Bio Summary
01/24
Jason C. Senkbeil
University of Alabama
Department of Geography
Box 870322
Tuscaloosa, AL 35487
jcsenkbeil@ua.edu
205-348-4942 (office)
Education
2007 Ph.D. Geography, Kent State University
Dissertation: The Spatial and Temporal Role of Irrigation on Daily Warm Season Precipitation in the Great Plains 1950 – 2005.
Cognate Field: Geology
Advisor: Dr. Scott C. Sheridan
2003 M.S. Geosciences, Mississippi State University
Thesis: The Sensitivity of Tree Growth to ENSO and Climatic Variables in Coastal Alabama.
Concentration: Operational Meteorology
Advisor: Dr. John C. Rodgers III
2000 Secondary Teacher Certification, University of Texas at Austin
1998 B.S. Geography, University of South Alabama
Minor: Geology
Funded Grants and Contracts
Role: CO-PI
Sherman-Morris K. and J.C. Senkbeil, 2019-2021
Award # NA19OAR4590219: Geospatial Threat Personalization and its Influence on Warning Risk Perception and Protective Actions. Office of Weather and Air Quality, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Vortex SE Program
$57,612 (UA)
Role: CO-PI
Senkbeil J.C., K. Sherman-Morris, D. Griffin, 2017 – 2019
Award # NA17OAR4590199: Improving Accessibility and Comprehension of Tornado Warnings for the Deaf, Blind, and Deaf-Blind. Office of Weather and Air Quality, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Vortex SE Program
$146,915 (UA) $115,000 (MSU)
Role: CO-PI
Senkbeil J.C., J.M. Collins, R. Ersing. 2017-2018
NSF RAPID # 1760235: Social and Geophysical Influences on Evacuation Decision Making for Hurricane Irma. Geography and Spatial Sciences Program, National Science Foundation
$39,111
Senkbeil J.C. 2013 URS Corp. Hurricane Sandy MAT Technical Support. end December 1st 2013 (Contract)
Role: PI
Senkbeil J.C. and D.M. Brommer. 2011
NSF RAPID # 113894: Tornado Hazard Perception and Warning Communication Prior to the 4/27/11 Tuscaloosa Tornado. Geography and Spatial Sciences Program, National Science Foundation
$35,041
Senkbeil J.C. 2011 URS Corp. Alabama and Missouri MAT Technical Support. end July 1st 2012 (Contract)
Senkbeil J.C. 2011 URS Corp. Joplin, Mo Tornado Mitigation Assessment Team. end June 1st 2012 (Contract)
Senkbeil J.C. 2011 URS Corp. Alabama Tornado Mitigation Assessment Team. end May 13th 2012 (Contract)
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Senkbeil J.C. 2011 URS Corp. Alabama Tornado Pre Mitigation Assessment Team. end May 1st 2012 (Contract)
Senkbeil J.C. 2011 URS Corp. K-12 Severe Weather Policy end May 13th 2012 (Contract)
Role: PI (Internal)
Senkbeil J.C. 2011
University of Alabama RGC: Assessing Hurricane Hazard Perception in the United States. May 2011 – May 2013
$4,500
Role: CO-PI
Brommer D.M., J.C. Senkbeil, P.G. Dixon, M.E. Brown, and K Sherman-Morris, 2008
NSF SGER # 0852549 : Primary Meteorological Variables Influencing Hurricane Evacuation Decisions: A Case Study of Hurricane Gustav. Geography and Regional Science Program, National Science Foundation, 1 September 2008 – 1 September 2010. $5,780
Role: CO-PI
Brown M.E., P.G. Dixon, K Sherman-Morris, J.C. Senkbeil, D.M. Brommer, 2008
GRI: Meteorological Variables Responsible for Personal Evacuation Decisions. Geospatial Resources Institute, 1 September 2008 – December 2008 . $2,200
Senkbeil J.C., 2006-2007
The Spatiotemporal Role of Irrigation on Warm Season Precipitation in the Great Plains 1950 – 2005. Dissertation Fellowship Grant, Kent State University. $11,000
Invited Presentations/Discussions
2024 National Academy of Sciences (NAS) Workshop, Advancing Risk Communication with Decision-Makers for Extreme Tropical Cyclones: Learning from Extreme and Unprecedented Weather Events. Session: Risk Communication in Multi-Hazard Environments: Challenges and Learning Opportunities from Compounding Hazards and Cascading Impacts February 5-6, 2024
2023 FEMA, NOAA, Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium Using Social Science to Build Resilience webinar series. Improving Tornado Warning Communication for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Audiences. September 7, 2023.
2022 University of Delaware Colloquium Series. Improving the Communication of Severe Weather and Hurricane Forecasts. April 18th,
2021 National Weather Association June Webinar Panelist. Improving Tornado Communication for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Audiences
2019 Georgia State University Colloquium Series. Improving the Communication of Severe Weather and Hurricane Forecasts. April 18th, 2019.
2016 National Weather Association Central Alabama Chapter. Evaluating the predictive capability of a Tornado Watch Scale using past events.
2016 University of Alabama Colloquium Series. Evaluating the predictive capability of a Tornado Watch Scale using past events.
2015 UA Center for Advanced Public Safety Lunch and Learn Speaker Series. Ideas for Implementing a New Tornado Watch Scale.
2013 Alabama Museum of Natural History Science for the Public Series. Tornado Hazards and Recommended Actions.
2012 University of Alabama Colloquium Series. Tornado hazard perception and preparedness: Suggestions for improving warning communication and safety recommendations. November 2nd, 2012.
2012 Footprints of Disaster: A Symposium and Exhibition to Commemorate the April 2011 Tornado Tragedy: Safe Shelter and Situational Awareness. April 27th, 2012.
2012 Kent State University Colloquium Series. Tornado hazard perception and preparedness: Suggestions for improving warning communication and safety recommendations. March 30th, 2012.
2011 National Weather Association Annual Conference, Birmingham, AL
Broadcast Meteorology Workshop
Shelter Seeking Plans of Tuscaloosa Residents for a Future Tornado Event
2011 Alabama Mining Institute Conference
Tuscaloosa, AL
Climatic Influences on Drought in Alabama
2008 Alabama Mining Institute Conference
Tuscaloosa, AL
Global Warming:A Brief Objective Review of the Scientific Consensus
2008 University of Alabama
Department of Geography Colloquium Series
A Post Landfall Hurricane Classification System for the United States
2007 New College University of Alabama
Guest Panelist/Discussant for Chris Mooney’s Storm World.
2005 Northeast Ohio Chapter of the American Meteorological Society.
Techniques and Methods of the Kent State University National Collegiate Weather Forecasting Team.
2003 Northeast Ohio Chapter of the American Meteorological Society.
A Review of the Events of Hurricane Isabel from Oriental, N.C.
Media Appearances
2023, WBHM NPR News for the heart of Alabama. Climate Change in Alabama. From drought to heavy rain, climate change means more of both.
https://wbhm.org/2023/from-drought-to-heavy-rain-climate-change-means-more-of-both/
2023, WJTV Mississippi Insight 5/28/23. South and Senkbeil. https://www.wjtv.com/news/politics/mississippi-insight/mississippi-insight-for-may-28-2023-south-and-senkbeil/
2022, Washington Post 9/27/22. Thousands Evacuate as Hurricane Ian Nears FL; all of Cuba Without Power
2020, USA Today 08/27/20. Record Setting Season Puts Coastal States at Risk of a Hurricane Landfall.
2019, CBS 42 Birmingham. Weather Wednesday. Improving Accessibility and Comprehension of Tornado Warnings for the Deaf and Deaf-Blind Community.
2019, CBS 42 Birmingham. Misconceptions About Damage Caused by Tropical Systems August 1st, 2019.
2019, CBS 42 Birmingham. How Safe is Your Safe Place? April 26th, 2019.
2018, NBC News. Panama City Bears Brunt of Michael’s Destructive Force. October 10th, 2018.
2018, Associated Press. Hurricane Rating System Fails to Account for Deadly Rain. September 18th, 2018.
2018, Forbes. Why Rainfall is Hurricane Florence’s Biggest Danger, Not Its Category. September 14th, 2018.
2018, June 1st National Public Radio (NPR). Lessons from Hurricane Irma: When to Evacuate and When to Shelter in Place
2017 Palm Beach Post. 2017 hurricane season was intense, deadly. November 23rd, 2017.
2017 Scientific American https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/sa-visual/visualizing-uncertain-weather/
2016 AL.com http://www.al.com/news/mobile/index.ssf/2016/11/drought_means_a_stunningly_cle.html
2016 Mashable.com http://mashable.com/2016/10/10/north-carolina-floods-hurricane-scale/#quO9FRLAyPqm
2016 Wired.com https://www.wired.com/2016/07/150-mph-typhoon-winds-mean-disaster-right-well-not-necessarily/
2013 8 Year Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina- Fox 6 Birmingham August 28th, 2013
2013 Most Dangerous Tornado Cities- CBS 42 Birmingham April 30th, 2013.
2012 Hurricane Sandy- NBC 13 Birmingham October 30th, 2012. Was the storm worse than expected?
2012 Hurricane Isaac- Graduate students profiled in The New York Times, CBC, The Guardian, Yahoo, MSNBC, and also featured on The Weather Channel
2012 WERC 105.5 radio Birmingham, AL. Discussing The Footprints of Disaster Symposium of April 27th, 2012. April 24th, 2012.
2012 Montgomery Advertiser Article, Report: State Lacks Climate Change Plan, Water Supply Could be Affected. April 23rd, 2012
2012 Discovering Alabama Series, Tuscaloosa, AL. Tornado Safety Public Service Announcement. Alabama Public Television April 2012.
2012 Discovering Alabama Series, Tuscaloosa, AL. Tornado. A short documentary of the April 27th, 2011 event. Alabama Public Television April 2012.
2011 Discovering Alabama Series, Tuscaloosa, AL. The Events of April 27th, 2011. Webinar streamed to Alabama high school students. November 2011
2011 Birmingham News Article. Tornado warnings too often ignored, National Weather Association hears in Hoover. October 17th, 2011.
*2009+ – Current. Numerous appearances on WVUA TV discussing seasonal weather, severe weather, hurricanes, environmental hazards, and climate change/variability.
Current and Past Students
Nishat Sumaya. Thesis: Evaluating Seasonality, Weather Types, and Atmospheric Circulation Patterns in Bangladesh
Daniella Alaso. Thesis: Development of a Spatial Synoptic Classification Scheme for East Africa with a Focus on Kenya
Cooper Corey. Thesis: Spatial Variability of Violent Tornado Track Locations
Mohammad Siddiqur Rahman. Thesis: Spatial and Temporal Variability of Extreme Precipitation Events in the Southeastern United States
Kimberly Brothers. Thesis: Analyzing the Spatial Footprint of Notable Hurricanes
Jake Reed. Thesis: Public Perception and Comprehension of the Extended Forecast Graphic in Television Weather Broadcasts.
Walker Skeeter. Thesis: Surface and Synoptic Conditions Associated with Extreme Rainfall Events in the SE USA.
Shaikh Abdullah Al Rifat. Thesis: Factors Influencing Inland Property Damage from Gulf of Mexico Tropical Cyclones
Michelle Saunders. Thesis: Perceptions of Hurricane Hazards in the Mid-Atlantic Region
Morgan Willis (Terry). Thesis: Lightning and Storm Mode in Northern and Central Alabama
Meganne Rockman. Thesis: The Role of Hurricane Track and Intensity on Evacuation Decision Making of Pensacola, FL Residents
Jonathan Mason. Thesis: Proposing a Tornado Watch Scale.
Courtney Stokes (Thompson). Thesis: The Influence of Social Media and Other Modes of Communication Before and After the Tuscaloosa Tornado.
Cory Rhodes. Thesis: Characteristics of Tornadoes Associated with Land-Falling Gulf Coast Tropical Cyclones.
Laura Radford. Thesis: New Tropical Cyclone Warning Graphics: Preferences, Comments, and Suggestions.
Ian Comstock. Thesis: A classification scheme for landfalling tropical cyclones based on precipitation variables derived from GIS and ground radar analysis.
Current and Past Professional Memberships
Association of American Geographers
Climate Specialty Group and Hazards Specialty Group
Southeastern Division Association of American Geographers
American Meteorological Society