AUSTAR for Schools > Events

The Weather Channel

AUSTAR for Schools Weather Month August 2009

schools activity

This month AUSTAR for schools and The Weather Channel will be travelling to Tasmania as part of the AUSTAR for schools Weather Month in August.

Senior Meteorologist Richard “Dick” Whitaker will be visiting schools in Launceston and Hobart to give students an insight into some of Tasmania’s highly variable weather, taking a look at some of the extreme situations that have occurred in the past. Dick’s presentation will highlight the impact severe weather can have on Tasmania and how people can prepare for severe weather conditions including what to look out for. The AUSTAR for schools Weather Month will give students the opportunity to present the weather in front of a blue screen, just like a professional weather presenter! Each student will also receive their very own weather kit jam-packed with weather activities where they will get to make their very own Barometer!

As a special bonus, The Weather Channel skydiver will also land on a target in Launceston and Hobart, a stunt which symbolises water droplets falling into dams highlighting the importance of water supplies and dam levels.

AUSTAR for schools will present each participating school with a $2000 grant and Weather Station upon completion of the workshop. This grant is to be used by the school to purchase educational resources for students.

http://www.weatherchannel.com.au

bio

Richard (Dick) Whitaker is the senior meteorologist at The Weather Channel. A quiet achiever and highly intelligent he’s made a significant contribution to the field of meteorology, and more generally to science communication. As a child, a weather balloon fell in his backyard, and he’s been hooked on weather ever since. He’s one of Australia’s leading commentators about weather and climate issues. Dick has a mind for meteorology – he has almost every weather event in Australian history at his fingertips!

Presently Dick is involved in a climate project (Seasonal Climate Outlook for Pacific Island Countries SCOPIC) which is funded by AusAid. His role is to travel throughout the Pacific to assist these countries to provide better meteorological services for their people.

Dick began his career as a meteorologist in 1971 at the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM). He was promoted to the position of Officer in Charge the Climate and Consultancy section. It was at this time that his passion and ability as a science communicator became evident. He liaised with government and private enterprises, giving advice on climatology and rainfall intensities, as well as giving lectures to secondary and tertiary students about meteorology. Dick was recognised for his contribution to communicating meteorology to the wider public, and was awarded an Australia Day Achievement Award in 1984.

Dick’s research has also included developing the area of agricultural and indigenous meteorology. He believes that indigenous people throughout the Pacific possess valuable knowledge.

His role at The Weather Channel where he’s been since 2004 provides him the opportunity to communicate his knowledge about weather and climate with Australians on a daily basis.

Dick’s passion and expertise lies in meteorological education, particularly through television and radio and books. (He has written, co-authored and edited several meteorological publications. Dick’s most recent books are ‘All About the Weather’ for primary students and ‘Understanding Climate Change’.