Professional ProspectusProfessional ProspectusKC KingKC King

M.S. Graduate StudentM.S. Graduate Student

Desert Research InstituteDesert Research Institute

University of Nevada, RenoUniversity of Nevada, Reno

OutlineOutline

IntroductionIntroductionPersonal HistoryPersonal HistoryProfessional HistoryProfessional HistoryResearch Projects at DRIResearch Projects at DRIFuture AspirationsFuture Aspirations

IntroductionIntroduction 22ndnd year graduate student in Atmospheric year graduate student in Atmospheric

SciencesSciences Work for Michael KaplanWork for Michael Kaplan

DRI GSA PresidentDRI GSA President Interests: the outdoors, reading, politics, travelInterests: the outdoors, reading, politics, travel

Born in Palos Born in Palos Verdes, CaliforniaVerdes, California

Grew up in a small Grew up in a small community called community called Portuguese BendPortuguese Bend

Lived here for 18 Lived here for 18 yearsyears

Favorite activities:Favorite activities: Horseback ridingHorseback riding BasketballBasketball SoftballSoftball BikingBiking

Landslide Area!Landslide Area!

Fostered my interest in the Fostered my interest in the outdoors and scienceoutdoors and science

FamilyFamily Mother is a geography/ Mother is a geography/

earth science professor at earth science professor at CSUDHCSUDH

Father is an electrical Father is an electrical engineer/ patent attorney engineer/ patent attorney (now retired)(now retired)

One full brother, KellanOne full brother, Kellan Half-siblingsHalf-siblings

KevinKevin ChrisChris StephanieStephanie JeffJeff

School BackgroundSchool Background

Attended Palos Verdes High School Attended Palos Verdes High School Freshman – Junior YearFreshman – Junior Year

Graduated from Palos Verdes Graduated from Palos Verdes Peninsula High School in 1992Peninsula High School in 1992

College InformationCollege Information Attended U.C. DavisAttended U.C. Davis

1992-19961992-1996 Started in Physics, moved Started in Physics, moved

to atmospheric science in to atmospheric science in junior yearjunior year

Attended Graduate Attended Graduate School at University of School at University of Wisconsin, MadisonWisconsin, Madison

1996 – 19971996 – 1997 Research in Stratospheric Research in Stratospheric

DynamicsDynamics Attended Law School at Attended Law School at

U.C. Davis King Hall U.C. Davis King Hall School of LawSchool of Law

2001 - 20042001 - 2004

Places that I’ve LivedPlaces that I’ve Lived

Davis, CaliforniaDavis, California Madison, WisconsinMadison, Wisconsin Vancouver, WashingtonVancouver, Washington Lebanon, OregonLebanon, Oregon Eugene, OregonEugene, Oregon Reno, NevadaReno, Nevada

IntermissionIntermission

A Few Fun FactsA Few Fun Facts

I’m a 4I’m a 4thth Generation Californian Generation Californian My father is Stephen KingMy father is Stephen King I fell for a fantastic April Fool todayI fell for a fantastic April Fool today I’m crewing for the NorCal AIDS Challenge I’m crewing for the NorCal AIDS Challenge

in May (300+ mile bike ride)in May (300+ mile bike ride) My goal is to bowl a perfect game before I My goal is to bowl a perfect game before I

finish graduate schoolfinish graduate school I have taken the PSAT, SAT, GRE, LSAT, I have taken the PSAT, SAT, GRE, LSAT,

CA Bar Exam and CBESTCA Bar Exam and CBEST

Professional HistoryProfessional History Technical JobsTechnical Jobs

Technical SupportTechnical Support• University of WisconsinUniversity of Wisconsin• LabtecLabtec

Network ConsultantNetwork Consultant• US Bank network US Bank network

conversionconversion Manufacturing Manufacturing

TechnicianTechnician• Hyundai, Inc.Hyundai, Inc.• RAM manufacturingRAM manufacturing• PhotolithographyPhotolithography

Legal WorkLegal Work

Patent AttorneyPatent Attorney Worked for my fatherWorked for my father Computer hardware related patentsComputer hardware related patents

Beck Law GroupBeck Law Group Trusts, Wills, EstatesTrusts, Wills, Estates Drafted wills, property transfers, trustsDrafted wills, property transfers, trusts

Legal Services of Northern CaliforniaLegal Services of Northern California Public BenefitsPublic Benefits Disability Rights AdvocacyDisability Rights Advocacy

• Assisted people with disabilities going back to workAssisted people with disabilities going back to work

Atmospheric Science Related Atmospheric Science Related EmploymentEmployment

Stratospheric ModelingStratospheric Modeling quasi-biennial oscillationquasi-biennial oscillation

Forecasted for UC Davis Forecasted for UC Davis AggieAggie

Climate ResearchClimate Research Long term temperature Long term temperature

trends in the CA Central trends in the CA Central ValleyValley

Graduate Research in Graduate Research in Stratospheric DynamicsStratospheric Dynamics

Ship Track Radiation Ship Track Radiation studystudy

Volunteer ActivitiesVolunteer Activities

Special Olympics Coach Special Olympics Coach Vancouver, WAVancouver, WA Track and field, volleyball, Track and field, volleyball,

basketballbasketball Legal Clinic at the Legal Clinic at the

Sacramento Gay and Sacramento Gay and Lesbian CenterLesbian Center

Founded clinic with friend Founded clinic with friend and coworker Amy Williamsand coworker Amy Williams

Free clinicFree clinic Taught “Street Law” class Taught “Street Law” class

at La Entrada Continuation at La Entrada Continuation High SchoolHigh School

TA for College Courses at TA for College Courses at San Quentin PrisonSan Quentin Prison

Astronomy, MathAstronomy, Math

Graduate School at UNR/DRIGraduate School at UNR/DRI Moved to Reno, NV in Moved to Reno, NV in

2007 2007 Master’s student in Master’s student in

Atmospheric ScienceAtmospheric Science Attend UNR and work Attend UNR and work

for Michael Kaplan for Michael Kaplan Chose to come to DRI Chose to come to DRI

because of applied because of applied nature of researchnature of research Interests in climate, Interests in climate,

mesoscale dynamicsmesoscale dynamics Wind Energy ProjectWind Energy Project

Advisor: Michael KaplanAdvisor: Michael Kaplan

Associate Research Associate Research Professor at DRIProfessor at DRI

Research InterestsResearch Interests Synoptic and dynamic Synoptic and dynamic

meteorologymeteorology Fire WeatherFire Weather Extreme EventsExtreme Events

• FloodingFlooding

• Severe TurbulenceSevere Turbulence

• TornadosTornados Numerical SimulationsNumerical Simulations

Former LivesFormer Lives Research Associate Research Associate

Professor at North Carolina Professor at North Carolina State UniversityState University

President and Founder of President and Founder of MESO, Inc.MESO, Inc.

• Research, forecasting, Research, forecasting, atmospheric modelingatmospheric modeling

US Air Force Research US Air Force Research ScientistScientist

Educational BackgroundEducational Background BS and MS from Rutgers BS and MS from Rutgers

UniversityUniversity Ph.D. from SUNY AlbanyPh.D. from SUNY Albany

Research ProjectsResearch Projects

Spillover Precipitation and Spillover Precipitation and Flooding Events in Reno, NVFlooding Events in Reno, NV

Funding through:Funding through:• DOD visualization grantDOD visualization grant

• DRI IPA grantDRI IPA grant

• UCAR COMETUCAR COMET

• NSF CIP grantNSF CIP grant Prepared a climatological Prepared a climatological

history of large and medium history of large and medium flooding events in Renoflooding events in Reno

Assisted with figures for Assisted with figures for publication publication

• Climatological paperClimatological paper

• Synoptic and mesoscale paperSynoptic and mesoscale paper Mid-level “atmospheric river”Mid-level “atmospheric river”

Research ProjectsResearch Projects COMET ProjectCOMET Project

Funded by UCAR Funded by UCAR COMETCOMET

Modeling a rain/snow Modeling a rain/snow event in the Reno/ event in the Reno/ Tahoe areaTahoe area

Narrow cold frontal Narrow cold frontal rain band caserain band case

Research ProjectsResearch Projects

North American North American Monsoon ProjectMonsoon Project Funded by NSF Funded by NSF

ClimateClimate Joint grant with San Joint grant with San

Jose StateJose State Modeling of the Modeling of the

MonsoonMonsoon Mid-latitude/tropical Mid-latitude/tropical

connectionsconnections OMEGA ModelOMEGA Model Dynamic AdaptivityDynamic Adaptivity

Research ProjectsResearch Projects((or future hopes and dreams)or future hopes and dreams)

Wind Energy Modeling Wind Energy Modeling ProjectProject

Funded by National Funded by National Renewable Energy Renewable Energy Laboratories (DOE)Laboratories (DOE)

Modeling for placement of Modeling for placement of wind turbines in Southern wind turbines in Southern NevadaNevada

Will use and build on Will use and build on research by Dr. Koracin’s research by Dr. Koracin’s groupgroup

Wind Assessment for NVWind Assessment for NV Used MM5 and WRF Used MM5 and WRF

modelsmodels

Potential Master’s Project Potential Master’s Project based on the NREL grantbased on the NREL grant

Meso/ Microscale Meso/ Microscale Modeling Modeling

Sensitivity studies in Sensitivity studies in complex terraincomplex terrain

Use OMEGA modelUse OMEGA model• Static adaptivity and Static adaptivity and

triangular mesh grid triangular mesh grid elements for complex elements for complex terrainterrain

Test sensitivity to:Test sensitivity to:• Initial and boundary Initial and boundary

conditionsconditions• Grid cell sizeGrid cell size

Future AspirationsFuture Aspirations

Wind energy modelingWind energy modeling Meteorology consultingMeteorology consulting Policy work Policy work

Bridge law and science backgroundBridge law and science background Ph.D. in Atmospheric SciencesPh.D. in Atmospheric Sciences Vet school?Vet school?

Questions?Questions?