Introduction

     My name is Kelly Amundsen, and I am a second-year graduate student at the Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. I obtained my B. S. in Geography with an emphasis in atmospheric sciences from Ohio State in the spring of 2003. I then immediately began work on my Master's. My advisor is Dr. David Bromwich, a faculty member with the Ohio State Department of Geography and the lead scientist of the Polar Meteorology Group at the Byrd Polar Research Center on the Ohio State campus. My graduate work has dealt almost exclusively with Antarctic weather, specifically the life cycles of weather systems that originate near the southern continent.

     One of the problems I continually face in this kind of work is a lack of regular and/or reliable data in time and space in the Southern Hemisphere's high latitudes. There are few Antarctic stations which collect data above the surface year-round, and there are virtually no year-round surface observations, let alone extending upward, over the surrounding Southern Ocean. As a result, I rely heavily on remote sensing data from space-based satellites.

     The relatively new technology of GPS radio occultation is likely to be extremely helpful in bridging persistent data gaps over Antarctica, especially when COSMIC becomes fully operational. However, the technology needs support not just from those who are developing it, but from the weather research community at large, including young scientists who will eventually prove the usefulness of radio occultation. I would like to be one of those young scientists, as my research in Antarctica stands to benefit significantly from the new data.

     My interest in this field trip stemmed from this desire to become established in the GPS radio occultation research community. Moreover, I had hoped that this field trip would be an important step in fostering international scientific collaborations between the West and East. I recognize that progress and crucial breakthroughs often come about when data and ideas are shared.

     On more personal note, I enjoy traveling and experiencing cultures different from my own. My work may one day take me to a foreign institution on a long-term basis, and that idea excites me. And, it never hurts to make contact with institutions which have vast resources and expertise at their disposal.

Scientific Experience

     Upon arrival in both countries, I was particularly interested in the equipment and advanced technology being employed for remote sensing research. In Japan, I truly enjoyed learning about GEONET, and the cutting-edge developments being made with that system in the field of ground-based GPS meteorology. The density of GPS receivers over the entire Japanese island in GEONET make it unique in the world. It is currently, and will continue to be, a testing ground for GPS atmospheric remote sensing and its impacts on numerical weather prediction. The only comparable collection of GPS receivers in the United States is located in Oklahoma, but it is much smaller in scope than GEONET.

     In Taiwan I was fascinated by the advances in satellite remote sensing being made by the National Space Program Office (NSPO) and the National Center for High-Performance Computing. We were given the opportunity to see satellite data downloaded and displayed in real-time. Additionally, we were given a demonstration of a 3-D satellite imagery display, allowing us to see the island of Taiwan from above in three- dimensions as though we were flying over it at high altitude.

     Taiwan is also the true "home" of COSMIC, as the NSPO houses the facilities where the satellites are being constructed. Seeing the satellites first-hand was remarkable. They are so small in size, yet so much expectation has been put upon them. The experience put into perspective the brilliance of COSMIC in its design to accomplish great science at low cost and minimal resources.

     Aside from the technology, this trip was exceedingly useful for me as a way to network with other scientists. Such networking is often done at conferences and meetings, but it was much more rewarding to interact with scientists on their "home turf" against the backdrop of their own facilities and accomplishments. We did not have to "take their word for it"; they could demonstrate their work first hand. Moreover, the U.S. students were exposed to the results of science carried out with a larger budget. (In Taiwan we visited the National Science Council (NSC), equivalent to the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF). There we learned that Taiwan gives US$1 billion MORE to the NSC every year than the U.S. gives to the NSF. And, the budget of NSF is scheduled to decrease over the next several years.)

     As a result of this field trip I am aware of technological developments that I did not know existed or about which I knew very little. I have brought knowledge and ideas back to my home institution. I am motivated to draw from my experience over-seas to advocate the importance of the sciences in the U.S. Most importantly, I am eager to return and continue sharing ideas.

Cultural Experience and Personal Interactions

     If there is one thing that struck me most about the scientific culture of the East, it is that students and scientists there face the same problems that we do in the West. They are concerned with funding, student interest, meeting deadlines, data availability, getting published, etc. One major difference, however, is that science seems to be much more integrated into their culture as an important pursuit for its own sake. For example, in the U.S. when I tell other scientists (even other atmospheric scientists) that I study Antarctic weather they often say, "Why Antarctica," or "Who cares about Antarctica?" In Japan and Taiwan I spent much less time having to justify my research and more time explaining it.

     Our hosts in both countries were extremely helpful and gracious. We could not have asked for a more comfortable introduction to Eastern culture. Everyone we encountered made a strong effort to get to know us (even those "shy" Taiwanese students. National Central University must have the least shy Asian students I've ever met!) Our hosts made our trip flow so easily that I left feeling that I would be welcome to return anytime in the future. I admit that I was a bit fearful of how we would be received, as Americans are not the most popular tourists in many parts of the world lately, but we encountered absolutely no negative attitudes on that account. The Japanese and Taiwanese people set such an example as hosts that I only hope I could recreate such a welcoming atmosphere for them in the U.S.

     I found it particularly useful to interact with students my age. They have concerns similar to those of U.S. graduate students, such as pleasing an advisor, handling heavy workloads, transitioning into careers, uncertainty about the future, and setbacks on research. I found the Taiwanese students extremely easy to communicate with, and this gives me hope for future collaboration. We certainly function well together in social environment, and they conduct similar types of research. These are likely to be the scientists with whom I may one day wish to work. That future interaction will have been made easier by our initial positive meeting.

     On a personal level, I encountered a few interesting cultural differences while interacting with students in Taiwan. For example, one morning at breakfast a female student said, "Kelly, your skin is so white!" At first I was a bit offended, because in the U.S. dark, tan skin is generally considered more attractive, but my sensitivity to the sun leaves me with a pasty white complexion. The student went to explain that in her culture the exact opposite is preferable. Taiwanese women always carry an umbrella outside with them to protect their skin from turning darker in the sun (and I thought they were trying to subdue the heat.) White skin is considered quite beautiful in Taiwan, and the student was trying to pay me a compliment. A taxi driver in Taipei later confirmed this by telling my native companions that he thought I was beautiful. What an enjoyable lesson in cultural diversity this episode turned out to be.

Concluding Remarks

     For many years I have seen thousands of Asian students conducting research and earning degrees in the United States, but I know very few Americans who have traveled to Asia for any length of time. Whatever the reason for this, I am proud to have been a part of a program meant to change this trend. It was a remarkable and unique opportunity, one on which I intend to capitalize as I begin a career as a scientist.

     No doubt, the success of our trip was ensured by the fact that most of the members of the U.S. delegation enjoy karaoke, not to mention sushi and sake, and everyone was already well versed in the usage of chopsticks. But, it could not have gone as well as it did without the generosity of our hosts and their home institutions. This program was without reservation money well spent, and indeed money well invested in the future of atmospheric sciences.