Profiles in Creativity: 5 Questions with Emily Paltz, Graduate Teaching Assistant & Volunteer
Emily Paltz
Can you tell us a little about your background?
At a very young age, I was captivated by the weather I experienced in my home state of Nebraska and read about in books. In elementary school, a local broadcast meteorologist introduced me to the career of a meteorologist, a person who studies and observes weather. This career united my love of weather and passion for helping others. Thus, the experience led me to pursue a Bachelors of Science degree in Meteorology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL). There are a lot of interesting weather phenomena, but I find hurricanes especially fascinating. My junior year of college I had the opportunity to intern with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Hurricane Research Division (HRD) at the Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML) in Florida through NOAA's Ernest F. Hollings Scholarship. Not only did I get the opportunity to study hurricanes, but I also made connections that led me to pursue a Masters of Science degree through the Department of Atmospheric and Environmental Science (DAES) at the University at Albany (UAlbany). Right now, I am in the process of finishing up that degree. My research focuses on the processes that cause simultaneous changes in hurricane intensity and size as well as how meteorologists communicate size and size changes to emergency managers who prepare communities for landfalling hurricanes.
What makes Flying Cloud’s mission powerful for you?
Flying Cloud's mission is especially close to my heart. I would not be where I am at today without the many people - family, teachers, scientists and meteorologists - who have supported and encouraged me along the way. I hope that I too can be that person for others!
What interests you most about volunteering for Flying Cloud?
I love volunteering with Flying Cloud because they encourage us to allow students to take the lead when conducting experiments! In my experience, classes and outreach events often lead students to the answer by the most direct route and explain everything rather than allowing students to come to conclusions because they are under time constraints. This is truly unfortunate! It keeps students from seeing and experiencing the messiness of science. Rarely does science follow a linear path. Many failures generally occur before one has a success. While this process can be frustrating, there is also so much that is learned by it!
Can you share a favorite experience volunteering?
One of my favorite volunteering experiences was when I led the Convective Tea Bag experiment. There was one brilliant student who understood and explained right away the processes that was going on, which truly impressed me. Then, one (or multiple) student(s) asked if changing how the experiment was done would change the outcome. I was thrilled by their curiosity! I stepped away from the outline I had planned for a period of time, and together we explored their ideas!
Do you want to share any personal information about your family or hobbies?
When I am not working, I thoroughly enjoy spending time outdoors! Kayaking, biking and hiking are some of my favorite activities. I also love to make music - vocally and instrumentally. ❤︎
Volunteers like Emily make a difference! Donate your time to help us inspire young people and educators through dynamic science and art experiences that ignite creativity. Contact Amy Truax, Development Manager at atruax@flyingcloudinstitute.org to learn more.