Joshua David Durkee

 

Meteorology Program

Department of Geography and Geology

Western Kentucky University 1906 College Heights Blvd.

(270) 745-8777: office | (270) 745-4555: department | (270) 745-6410: fax

 

EDUCATION

2008, Ph.D., Department of Geography, University of Georgia.

          Dissertation: Assessing the role of mesoscale convective complexes in subtropical South American precipitation variability.

          Advisor: Thomas L. Mote

 

2003, M.S., Department of Geography, University of Georgia.

          Thesis: The precipitation efficiency of warm-season mesoscale convective complexes in the United States.

          Advisor: Thomas L. Mote

 

2000, B.S., Department of Geography and Geology, Western Kentucky University.

          Undergraduate Thesis: Kentucky tornadoes and the El Niño Southern Oscillation

          Advisor: Glen Connor

 

 

RESEARCH INTERESTS

  • North and South American mesoscale convective system climatology, precipitation characteristics, and impacts
  • Climatology and dynamics of convective and nonconvective high-winds events
  • Atmospheric circulation and teleconnections
  • Remote Sensing and GIS applications in the atmospheric sciences

 

 

ACADEMIC EMPLOYMENT

  • 2008-Present:  Assistant Professor and Associate Graduate Faculty Member, Department of Geography and Geology, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY.
  • 2001-2008:  Teaching Assistant, Department of Geography, University of Georgia, Athens, GA.
  • 2007-2008:  Research Assistant, Department of Geography, University of Georgia, Athens, GA. (funded by the University of Georgia)
  • 2004-2008:  Research Assistant, Department of Geography, University of Georgia, Athens, GA. (funded by the National Science Foundation and the Partnership for Reform in Science and Mathematics)
  • 2002-2003:  Research Assistant, Department of Geography, University of Georgia, Athens, GA. (funded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration)
  • 1999-2000:  Research Assistant, Kentucky State Climate Office, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY. (funded by the Applied Research and Technology Program)

 

 

COURSES

  • Introduction to the Physical Environment  (GEOG 100/GEOG 100H; as needed)
  • Meteorology  (GEOG 121/GEOG 121H; as needed)
  • Weather Analysis and Forecasting  (GEOG 424; every other even year spring semester)
  • Synoptic Meteorology  (GEOG 432/532; every other even year fall semester)
  • Mesoscale Meteorology  (GEOG 437/537; every other odd year spring semester)
  • Field Methods in Severe Weather Analysis and Forecasting (GEOG 475; every Maymester)

 

 

PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS (students)

Gilliland, J. M., and Durkee, J. D., 2011: A climatology of high-wind events associated with post-tropical cyclones in the United States. Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology, [in review].

 

Durkee, J. D. and T. L. Mote, 2011: Characteristic changes in subtropical South American mesoscale convective complexes in relation to the South Atlantic Convergence Zone. Monthly Weather Review, [in review].

Shepherd, J. M., J. D. Durkee, and R. J. Hill, 2011: Teaching climate change science to "Digital Natives": On the integration of an educational climate model into introductory physical geography coursework. Journal of Geography, [in review].

Durkee, J. D., C. M. Fuhrmann, J. A. Knox, and J. D. Frye, 2012: Ageostrophic contributions to a nonconvective high wind event in the Great Lakes region. National Weather Digest, [in press].

Durkee, J. D., L. Campbell, K. Berry, D. Jordan, G. Goodrich, R. Mahmood, and S. Foster, 2012: A synoptic perspective of the record 1-2 May 2010 Mid-South rain and flood event. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, [in press; May].

Grundstein, A. J., J. D. Durkee, J. D. Frye, T. Andersen, and J. Lieberman, 2011: A severe weather laboratory exercise for an introductory weather and climate course using active learning techniques. Journal of Geoscience Education, 59, 22-30.

Knox, J. A., J. D. Frye, J. D. Durkee, and C. M. Fuhrmann, 2011: Nonconvective high winds associated with extratropical cyclones. Geography Compass, 5(2), 63-89.

Durkee, J. D., 2010:  Precipitation measurement and the advancement toward global observations. Geography Compass, 4(8), 956-978.

Durkee, J. D., T. L. Mote, and J. M. Shepherd, 2009: The contribution of mesoscale convective complexes to warm-season rainfall across subtropical South America. Journal of Climate, 22, 4590-4605.

Durkee, J. D. and T. L. Mote, 2009: A climatology of subtropical South American mesoscale convective complexes. International Journal of Climatology, 30(3), 418-431.

Durkee, J. D., J. D. Frye, C. M. Fuhrmann, M. C. Lacke, H. G. Jeong, and T. L. Mote, 2008: Effects of the North Atlantic Oscillation on precipitation-type frequency and distribution across the eastern United States. Theoretical and Applied Climatology, 94 (1-2), 51-65.

Lacke, M. C., J. A. Knox, J. D. Frye, A. E. Stewart, J. D. Durkee, C. M. Fuhrmann, and S. M. Dillingham, 2007: A climatology of cold-season non-convective wind events in the Great Lakes region.  Journal of Climate, 20, 6012-6222.

Ashley, W. S., T. L. Mote, P. G. Dixon, S. L. Trotter, E. J. Powell, J. D. Durkee, and A. J. Grundstein, 2003:  Distribution of mesoscale convective complex rainfall in the United States. Monthly Weather Review, 131, 3003-3017.

 

BOOK CHAPTERS

Durkee, J. D., 2010: Cyclones: Extratropical. Encyclopedia of Geography, B. Warf Ed., SAGE Publications, Inc., 650-654.

 

Durkee, J. D., 2010: Global Precipitation. Encyclopedia of Geography, B. Warf Ed., SAGE Publications, Inc., 2282-2287.

 

 

OTHER PUBLICATIONS

Knox, J. A., J. D. Frye, J. D. Durkee, and M. C. Lacke, 2011: Death from a clear blue sky: Extreme non-convective high winds. Earthzine.

 

Knox, J. A., M. C. Lacke, J. D. Frye, A. E. Stewart, J. D. Durkee, C. M. Fuhrmann, and S. D. Dillingham, 2008: Non-convective high wind events: A climatology for the Great Lakes region. Preprints, 24th Conference on Severe Local Storms, Savannah, GA, American Meteorological Society.

 

Durkee, J. D., 2008: Assessing the role of mesoscale convective complexes in subtropical South American precipitation variability, Department of Geography, University of Georgia, 164 pp.

 

Durkee, J. D., 2003: The precipitation efficiency of warm-season mesoscale convective complexes in the United States. M.S. thesis, Department. of Geography, University of Georgia, 121 pp.

 

Ashley, W. S., P. G. Dixon, J. D. Durkee, E. J. Powell, S. L. Trotter, T. L. Mote, and A. J. Grundstein, 2002:  A climatology of mesoscale convective complexes in the United States. Preprints, 21st conference on Severe Local Storms, San Antonio, TX, American Meteorological Society, 397-400.

Durkee, J.D., 2000: Kentucky tornadoes: 1951-1998. Geography and Geology proceedings of the Kentucky Academy of Science, 1999-00, 12-17.

Durkee, J. D., and D. G. Conner, 2000: Kentucky Freeze/Thaw Events 1966-1995. Kentucky Climate Center, Department of Geography and Geology.

 

Durkee, J. D., and D. G. Conner, 1999: El Niño/La Niña and Kentucky Tornadoes. Kentucky. Kentucky Climate Center, Department of Geography and Geology.

 

Durkee, J. D., and D. G. Conner, 1999: Kentucky Tornadoes. Kentucky Climate Center, Department of Geography and Geology.

 

 

EXTERNAL GRANTS, FELLOWSHIPS, AND SCHOLARSHIPS

  • Co-PI, 2010:  Small research opportunities, curriculum activities, and teacher development workshops for the Western Kentucky University Stratospheric Ballooning Program, Kentucky Space Grant Consortium, ($36,988) (not funded)
  • Co-PI, 2009:  REU Site: Summer research experience on the impacts of land use and land cover in the Upper Green River Watershed of Western Kentucky, USA.  National Science Foundation. ($349,806)
  • Co-PI, 2008a:  Climate Change in the Americas: Actively Engaging Undergraduates and Pre-College Teachers in Research at Two Universities.  National Aeronautics and Space Administration. ($149,926) (not funded)
  • Co-PI, 2008b:  REU Site: Summer research experience on the impacts of land use and land cover in the Upper Green River Watershed of Western Kentucky, USA.  National Science Foundation. ($428,000) (not funded)
  • Co-PI, 2006c:  Enhancing climate change science education through inquiry-based concepts and real-world simulations.  National Science Foundation - Partnership for Reform in Science and Mathematics. ($7,790.00)
  • Co-PI, 2006b:  The development of inquiry-based exercises on severe weather and hurricane forecasting for introductory weather and climate laboratory sections.  National Science Foundation and the Partnership for Reform in Science and Mathematics. ($6,205)
  • Co-PI, 2006a:  Assessing the role of mesoscale convective complexes in South American precipitation budgets and variability.  National Aeronautics and Space Administration. ($294,595) (not funded)
  • Co-PI, 2005:  On the use of micrometeorological instrumentation for quantifying and analyzing local temperature and moisture fluxes for laboratory sections in introductory weather and climate courses.  National Science Foundation and the Partnership for Reform in Science and Mathematics. ($4,000)
  • Co-PI, 2004:  The development of a “hands on” curriculum for laboratory sections in introductory Weather and Climate courses.  National Science Foundation and the Partnership for Reform in Science and Mathematics. ($3,430)

 

 

INTERNAL GRANTS, FELLOWSHIPS, AND SCHOLARSHIPS

  • PI, 2010:  Assessing the role of persistent elongated convective systems in subtropical South American mesoscale convective system variability. Research and Creative Activities Program, Western Kentucky University. ($12,000)
  • PI, 2010:  Western Kentucky University Instructional and Research Equipment Grant. ($13,614)
  • PI, 2009a:  Western Kentucky University Instructional and Research Equipment Grant. ($45,200) (not funded)
  • PI, 2009b:  Western Kentucky University Instructional and Research Equipment Grant. ($11,010) (not funded)
  • PI, 2009:  Western Kentucky University Classroom Improvement Grant. ($8,000)
  • PI, 2009:  Intraseasonal variability of mesoscale convective complexes during active and break phases of the South Atlantic Convergence Zone. Western Kentucky University Summer Faculty Scholarship. ($5,624)
  • PI, 2009:  Western Kentucky University real-time weather observation system. Western Kentucky University Provost's Initiatives for Excellence Grant. ($8,744.95) (not funded)
  • PI, 2009:  On the synergy of atmospheric circulation and boundary layer processes in the genesis of non-convective wind storms.  Western Kentucky University New Faculty Scholarship Award. ($3,530)

 

 

AWARDS AND HONORS

  • Nominated for a Faculty Award for Research and Creativity, Western Kentucky University, 2012.
  • Nominated for a Faculty Award for Student Advisement, Western Kentucky University, 2012.
  • Nominated for a Faculty Teaching Award, Western Kentucky University, 2011; 2012.
  • National Creativity and Innovation Award [Awarded for creative, innovative, and unique summer programs; Field Methods in Weather Analysis and Forecasting], North American Association of Summer Sessions, 2010.
  • Nominated for the Southern Region Program of Excellence Award [Awarded for innovative program that improves the quality of teaching and learning; Field Methods in Weather Analysis and Forecasting], University Professional and Continuing Education Association, 2010.
  • Climate Specialty Group Student Paper Competition Award [Awarded Runner Up for Best Student Paper and Presentation], 104th Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographers, Boston, MA., 2008. ($215)
  • Clarke County Geographical Society Travel Award [Awarded for Best Graduate Student abstract for the Association of American Geographers 2008 Meeting], Athens, GA., 2008. ($500)
  • Honors Poster Award [Awarded for Best Graduate Student Poster Presentation], 62nd Annual Meeting of the Southeast Division of the Association of American Geographers, Honors Competition, Charleston, SC., 2007. ($500)
  • Doctoral Dissertation Completion Assistantship Award, University of Georgia, 2007. ($16,130)
  • University of Georgia Graduate School Alumni Travel Award, 2007. ($200)
  • University of Georgia Graduate School Alumni Travel Award, 2006. ($300)
  • John Fraser Hart Award [Awarded for Best Ph.D. Honors Paper and Presentation], 60th Annual Meeting of the Southeast Division of the Association of American Geographers, Ph.D. Honors Competition, West Palm, FL., 2005. ($500)
  • Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award, University of Georgia, Athens, GA., 2004.
  • Nominated to participate in a campus-wide Teaching Assistant Mentor Program by the Office of Instructional Support & Development (OISD), University of Georgia, Athens, GA., 2004. ($1,000)

 

 

MANUSCRIPT REVIEWER

  • Australian Meteorological and Oceanographic Journal
  • Earth Interactions
  • Climate Research
  • Geography Compass
  • International Journal of Climatology
  • Journal of Climate
  • Journal of Hydrometeorology
  • Monthly Weather Review
  • Theoretical and Applied Climatology
  • Weather and Forecasting

 

 

 

 

updated 10 Novemeber  2011