As more technology that utilizes personal electronic devices (PEDs) are being integrated in classrooms, the possibility of cell phone distraction is a real concern amongst many educators. Because of this, we became interested in cell phone use patterns in highly interactive biology classrooms at UW, and what factors influence their use. To answer this, we investigated the impact of in-class polling using PEDs or using clickers (older, standalone devices). We compared cell phone use in two different quarters (same course, same instructor) that either used PEDs or clickers for in-class polling. We also compared the cell phone use in the beginning of quarter vs. the end. In addition, we looked at whether classroom seat location correlates with cell phone use. To assess cell phone use, we directly observed active learning introductory biology lectures. Three to four researchers observed each seat in a designated section of the lecture hall and noted if a cell phone was visible (used as a proxy for use), three to five times during a class session. We used logistic regression and model selection to find a best fit model to determine if polling technology type, seat location or time of quarter (beg. vs end.) can predict cell phone visibility. To our surprise, the results indicated that neither Poll Everywhere nor time of quarter increased the already low cell phone visibility. However, our results also indicated that students that are sitting away from professor (back of classrooms) are more likely to use their cell phone than their peers regardless of polling technology. Taken together, we suggest instructors with highly interactive classrooms should not worry about integrating newer polling technologies. Further, instructors may look into having more TAs or peer facilitators roam around the classroom, especially in the case of large lecture halls to avoid cell phone misuse.

From November 2015 through March 2016, the Olympic Mountains Experiment (OLYMPEX) field campaign was conducted on the Olympic Peninsula to study how wintertime precipitation is modified as it passes over coastal mountains and to validate satellite-derived precipitation measurements from the U.S.-Japan Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission. This project uses OLYMPEX data to explore the topographic effect on these Pacific frontal systems by examining cloud and precipitation structure on the leeward side (usually northeast) of the Olympic Mountains, where there is typically a minimum in precipitation relative to the windward side. While most research has focused on the structure of the windward side, this study uniquely examines the leeward side of the mountains. A radar managed by Environment and Climate Change Canada on Vancouver Island provided measurements of the vertical structure of the frontal systems over the northern Olympic Mountains, including intensity inferred from radar reflectivity. Using environmental data from NCEP North American Regional Reanalysis on the windward side (usually southwest) of the mountains, this study classifies the leeward radar data based on upstream synoptic conditions. It then examines the cloud and precipitation structure on the leeward side of the mountains in various atmospheric environments. Preliminary findings of this study reveal, for example, that the intensity of cloud systems on the leeward side is dependent on upstream stability. Locally, these findings will inform studies of snowpack and water supply as many reservoirs depend on precipitation that occurs on the leeward side. Outside of the Pacific Northwest, these findings can be applied to other midlatitude coastal mountain ranges on the west side of continents around the world.

Central Argentina in the lee of the Andes Mountains experiences some of the most intense thunderstorms on earth. These storms produce large hail, flash floods, and tornadoes, and adversely affect the people living in this region. The initiation, growth and hail production processes in these storms are poorly understood due to the lack of sufficient observations in this region. Currently, the only way to study the climatology of these events is through satellite remote sensing observations. This project examines spaceborne radar data from the Precipitation Radar (PR) on the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite for the November and December period for the years 1998-2013. The purpose of this project is to better understand the temporal and spatial evolution of these convective systems near the Sierras de Córdoba in the lee of the Andes. The PR radar observations from TRMM were classified into 4 categories: 1) deep convective cores; 2) wide convective cores; 3) intermediate convective cores; and 4) broad stratiform regions. These categories are based on the height, area, and reflectivity of the storms. Reflectivity is the signal reflected back to the radar by the hydrometeors. It was found that initiation and rapid upscale growth occur in the vicinity of the Sierras de Córdoba. These results are crucial for the planning and execution of the upcoming field campaign in Argentina called RELAMPAGO (Remote sensing of Electrification, Lightning, And Mesoscale/microscale Processes with Adaptive Ground Observations). Knowledge about how convective storms behave in Argentina applies to other regions, such as the lee of the Rocky Mountain in the United States. Another benefit of this study is that legacy computer code that was written in the IDL programming language is now updated to a more structured format with Python making it easily used for future research.