Meet an undergrad in Atmospheric Sciences: Jared Stickney!

An Illinois native, he hails (no pun intended) from as far northeast as you can go in the Land of Lincoln: Hainesville, IL.  Speaking of old Abe, he was friends with the founder of Jared’s hometown!

Jared likes tornadoes…a lot.  His favorite topics in weather study include tornadogenesis (the process by which a tornado forms) and tornado intensity.  An angle on those areas that he’d like to research more is how they’re affected in relation to global climate change.  Jared believes climate change is the most important weather-related issue currently. “Studies have shown that vulnerable communities are already experiencing effects of climate change today and will continue to be affected the most in the near future, so the intersection of social sciences and weather/climate is also a topic that I think is becoming more important than ever.”

With such a deep-rooted interest in weather issues, what brought him to our department over other universities?  “When I visited the Atmospheric Sciences Department during summer of 2019, I was immediately drawn to how personable and friendly the Department was. I remember feeling so surprised that such a tight-knit community could exist in a large university such as UIUC.  Now that I am in my third year here at UIUC, I can say that all the things that originally drew me to the Department are true, and I am incredibly grateful to be a part of it.”

We at ATMS genuinely love hearing stories like Jared’s.  He has a way with words that inspire us and it’s because, in addition to meteorology, he’s a minor in Creative Writing and a poet. 

If you’re looking to do something outside this summer, Jared’s your person.  He roller skates and hikes and is a “Swiftie”, so you’ll have an awesome soundtrack to accompany you. He also loves photography.  We feel a weather-related picture/poem book is on the horizon soon!

As we wrap up our interview with this undergrad, we’d like to know if he plans to attend grad school. Indeed, he does! In terms of career goals, he would like to work in the public sector and “focus on helping people.”  Knowing Jared, he’s got the perfect heart for that.

Thanks for letting us get to know you a little better, Jared.  We wish you many successes on your educational journey with Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Illinois.