In an interesting twist of fate, Geography professor and State Climatologist Andrew Ellis could tell you from personal experience why a baseball flies farther in warm weather. Ellis, who went to the University of Delaware on a baseball scholarship, developed a strong propensity for the atmospheric sciences.
In 1997, Ellis arrived at Arizona State University as a visiting assistant professor in the department of geography. After holding that position for a year, he became an assistant professor, which is the title he currently holds.
For the Ellis family, the earth sciences seem to run in the blood.
"From a young age I was interested in weather, all the way back to a fourth grade science project," Ellis said. "My interest probably stemmed from my father's interests as a physical science teacher."
Ellis recently endeavored to start a family of his own. He was married in June of 2001.
Though Arizona had maintained a state climate program since 1973, it became the recognized State Climate Office in 2001 with Ellis at the helm, making him the state's official climatologist.
His duties as State Climatologist include keeping a close watch on Arizona's climate, reporting data to the public and teaming up with both official and private organizations to come up with solutions for climate-related problems.
According to Ellis, his most interesting work to date has come about recently, which he described as "developing a forecast model for the intensity of the monsoon season of the southwestern U.S." Funded by the Salt River Project, the venture ascertained a relationship that recognizes certain climatic indicators that can predict the strength of the next monsoon season several months in advance.
Currently, Ellis is working with graduate students on a project for the National Climatic Data Center, creating a region-by-region definition of the beginnings and endings of the annual monsoon season, along with an associated database.
Also, Ellis is currently sponsoring three graduate students for the thesis projects.
For his efforts, Ellis has been recognized on three different occasions for his dedication to his profession. His first year at ASU, the Devil's Advocates awarded Ellis the Apple Polisher Award. He was then given the 2002-2003 Centennial Professorship award by the Associated Students of Arizona State University. This award grants $20,000 to the recipient, half of which goes back to the improvement of student education. The Graduate Women's Association also honored Ellis as an Outstanding Faculty Mentor in 2002.
Ellis' students seem to appreciate the expertise and professionalism he brings with him to the classroom.
"I think he is a very interesting professor," junior Brigid Dotson said. "He offers a lot of insight. If I ever had a question about climatology, he was very good about coming down to explain it on my level."
The students at ASU seem to be the center of Ellis' drive to teach.
"At present, what is most enjoyable about being part of the ASU family is the renewed sense of energy over the past year," Ellis said. "I think that it starts at the administration level with President Crow's clear and exciting vision of the future of ASU. Stimulating changes are occurring and it's fun to watch it ripple across campus. This seems to have also had an effect on the enthusiasm of the students that I have interacted with, and that is very encouraging to a professor."
Ellis feels that ASU should also offer more undergraduate research opportunities for students.
"I think that there are likely many students on campus that don't gain as great an appreciation for their field of study because they have little or no exposure to the research that the field leans on," Ellis said. "This is easier said than done, and a difficulty for all universities, but worth the effort I think."
As far as local interests are concerned, Ellis feels that there might be some cause for alarm at the disturbing warm trend that has dominated most of the winter this year.
"The warm winter season thus far is worrisome from the standpoint that typically in Arizona, a warm winter means a dry winter and we have been rather dry except for a handful of precipitation events," Ellis said. "As you are aware, we are in the fourth year of what is shaping up to be a historic drought event and the end can't come soon enough. So, warm winter weather is a nice tourism advertisement, but we should all have our fingers crossed for a cool, wet end of winter and start of spring."
Reach the reporter at mikeprice@asu.edu.
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