Robin Tanamachi
Research Areas
Education
- Ph.D., University of Oklahoma, School of Meteorology, 2011
- M.S., University of Oklahoma, School of Meteorology, 2004
- B.S., University of Wisconsin-Madison, Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, 2001
Research Interests
Severe convective storms, tornadoes, polarimetric Doppler weather radar, radar data analysis,
atmospheric science education research (ASER), high-resolution numerical modeling of convective
storms and tornadoes, radar data assimilation, ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) techniques, mesoscale
meteorology, atmospheric radiometry, infrared thermography, and atmospheric undular bores.
Professional Experience
- 2022 – present Associate Professor, Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
- 2015 – 2022 Assistant Professor, Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
- 2014 – 2015 Research Scientist, University of Oklahoma, Cooperative Institute for Mesoscale Meteorological Studies, Norman, Oklahoma
- 2012 – 2014 National Research Council Postdoctoral Fellow, National Severe Storms Laboratory, Norman, Oklahoma
- 2011 – 2012 Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of Oklahoma, Center for Analysis and Prediction of Storms, Norman, Oklahoma
- 2010 – 2011 Research Assistant, University of Oklahoma, Cooperative Institute for Mesoscale Meteorological Studies, Norman, Oklahoma
- 2005 Independent Consultant, Weathernews, Inc., Tokyo, Japan
- 2002 – 2010 Research Assistant, University of Oklahoma, College of Atmospheric & Geographic Sciences (formerly: College of Geosciences), School of Meteorology, Norman, Oklahoma
- 2000 – 2002 Research Intern, University of Wisconsin – Madison, Atmospheric & Oceanic Science, Space Science and Engineering Center, Madison, Wisconsin
Funding
-
Principal Investigator: AGS-FIRP Track 1: Purdue Radar Education (PurRadE): Integrating RaXPol into a Severe Storms Field Work Course, National Science Foundation award AGS-2553552, $32,417, 2026 – 2027.
- Principal Investigator: Collaborative Research: Enhancing Radar Meteorology Instruction with an Open, Flexible, Online Course, National Science Foundation award AGS-2303653, $430,031, 2023 – 2028.
- Principal Investigator: VORTEX-SE: Characterization of microphysical processes in potentially tornadic Southeast U.S. storms via polarimetric radar - disdrometer - lightning synthesis, NOAA/DOC award NA19OAR4590209, $227,901, November 2019 – October 2022.
- Co-principal investigator: VORTEX-SE: Understanding the influence of microphysical processes on the environment and behavior of southeastern-U.S. potentially tornadic storms, NOAA/DOC award NA18OAR4590313, $235,905, September 2018 – August 2022.
- Principal Investigator: Collaborative Research: Polarimetric tornado precursor signatures, National Science Foundation award AGS-1741003, $692,700, November 2017 – October 2023. [Includes CARES Act supplement.]
- Principal investigator: X-band, Polarimetric, Doppler Weather Radar. Award from Executive Vice President for Research for installation of a weather radar at Purdue University. $312,000, June 2017 – May 2018.
- Co-principal investigator: Improved Understanding of Tornado Development and Risk using Models and Observations from VORTEX-SE 2017, NOAA/DOC award NA16OAR4590208, $173,981, September 2016 – August 2017.
- Co-principal investigator: Improved Understanding of Tornado Development and Risk using Models and Observations from VORTEX-SE, NOAA/DOC award NA15OAR4590231, $192,901, September 2015 – September 2017
Teaching
Purdue University:
2026 Spring EAPS 52300 Radar Meteorology
2025 Fall EAPS 22700 Introduction to Atmospheric Observations and Measurements
2025 Summer EAPS 43500 Severe Storms Field Work
2024 Summer EAPS 59100 Severe Storms Field Work
2024 Spring EAPS 52300 Radar Meteorology
2023 Fall EAPS 22700 Introduction to Atmospheric Observations and Measurements
2023 Summer EAPS 59100 Severe Storms Field Work
2023 Spring EAPS 13800 Thunderstorms and Tornadoes
2022 Fall EAPS 22700 Introduction to Atmospheric Observations and Measurements
2022 Summer EAPS 59100 Severe Storms Field Work
2022 Spring EAPS 52300 Radar Meteorology
2021 Fall EAPS 22700 Introduction to Atmospheric Observations and Measurements
2021 Spring EAPS 13800 Thunderstorms and Tornadoes
2020 Fall EAPS 22700 Introduction to Atmospheric Observations and Measurements
2020 Spring EAPS 52300 Radar Meteorology
2019 Fall EAPS 22700 Introduction to Atmospheric Observations and Measurements
2019 Summer EAPS 59100 Severe Storms Field Work
2018 Fall EAPS 53500 Atmospheric Observations and Measurements
2018 Summer EAPS 59100 Severe Storms Field Work
2018 Spring EAPS 52300 Radar Meteorology
2017 Fall EAPS 53500 Atmospheric Observations and Measurements
2017 Summer EAPS 59100 Severe Storms Field Work
2016 Fall EAPS 53500 Atmospheric Observations and Measurements
2016 Spring EAPS 52300 Radar Meteorology
2016 Spring EAPS 39100 Special Topics: VORTEX-SE Field Research
2015 Fall EAPS 53500 Atmospheric Observations and Measurements
University of Oklahoma:
2015 Spring METR 4911 & 4922 Senior Capstone (mentor)
2012 Summer N/A Radar Meteorology Training Workshop for the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (instructor)
2007 Spring METR 2603 Severe and Unusual Weather
For recent publications, please see my Google Scholar page.