Poster Title: | Extreme Event Monitoring using Surface Weather Stations |
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Full Name: | Mariam Saif Aldhaheri |
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Affiliation / Institution: | Khalifa University |
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Abstract: | In April 2024, a series of severe storms hit the United Arab Emirates (UAE), flooding the entire country and obstructing highways, destroying homes, and forcing all services, including education, online. This situation sparked my interest in weather monitoring and motivated me to seek practical experience, leading to an internship at the United Arab Emirates Rain Enhancement Program (UAEREP) within the Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes (CW3E), where my mission was knowledge transfer. During my internship, I focused on observational work, studying weather monitoring technologies and methods implemented at CW3E. I collaborated closely with the field team in praparing and installing weather stations across various sites in the Western region while gaining laboratory experience with different instruments. My hands-on tasks included rewiring humidity sensor cables, connecting soil moisture probe wires to data loggers, installing and securing instruments on tripods, setting up data recording, and soldering and calibrating anemometers. I participated in a one-week field trip to Potter Valley, Mendocino, where we updated stations, connected them to the CW3E servers via repeaters, and fenced them to protect against wildlife. Additionally, I attended weekly meetings and professional development workshops, which enhanced my understanding of reading and writing scientific papers, coding on GitHub, and exploring graduate studies. Throughout my experience as an undergraduate international summer intern, I gained valuable knowledge, connected with diverse individuals, shared insights about my culture, and developed greater independence and a fresh perspective on my environment. I am extremely grateful for this memorable opportunity. |