FSU alumnus named president of the American Meteorological Society
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. 鈥 A self-described science geek who earned two meteorology degrees from 糖心vlog is now the president of the American Meteorological Society.
Mike Farrar, who earned his master鈥檚 degree in 1989 and his doctorate in 1997 from FSU, took over as chief of the AMS in January. He remains a proud Seminole.
鈥淭he meteorology program at FSU has such long history and has made such a lasting impact on our profession, and I am so proud to be associated with it,鈥 he said.
Farrar served nearly 25 years with the U.S. Air Force and through his career he鈥檚 held a number of high-profile positions in meteorology, including almost three years working as the chief weather scientist for the USAF at the Pentagon.
He is currently the director of the National Centers for Environmental Prediction at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and will serve a one-year term helming the AMS, the nation鈥檚 premier association of atmospheric, hydrologic and oceanic scientists and experts.
鈥淚t鈥檚 an honor,鈥 Farrar said of his new position, which comes on the heels of a year spent as the president-elect of the AMS. 鈥淭here figures to be opportunities and challenges for us. We鈥檝e seen a tendency in recent years to replace traditional expertise and science with information found on social media. So that鈥檚 part of the challenge in this new world, especially for science.鈥
Vincent Salters, chair of the department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Science at FSU, said the AMS made a smart choice in Farrar.
鈥淗e is regarded as a great student and he will represent FSU well,鈥 Salters said. 鈥淲e are proud of his accomplishments.鈥
Farrar said that science and data are at the core of AMS鈥檚 mission and that while its membership includes about 12,000 members, the group does not lobby lawmakers and is focused on a science agenda rather than any specific political agenda.
鈥淲e do not lobby the government and we do not go to advocate for specific laws; that鈥檚 not the type of organization we are,鈥 he said. 鈥淥ur membership includes some of the world鈥檚 weather and climate experts, professors at major universities, industry leaders and forecasters in the public and private sectors who have banded together to communicate our science with the public.鈥
That mission is years in the making, Farrar said.
鈥淭he AMS has worked meticulously for decades, building a reputation for reliable science so that, when we put out a statement, it鈥檚 something you can trust and not any other motivation,鈥 he said.
As president of the AMS, Farrar said his primary responsibilities include presiding over the AMS council and helping to organize the group鈥檚 next annual gathering in January 2022, this time in the midst of a pandemic.
Enamored with and inspired by the moon landings, Farrar earned his undergraduate degrees from Purdue in physics and another in meteorology from Pennsylvania State University. During his time in Reserve Officer Training Corps, the military steered him toward meteorology.
鈥淭he Air Force could tell me what to do for four years, so they assigned me to go to Penn State and do meteorology,鈥 he laughed.
Farrar now lives in Virginia and left Tallahassee in 1997. While he has moved several times since, his years spent at FSU and raising his family in Tallahassee have stayed with him, especially from a professional standpoint. 鈥淪o many FSU graduates are leaders in our field. Broadcast meteorologists, industry leaders, and experts at the National Weather Service, such as at the National Hurricane Center; you鈥檒l find FSU alumni at every level of our profession. There are only a handful of programs in the country that can say that.鈥
He added: 鈥淔SU alumni are everywhere and it鈥檚 great to be part of that.鈥