Jon Nese receives GEMS Alumni Achievement Award

University Park, PA (March 4, 2004)

Dr. Jon Nese, on-air Storm Analyst with The Weather Channel, has been selected by the Graduates of Earth and Mineral Sciences (GEMS) Alumni Society to receive the 2004 Alumni Achievement Award. This award is the highest recognition bestowed on an alumnus by GEMS and is given each year to an individual who exemplifies the ideals of the College.

Jon's extraordinary alumni leadership in the Department of Meteorology and the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences makes him an excellent choice for this award. He has a great deal of pride in Penn State and has devoted countless personal hours to the Department and College.

Jon was the founding member of the Meteorology Affiliate Program Group, MAPS, and has served as president of the group since its inception in 1999. As such, he leads the group in its mission to build a sense of community among alumni and to create relationships and collaboration between alumni, current students, and the department. As a testament to his leadership, last November MAPS was presented with the Penn State Alumni Association's Affiliate Program Group Achievement Award for its efforts in orchestrating a successful alumni reunion in June 2002. Jon was also instrumental in getting the Department of Meteorology alumni newsletter, the MAPS Meteogram, off the ground--the newsletter is now distributed to over 2,500 meteorology alumni twice a year.

Jon has done a great deal for the Department of Meteorology and its alumni, but his involvement at the college level is also noteworthy. While serving as MAPS' president, Jon also served on the GEMS Board of Directors from 1996 to 2002, and was an active participant in the group's endeavors over the years.

Jon holds three degrees ('83, '85, '89) from Penn State Meteorology, and began his career by serving on the Penn State faculty, winning two teaching awards during his nine-year tenure. While teaching, he also juggled several different on-air positions in order to further his television career. In addition to appearing on Penn State's weather magazine show, Weather World, he was a weekend meteorologist for WTOV-TV in Steubenville, OH (1991-1993) and for WFMJ-TV in Youngstown, OH (1993), and he was a fill-in meteorologist for WBRE-TV in Wilkes-Barre, PA (1995-1998).

Jon's hectic schedule settled down a bit in 1998 when he accepted a position as the Chief Meteorologist at the historic Franklin Institute Science Museum in Philadelphia, where he oversaw the daily operation of its acclaimed weather center, a forecasting facility and exhibit. Jon made the move to a warmer climate in 2002 when The Weather Channel recruited him for his current position as an on-air Storm Analyst for the Your Weather Today show that airs weekday mornings from 7-10 a.m.

Jon has also co-authored two books. The first is a meteorology textbook written in 1995 with Meteorology award-winning instructor Lee Grenci entitled "A World of Weather: Fundamentals of Meteorology." The book, which has sold over 20,000 copies and is in its third edition, is used by universities nationwide to teach introductory meteorology. His second book was co-authored with Glen "Hurricane" Schwartz ('72) in 2002 and is entitled "The Philadelphia Area Weather Book."

 In both his professional and personal accomplishments, Jon Nese is an outstanding advocate and role model for Penn State Earth and Mineral Sciences alumni.

Questions or comments? Contact: Lynn Persing (814) 863-8568.