keep tabs on me by checking my weather and storm chasing blog: highplainschasing.wordpress.com. Thank you for reading my weather column, and I look forward to your comments and feedback in the fall!

Seth Price

As this is the last issue of Paydirt for the 2016-2017 school year, this is also my last weather

column until the fall. Today has been a bitter change to our pleasant weather. I write this weather column cowering behind a piling at the Belen Railrunner station, hiding from the brief bursts of rain and the cold wind. Unfortunately for us, the weather models and the National Weather Service are showing that this trend will continue for the next few days. Our strongest chances of precipitation are on Friday, as shown in the GFS Model Precipitation Chart (top right). We have a chance of rain until Saturday evening, when the chances will diminish as dry air returns. This has been set into motion by a deep trough and closed, upper-level low that will develop through the remainder of this week and into the early weekend. This deep trough stands out on the 300 mb GFS Model Chart (center right). As this trough and low pressure system develop, a back door cold front will sneak in from the northeast, dropping temperatures, and also providing a source of lift for showers and thunderstorms. This back door cold front shows up as the light blues and greens pushing southwest into New Mexico on the 850 mb GFS Model Chart (bottom right). May 15-31, I will be on my annual storm chase in the Great Plains. This year, I will travel

Maintaining Rigor:Dr. Wells and the fight to save New Mexico Tech