Speaker Spotlight - Kelly Carmer

Kelly Carmer is in her second year at UAH, pursuing a Master of Science in Atmospheric Science. Her research focuses on analyzing thunderstorms observed from aircraft during the 2023 Airborne Lightning Observatory for Fly’s Eye Geostationary Lightning Mapper Simulator and Terrestrial Gamma-ray Flashes (ALOFT) campaign—a collaborative mission between NASA and the University of Bergen aimed at understanding gamma-ray emissions from thunderstorms. She utilizes satellite data, including GOES-16’s Advanced Baseline Imager and Geostationary Lightning Mapper, to investigate the stage of thunderstorm intensification at which gamma rays are detected. Recent publications highlight advances in understanding these high-energy phenomena, which were once thought to occur only in supernovae and nuclear reactions.

Kelly earned her Bachelor’s degree in Meteorology from Florida Tech, where she conducted research on electrification-related topics, including analyses of Lightning Launch Commit Criteria violations—examining how weather can impact rocket launches. Her passion for atmospheric science stems from the operational impact of research.

She has since volunteered with the National Weather Service in Huntsville and is an active member of the UAH Atmospheric and Earth Science Department’s Ambassadors, UPSTORM, and AMS/NWA organizations. Additionally, she serves on the American Meteorological Society’s Aviation, Range, and Aerospace Meteorology Committee, as well as the Board of Student Affairs Outreach and Engagement Committee.

Come to the Rocket City Weather Festival on February 8th to listen to Kelly Carmer alongside other exceptional student researchers as they present their groundbreaking projects. Seize this chance to be inspired by the future leaders in meteorology and their significant contributions to the field!