Laura Clemente
Summer 2007 WAS*IS
 I recently graduated from the Pennsylvania State University with a degree in meteorology and minor in environmental inquiries focusing on biodiversity. I also took a variety of classes regarding marine environments and obtained my open, advanced, and nitrox SCUBA certifications as an undergraduate. My research experiences have taken place in several scenarios – through class work at Penn State, opportunities in the work place, and while studying abroad. I took a class that spent the semester studying coral reefs and culminated with a trip to San Salvador in the Bahamas. On this trip, we used SCUBA to survey specific reefs around the island, identifying fish, coral types, algae, and diseases in order to provide Reefcheck, an organization dedicated to saving coral reefs, with an indication of the state of the reefs around San Salvador.
I have worked at Meso, Inc., a wind forecasting company, where I spent a summer researching various meteorological forcings off the coast of California to find a signal that would improve morning forecasts for the wind farms. By finding a way to predict the drop-offs, better power output forecasts could be supplied to energy companies. While abroad at Monash University in Australia, I was able to do some research regarding the presence of an urban heat island in Melbourne, Australia. Through a very small science diving class this past semester, we researched the presence/absence of Zebra Mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) in Pennsylvania lakes by looking at water quality measurements, population density, genetics, and the knowledge of individuals using the lakes regarding the mussels. I am excited about WAS*IS because I enjoy the science, but have continually been looking for a way to combine the science with societal needs. I am particularly interested in making the science understandable and usable to the general public and across various disciplines.
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