Passion drives tornado research for distinguished professor of meteorology

Early on, Dr. Paul Markowski was drawn to STEM fields such as astronomy and meteorology.

Paul Markowski 2021

Paul Markowski, distinguished professor of meteorology and atmospheric science, spots a tornado in 2019 while doing field work in Stockville, Nebraska. IMAGE: PHOTO PROVIDED

David Kubarek, June 02, 2021

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Paul Markowski has dedicated his 20-year career at Penn State to understanding tornadoes, particularly bettering predictors for when they’ll occur.

But the mesoscale meteorologist admits he never saw this coming: He was recently named distinguished professor, one of three within the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences and 13 at Penn State.

“This is a tremendous honor,” Markowski said. “It’s very humbling, as well, given all of the outstanding faculty in my department, in the college and at Penn State. This is something I never expected in my career. It wasn’t on my radar.”