People
Faculty
Scott T. Salesky, Ph.D.
Dr. Scott T. Salesky is an assistant professor in the School of Meteorology
at the University of Oklahoma. He joined the faculty in Fall, 2017. He
received a B.S. in Science Education from Martin Luther
College in 2008, and his M.S. and Ph.D. in Meteorology
from Penn State University in 2010 and 2014.
From 2014–2017, he was a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Civil Engineering
at the University of British Columbia.
His research focuses on understanding the physics of turbulent transport in the atmospheric boundary layer, the lowest layer of the atmosphere that is directly impacted by Earth's surface. He uses analytical techniques, in situ observations, and numerical simulations in his research. Recent topics of interest include the structure and dynamics of the convective boundary layer, turbulence over complex surfaces (e.g. complicated topography and urban areas), and particle-laden flows (relevant for the transport of sand, snow, and pollen, as well as cloud processes). He also develops numerical tools to study these problems using the large eddy simulation (LES) technique.
Graduate Students
We are always looking for enthusiastic graduate and undergraduate students to work with us. If our research interests you, please feel free to contact us!
Briana Lynch
Briana Lynch is an M.S. student and Graduate Research Assistant in the School
of Meteorology. Prior to joining the research group, she completed her B.S. in
Environmental Science with a concentration in Atmospheric Science from the
University of Massachusetts Lowell in May 2017. As an undergraduate, she
examined carbon dioxide emissions within the urban boundary layer during the
Research Experience for Undergraduates at OU. She continued this research for
her honors thesis, comparing that data to planetary boundary layer heights from
reanalysis data. For her graduate research, Briana is investigating how heavy
particle transport and dispersion are influenced by urban form, vegetation, and
turbulence using experimental dispersion data from a field project in
Vancouver, BC. Her other research interests include climate impacts on humans
and wind energy applications within the atmospheric boundary layer. In her
spare time, Briana enjoys cooking, watching movies, and improving on her public
speaking skills.
Robert van Kleeck
Robert is an M.S. student and Graduate Research Assistant hailing from upstate
New York. He received his B.S. in Atmospheric Science from Lyndon State College
in Vermont in May 2018, where he researched winter weather impacts on
electrical infrastructure (power lines, wind turbines). Additionally, he was a
participant in the 2017 National Weather Center REU program, where he created a
new method of detecting heat bursts using Oklahoma Mesonet data. His research
with Dr. Salesky explores the impacts of urban boundary layer flow on
point-source pollutant dispersion using large eddy simulation. In his free
time, he enjoys working out, DJing, and keeping active with friends and family.