MESA, Arizona – Mesa Community College has been named a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather-Ready Nation Ambassador.
The Weather-Ready Nation Ambassador initiative is an effort to formally recognize NOAA partners who are improving the nation’s readiness against extreme weather, water and climate events. As a WRN Ambassador, MCC is committing to work with NOAA and other Ambassadors to strengthen national resilience against extreme weather.
“This is a very exciting opportunity and I'm looking forward to further developing our weather-ready presence in the community,” said Erin Saffell, an MCC climatologist who has a long-standing professional relationship with the Phoenix National Weather Service forecasting office.
Saffell said the recognition is a direct result of her recent sabbatical work, which strengthened her proficiency in severe weather forecasting and operations. Her research enriches student learning and fosters the Maricopa Community College District’s STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education pipeline.
WRN Ambassadors serve a pivotal role in affecting societal change — helping to build a nation that is ready, responsive and resilient to the impacts of extreme weather and water events. To be officially recognized as a WRN Ambassador, an organization must commit to:
- Promoting Weather-Ready Nation messages and themes to their stakeholders;
- Engaging with NOAA personnel on potential collaboration opportunities;
- Sharing their success stories of preparedness and resiliency; and
- Serving as an example by educating employees on workplace preparedness.
One of NOAA’s missions is to save life and property by providing critical environmental intelligence, including weather forecasts and warnings, to NOAA partners and the general public.
For more information on NOAA, visit http://www.nws.noaa.gov/com/weatherreadynation/amb_faqs.html#.VXcrjEbGEYl
For more information on Saffell's climatology, meteorology and geography classes at MCC, visit http://mesacc.edu/~eritw27297/
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Contact: Dawn Zimmer, 480-461-7892, dawn.zimmer@mesacc.edu or Sally Mesarosh, sally.mesarosh@mesacc.edu
About Mesa Community College
Mesa Community College is nationally recognized for its service-learning, civic engagement and innovative educational programs, which include university transfer, career and technical, workforce development, and life-long learning. Host to 40,000 students annually, MCC offers more than 195 degree and certificate programs at its two campuses and additional locations. MCC’s student body hails predominantly from the East Valley of Phoenix and includes Veteran, American Indian and International students who enrich the learning experience. Award-winning faculty are dedicated to student success providing the education and training that empowers MCC students to compete locally and globally. Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2015, MCC is one of 10 colleges that comprise the Maricopa County Community College District. The District also includes the Maricopa Corporate College and two skill centers. For additional information, visit mesacc.edu.
Mesa Community College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association (NCA) http://www.ncahlc.org
The Maricopa County Community College District is an EEO/AA institution and an equal opportunity employer of protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.