Hello, my name is

Rhonda
Plofkin

About me

I have always been fascinated by the power of severe weather and the important role that effective communication plays in protecting lives and property.

A graduate student in the Geography and Environmental Studies department

I have developed a strong interest in severe weather warning communication. Throughout my studies, I have gained a deep understanding of meteorological principles and how they can be used to predict and prepare for extreme weather events.

This interest has led me to pursue research and internships focused on weather warning communication, including my participation in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Environmental Research Traineeship (NERTO) internship program at the National Severe Storms Laboratory.

During my time at the National Severe Storms Laboratory, I had the opportunity to conduct supervised data analysis research on the topic of “Generational Differences of Tornado Reception, Comprehension and Response.” This research allowed me to investigate the role of age and tornado knowledge on reception and response behavior, and to present my findings at the National Weather Center.

I am deeply committed to improving severe weather warning communication and am excited about the opportunity to continue this work in a professional setting.

Interdisciplinary Interests

From severe weather & climate change, warning & decision science, to data analysis and visualization, I am interested in improving the warning process.

Atmospheric Science

My passion in the atmospheric sciences includes all forms of severe weather and climate change

Warning & Decision Sciences

I am interested in communicating severe weather to vulnerable populations

Data Science

I am familiar with GIS, data analysis, machine learning and data visualization. I am interested in how data science can be used to improve severe weather communication