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Shawn Murdzek

Shawn Murdzek

Shawn is a research scientist in the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) with a focus on data assimilation and observation impact assessments in regional weather models. Before coming to GSL, Shawn was a student at Penn State, where he studied convective storms and tornadoes using a combination of observations and idealized numerical modeling. Shawn is an outdoor enthusiast who loves running, hiking, and cycling.

Research Interests

  • Convective storm processes and predictability
  • Data assimilation
  • Microphysics parameterizations
  • Tornadogenesis
  • Applications of radar systems to forecasting severe local storms
  • Meteorological Applications of Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS)
  • Observing System Simulation Experiments (OSSE)

Education

  • Ph.D., Meteorology and Atmospheric Science, Pennsylvania State University, 2022
  • M.S., Meteorology and Atmospheric Science, Pennsylvania State University, 2019
  • B.S., Meteorology and Atmospheric Science, Pennsylvania State University, 2019

Linked-In profile

Publications

  • Murdzek, S. S., and T. T. Ladwig, 2025: The Development of a Regional, High-Resolution OSSE Framework to Study the Impact of Observations from Uncrewed Aircraft Systems on Numerical Weather Prediction. J. Atmos. Oceanic Technol., https://doi.org/10.1175/JTECH-D-24-0056.1
  • Murdzek, S. S., Y. P. Richardson, and P. M. Markowski, 2024: The Sensitivity of Supercell Cold Pools to the Lifting Condensation Level and the Predicted Particle Properties Microphysics Scheme. Mon. Wea. Rev., https://doi.org/10.1175/MWR-D-23-0092.1
  • Murdzek, S. S., Y. P. Richardson, P. M. Markowski, and M. R. Kumjian, 2022: How the environmental lifting condensation level affects the sensitivity of simulated convective storm cold pools to the microphysics parameterization. Mon. Wea. Rev., 150, 2527–2552. https://doi.org/10.1175/MWR-D-21-0258.1
  • Murdzek, S. S., P. M. Markowski, Y. P. Richardson, and M. R. Kumjian, 2021: Should reversible convective inhibition be used when determining the inflow layer of a convective storm? J. Atmos. Sci., 78, 3047–3067. https://doi.org/10.1175/JAS-D-21-0069.1
  • Murdzek, S. S., P. M. Markowski, and Y. P. Richardson, 2020: Simultaneous dual-Doppler and mobile mesonet observations of streamwise vorticity currents in three supercells. Mon. Wea. Rev., 148, 4859–4874. https://doi.org/10.1175/MWR-D-20-0239.1
  • Murdzek, S. S., P. M. Markowski, Y. P. Richardson, and R. L. Tanamachi, 2020: Processes preventing the development of a significant tornado in a Colorado supercell on 26 May 2010. Mon. Wea. Rev., 148, 1753–1778. https://doi.org/10.1175/MWR-D-19-0288.1

Professional Memberships and Service

  • Member and journal reviewer, American Meteorological Society (AMS)
  • Journal reviewer, American Geophysical Union (AGU)
  • Journal reviewer, National Weather Association (NWA)

Our Mission

Lead research and directed development through the transition of environmental data, models, products, tools, and services to support commerce, protect life and property, and promote a scientifically literate public.

Research Areas

Organizational Excellence, Earth System Prediction, Advanced Technologies, and Decision Support are the foundation to achieving the GSL Grand Challenge: Deliver actionable global storm-scale prediction and environmental information through advanced technologies to serve society.

Global Systems Laboratory