Deke Arndt
Summer2008 WAS*IS

I joined the Oklahoma Climatological Survey (OCS) in 1994 as a graduate student and never left. My primary role as Associate State Climatologist is to provide climate services (applied research, data services, education, awareness) that help people and institutions make better climate- and weather-sensitive decisions. In many cases, I am the bridge between the latest science (with which I am incompletely fluent) and the decision-maker (with whom I am incompletely acquainted). When things go well, all three components (science, bridge and decision-maker) improve.

I am heavily involved in OCS's outreach activities, whose participants range from public safety officers to K-12 teachers to energy industry decision-makers. From 2004-2007, I served as program manager for OK-First, Oklahoma's public safety educational outreach program. OK-First now has 200+ participating agencies and 500+ trained personnel in Oklahoma and four surrounding states. I had the privilege of facilitating the spin-up of a nearly-identical program (NC-FIRST) in North Carolina. My favorite role is as author of the “OCS/Mesonet Ticker”, a daily e-publication that serves about a thousand subscribers. I work part-time as a meteorology instructor for American Military University.

My past roles include data quality assurance and applied research in drought and land-atmosphere interaction. I hold a B.S. and M.S. in Meteorology from the University of Oklahoma. I am currently a Ph.D. student in OU’s Adult & Higher Education Administration program. My dissertation work focuses on adult education and development, particularly in learning about the natural world around us.

I am excited to participate in WAS*IS to learn more about ongoing and developmental efforts in integrating what we know with what people do.
View my CV --> SOI