The Mesoscale & Microscale Meteorology Laboratory (MMM) at the US National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), Colorado, is to be led by Gretchen Mullendore, who currently serves as a professor and chair of the atmospheric sciences department at the University of North Dakota (UND). She will join NCAR in January, 2021.
“We are pleased to welcome Gretchen to NCAR. She is a stellar scientist and her scientific vision for MMM, combined with her leadership experience, passion for mentoring, and commitment to supporting scientists from a diverse range of backgrounds, will position the lab for success under the new NCAR Strategic Plan and beyond,” said NCAR director Everette Joseph.
MMM notes that Mullendore has collaborated frequently with NCAR scientists on research projects. She currently serves on the scientific advisory boards for the Developmental Testbed Center and for Unidata, a program at the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research. She has also served as chair or co-chair for several committees, including the American Meteorological Society Committee on Mesoscale Processes, which organizes a conference on this topic. Mullendore earned her PhD in atmospheric science from the University of Washington.
As MMM director, Mullendore will be responsible for directing the laboratory’s mission to advance the understanding of the meso- and microscale aspects of weather and climate, and to apply this knowledge to benefit society.