This photo is of Jim Benedict imparting momentum to a softball!
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Courtesy of Jim Benedict
Jim Benedict
I have always been curious about how things in nature work. Growing up in New England, my house was sometimes hit by thunderstorms, hurricanes, and snowstorms that always seemed to amaze me. I became interested in science and math in early elementary school, and by seventh grade I was drawing weather maps and making weather forecasts for my friends when a big snowstorm was approaching.
Currently, I study a type of large tropical storm called the “Madden-Julian Oscillation.” This storm is very difficult to forecast and can affect weather patterns from India to Australia to the western United States. I hope to find out how this storm system works... by understanding how it works, meteorologists can then improve future computer forecast models and do a better job at predicting when and where it will happen. I enjoy studying the weather because I like being able to connect what I learn in school to events that happen in everyday life. To me, the weather is interesting because it can be powerful and mysterious.
Outside of doing weather research, I also enjoy hiking and camping with friends, watching the Red Sox and Celtics on TV, and playing softball, tennis, racquetball, and basketball.
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