About the Research | About the Researcher

Andrea Sealy

Bringing it all back home

If you are from the Caribbean and you're good at math and science, the advice you get is to become a doctor, says Andrea Sealy. "But I never liked biology much," she adds.

A great school teacher pointed her down what would eventually become her career path. "My geography teacher was really knowledgeable. I was fascinated learning about how weather works. I said to myself, this looks like fun, perhaps I can do this." That same year, a meteorologist at a school career day told Sealy that the field required a lot of math and physics—both subjects that she loved. "That was it. I was 14 or 15 at the time, and from then on, that was what I was going to do."

Dashing to college in the states

Her road to the United States started on the running track. In high school she was captain of the girl's track team, and she continued running when she entered college. "My coach said, Maybe we can get you to the U.S," she recalls. "One of the schools he was thinking of was Jackson State University, which has a meteorology major, so I didn't have to sacrifice my major to get a track scholarship."

Although she no longer runs, Sealy would like to coach someday. "I still really enjoy looking at athletes' technique and seeing where they could improve."

Running into unfamiliar territory

Gregory Jenkins recruited her for grad school when he was at Pennsylvania State University. "Coming from Jackson State, where she was an outstanding student, to Penn State where there are a lot of outstanding students, was a challenge," says Jenkins. "Also, it wasn't a diverse environment; it was a little hostile. But I always felt that she was destined to make an impact."

Sealy became Jenkins' research assistant. "Being with a great mentor like him gives you the enthusiasm to enjoy this stuff. So I started looking at West African climate for my master's work. Coming from the tropics myself, I've always been interested in tropical climate, and there's so much work that needs to be done in that area. It's a region where it would be good if scientists could contribute their knowledge to helping the people." The two studied rainfall processes using data from the TRMM (Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission) satellite. Sealy continued to Howard University and received a Ph.D. in 2006.

Expanding experiences

It was also Jenkins who encouraged Sealy to apply for a postdoctoral fellowship at NCAR, which she completed in 2008. "She's a creative person, and to bring the best out of a creative person, they need an environment with growth potential. I thought from my own experience [as an NCAR postdoc] that she would flourish out there, and that's what happened."

Throughout her education, Sealy took advantage of summer programs, internships, and any possible opportunity to stretch herself. One summer at the University of Oklahoma she participated in Earthstorm, a program that brings K-12 teachers to campus to learn basic meteorological principles. "I had always liked education and outreach, but that experience is what really fueled my interest, how as a scientist you can talk to others who are not in the field," she says. Since then she has been involved in a wide range of outreach endeavors. An award-winning Girl Guide in Barbados, at NCAR she helped coordinate a program that brings Girl Scouts together with women scientists.

Home again

After many years in the United States, Sealy is back in Barbados. She's now a researcher at the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology, part of the Caribbean Meteorological Organization.

"After being so well educated and having so many diverse experiences, it'll be good to see what I can contribute to the field at home. My new director is of the mind set that, Even though you're coming back home, don't fall off the radar. So I'll be coming back for professional meetings and workshops, and I'll continue to collaborate."

Jenkins believes that Sealy's outgoing personality and positive attitude "will inspire other young people to come into the field. She's going to encourage people who maybe have not been in the field traditionally—in fact I think she's going to encourage all people, because she's kind of a global person—to pursue their dreams. She's the role model now."

One-minute mentor: Step out of your comfort zone Andrea Sealy advises minority students to push their social limits in pursuit of a science career. "You will have to work and live among people who don't look like you. Don't let that deter you. Take up challenges and do what is difficult." If people in your community and your college share your background, seek internships or other opportunities in institutions where they don't. That way, you'll be mentally prepared for what you're likely to find in the workplace. And don't get discouraged, she adds. "Eventually, you raise your comfort zone to a different level. When I go back to Barbados I'm very comfortable, but I'm also fine here [in the United States]." Find links for students interested in exploring atmospheric and Earth system science on the Career FAQs & Resources page.