Int'l Day of Women and Girls in Science Spotlight: Dr. Michelle Hawkins

Dr. Michelle Hawkins

It is International Day of Women and Girls in Science, a day that celebrates all women and girls who participate in research and innovation in the STEM sciences.

Today our spotlight is on Dr. Michelle Hawkins, Chief of Severe, Fire, Public, and Winter Weather Services branch at the National Weather Service (NWS).


Dr. Hawkins has had a fascination with science from a young age, often mesmerized by the severe winter storms she witnessed while growing up in Chicago, IL. Participating in any science-related activity she could while in grade school, she went on to major in Chemistry in college and earned a PhD in atmospheric sciences from her alma mater, Howard University. 


In her current position at the NWS, Dr. Hawkins oversees her branch and partners with federal public safety services, including Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and wildland fire support to help minimize health impacts of severe weather-related events. In addition, she regularly speaks to high school students about her professional journey and experiences as a woman in STEM.


“I feel like a kid in a candy store here in the National Weather Service,” Dr. Hawkins comments in a weather.gov article. “There is always an exciting science problem to solve and as someone who has always loved weather, this is the place you want to be.” 


To read about more women leaders in STEM, check out this article.

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