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NASA, Atmospheric Science, and Homebrew Collide at the VLM

By Nicole Burns In Lifelong Learning

April 12, 2018

Okay, maybe not the homebrew… But we will have a cash bar at our Naturally Speaking event next week Thursday, April 19, 2018 with a NASA atmospheric scientist who just so happens to specialize in sour beers.

Dr. Patrick Taylor will join us at 6:30pm to share his innovative research improving our predictions of the Arctic climate system and discuss why Hampton Roads residents should care about climate patterns so far away from us.  (Spoiler alert: It can save lives!)

When asked how he became interested in his field of study, it was no shock it came down to a fantastic teacher. (Shout out to all of the educators who inspire and shape the future!) Read about his life changing 4th grade experience here. It was at the age of 9 he decided he was going to major in meteorology and would become a weather man… or professional baseball player.

With no MLB contract, his plan when he went into college was to become a TV weather man. However, in his sophomore year, he had the opportunity to go to the American Meteorological Society conference where he was exposed to all of the research that was going on in atmospheric science. This experience changed his career trajectory. From that point on, he decided he wanted to study clouds and their role in climate.

“If I had a super power it would be to fly. That way I could go experience the clouds.” – Dr. Patrick Taylor

No longer trying to be on TV, he found that his passion was asking questions about how the atmosphere works and trying to find the answers.

Since joining NASA Langley, Dr. Taylor has received many recognitions, most notably from Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe and President Barack Obama not only for his current achievements, but also for his promising future endeavors. Through public outreach, Dr. Taylor has been committed to making science more accessible to the general public and advancing the standing of science in the world.

Join the conversation by submitting your RSVP for free online.