NEPARSFaculty Mentors
Lourdes B. Avilés, PhD (PSU) has a wide range of research interests and has mentored UGs conducting research on topics that include tropical weather and climate, historical meteorology, atmospheric physics, air quality, and connections of weather with societal impacts. She was involved in developing the recent AMS curricular guidelines for UG degrees in meteorology and has served on various AMS national committees, including the Board on Higher Education and the Board on Women and Minorities. She recently published an AMS book on the Great New England Hurricane of 1938. Avilés has been at PSU since 2004. Email: lavilesbramer@plymouth.edu
Tara Curtin, PhD (HWS) uses lake sediment records to reconstruct paleoclimate and paleoenvironmental conditions on annual to millennial timescales. Curtin has mentored numerous UGs conducting research and has been involved in the Keck Geology Consortium. Collaborations with UGs have resulted in several journal articles and a large number of student presentation at national and regional conferences. Curtin has been at HWS since 2001. Email: curtin@hws.edu
Lisa Doner, PhD (PSU) examines linkages between climate, lake functioning and watersheds using lake monitoring alongside lake sediment coring to assess modern trends in lake health against extremes of the past. She is a lead collaborator on a climate mitigation project with international and regional partners, testing the use of mirror arrays to enhance Earth's albedo, reduce soil moisture deficits, and cool ground temperatures. Doner has mentored research development with over 35 UGs, many who have gone on to present at national meetings. Doner has been at PSU since 2007. Email: ladoner@plymouth.edu
David Finkelstein, PhD (HWS) uses stable isotope geochemistry of waters and sediment to examine changes driven by storms, seasonality, and biological productivity in rain, ponds and lakes. Finkelstein mentoring of numerous UGs has resulted in many student presentations at national and regional conferences. Finkelstein has been at HWS since 2013. Email: finkelstein@hws.edu
Eric Hoffman, PhD (PSU) has research interests across both synoptic and mesoscale meteorology with a focus on using observational data and climatological studies. Hoffman has worked with UG researchers for over 15 years. These efforts have provided numerous UGs opportunities to present their research at regional and national scientific conferences, as well as co-author several journal articles. Hoffman has been at PSU since 2000. Email: ehoffman@plymouth.edu
Eric Kelsey, PhD (PSU, MWO) has a research faculty position at PSU with research interests ranging from boundary layer meteorology to climate variability. UGs mentored by Kelsey have regularly involved in fieldwork and data analysis that have resulted in numerous presentations at scientific conferences. Kelsey has been at PSU since 2012. Email: ekelsey2@plymouth.edu
Neil Laird, PhD (HWS) has conducted collaborative research with UGs on both warm- and cold-season microclimate, mesoscale and synoptic, and climate-related topics. Research performed by UGs has resulted in numerous published journal articles with UG co-authors and a large number of conference presentations by UGs. Laird has been at HWS since 2004. Email: laird@hws.edu
Nicholas Metz, PhD (HWS) conducts research related to synoptic and mesoscale processes and the linkages of processes across spatial and temporal scales leading to high-impact weather. Metz-mentored UG research has resulted in many regional and national conference presentations and numerous published journal articles with UG co-authors. Metz has been at HWS since 2011. Email: nmetz@hws.edu
Ricardo Nogueira, PhD (PSU) was born in south Brazil and holds degrees in Meteorology and Geography. His doctoral work focused on Tropical Cyclone contributions to annual rainfall over the southern USA. His professional experience includes weather modification, weather aviation, and meteorology broadcasting. He worked at The Weather Channel Latin America as a weather anchor, providing weather forecasting for Brazil. He has taught weather and climate for many years in a variety of formats ranging from small to ultra-large classes. His passion to be a better educator has led him to develop an interest in the scholarship of teaching and learning in weather and climate courses, which led to a Teaching Innovation Award during his time at Georgia State University. Nogueira has been at PSU since 2022. Email: ricardo.nogueira@plymouth.edu