I am a graduate student at the University of Maryland in College Park. I study meteorology, specifically hurricanes, and was excited to hear about the potential usefulness of GPS and its applications to meteorological research. Having never studied remote sensing prior to this month long excursion to Colorado and East Asia, I initially assumed that the trip would be of no interest to me. My handheld GPS receiver has long served the purpose of navigating me through the jungles of dirt roads while searching for tornadoes, but I had no idea as to the scientific utility of such technology. However, upon researching the current breakthroughs and future potential of GPS in the field of meteorology, I realized that I could be one of the major beneficiaries, as a hurricane modeler, of such novel remotely sensed data. For this reason, I applied for funding. The vast amount of data which will become available via the COSMIC satellite array will be crucial to any research that requires upper atmospheric information above the oceans. My research falls into that category, and it appears to me that successful launch and operation of the constellation could, in tandem with future similar constellations, have a revolutionary effect on weather forecasting as a whole (not only hurricane forecasting). After the conclusion of a two-week colloquium in Boulder, Colorado, I was prepared and very excited to visit the places where this technology is currently being developed.

     The COSMIC array will have a vast range of applications, but particularly I am interested in the space-based occultations. These occultations will provide much needed data for assimilation into hurricane-simulating numerical models. These models currently depend upon sparse initial data, and for this reason I was particularly interested in learning about the research being conducted with the assimilation of the space-based data. Potentially, these GPS-derived upper-air soundings could foster a breakthrough discovery in hurricane modeling and forecasting, as well as in many other areas such as arctic meteorology. In Japan, much of the research being conducted utilizes their vast array of ground based GPS receivers, but in Taiwan I was able to learn more about the research that utilizes the currently-available occultations.

     These occultations are very sparsely spaced in space in time, but they serve as a good test bed for the vast amount of data that COSMIC will provide in the coming years. In fact, one of the presentations at the university in Taiwan dealt specifically with assimilation of the data into hurricane models. From a scientific perspective, the trip succeeded in introducing me to the brilliant research that is being conducted away from the United States. The trip opened my eyes to the potential that exists in combining the resources of scientists from the United States and East Asia. Looking into my future as a young scientist, this experience aided in my knowledge of research abroad, and it made it possible for me to quickly contact a colleague abroad without worry of language or cultural barriers. Specifically, I became acquainted with several students who have similar interests and professional goals as me; these students hopefully will be future collaborators. As a student in the United States, I most likely never would have had the opportunity to see this research first hand. The trip gave me the chance to fraternize with future research partners whose paths I may never have crossed without the help of this trip

     As the days passed in Japan and Taiwan, I made mental notes of the names and affiliations of students and professors with whom I hope to collaborate in the future. In my view, this professional networking alone would constitute a successful trip. However, the professional connections were far overshadowed by the cultural connections and friendships that were cultivated in such a short time. I can say that I made several very good friends with whom I plan to stay in close contact with. I was astounded at the generosity and humble hospitality of our hosts. The experience instilled in me the desire to return the favor when I myself acquire the qualifications to organize and fund such a trip. I was able to observe the way in which leaders in atmospheric science interact with each other and the way in which they host young scientists. The combination of cultural, personal, and professional connections that were made is absolutely invaluable to me, and I hope to provide the same opportunity to a future generation of scientists.

     For the most part, I was very intrigued by the culture prior to traveling to Japan and Taiwan. In Japan, my first impression was obviously the airport; it seemed that everything was so efficiently designed. The designs are not ornate, and it seems as if no excess materials were used during construction. The fact that trash cans are far outnumbered by recycle bins also caught my eye. Personally, I have an obsession with food and drink. The vending machines with over 25 different types of beverages, including juices and coffee, were the next thing to catch my attention. By the end of the trip, I had sampled at least 20 of the 25 drink varieties, and most were better than the bland American soft drinks. Additionally, the food in Japan was wonderful!

     The only dishes that failed to astound me were the ones that included the heads of fish. I tried several times but was never able to overlook the crunch of fish heads. In Taiwan, I was initially overcome by the heat and humidity; I couldn't believe that there existed a place hotter than my home state of Texas! The markets near the marina in Taipei were very interesting; I've never seen so many quail eggs and frying tofu in one place. We ate at a cafe near the marina in which a delicious, filling meal cost only ONE American dollar! Ever since I returned to the United States, I have been craving miso soup, a staple of nearly every meal while in Japan and Taiwan. I can't say enough about the food; the food alone is enough to warrant a return visit across the Pacific. The Japanese beer, the karaoke, the enormous ten-course meals, the generous culture, and of course the people all stimulate my desire to return to East Asia. In Japan, we visited "Shigaraki," where we made pottery and saw the famous "Tanuki," or "raccoon dog."

     Many similar and equally cultural excursions were part of this ten-day trip, and all contributed to making this trip a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The new-found familiarity with the culture, people, and science of East Asia lead me to conclude that traveling to Taiwan or Japan for scientific collaboration would now be no more difficult than traveling across the United States. I sincerely intend to make international collaboration a priority in my research. I desire to become a professor of meteorology in the United States, so the collaboration-inducing nature of this trip was especially important to me.

     During the ten-day trip to East Asia, I had the pleasure of interacting with so many wonderful people. Students, professors, and administrators all treated us as honored guests in a way that amazed me. For the sake of preventing exclusion of any of our superb hosts, I will just say that they all went far and above the expected to make sure that we were cared for. Dinners at the best restaurants and comfortable beds were always made available. Throughout the duration of our trip, it seemed as if there was no instant where someone (a student, our hosts) was not ready to take us out and show us something or some place that we needed to see. Overall, my experience on this trip has solidified in my mind why it is that I want to be a scientist and that I will make a conscious effort to collaborate with scientists abroad.