Drew Camron joined the Unidata Program Center software development team on February 18th, 2020. Drew majored in Meteorology and Physics with a minor in Mathematics at Mississippi State University before coming to the University of Colorado for graduate studies in Atmospheric and Oceanic Science. He received his Master's degree in 2019.
Drew's graduate work included modeling atmospheric gravity waves before shifting to study modeled and observed satellite measurements of climate-scale precipitation patterns over the Greenland Ice Sheet. But his scientific work showed him a parallel path. “My time in school taught me that my motivation and excitement came from developing tools (especially software) that can help teach or enable other people to do exciting science,” he says.
Drew's initial focus as a Unidata developer will be to support the MetPy and Siphon packages and their associated software training activities. Longer term, he hopes to contribute to an expansion of Unidata's Python training workshops with a focus on interactivity and engaged learning. Unsurpsisingly, he also hopes to broaden the usability and scope of Unidata's Python products for the wider community, and may even have some ideas for projects of his own.
Why Unidata? “Unidata offers to me a mission and opportunity that aligns with me personally so much more closely than any other organization,” says Drew. “I so much look forward to opportunities to directly impact technology and tools for teaching and growing scientists and educators in the field that I love so much.”
Beyond the office, Drew listens to “way too much music” and loves to take apart and attempt to fix just about anything he can get his hands on, especially computers and cars. “I love taking my time outside, whether that’s a leisurely walk or swim, or just lollygagging in a hammock. I also love trying to get as lost as deep in the mountains as I can manage,” he says. He keeps up with college football and basketball (“Hail State and War Eagle!”) and plays just about any video game he can get his hands on.
Please help us welcome Drew to the Unidata Program Center Team!
