image: Roque Vinicio Céspedes, a junior at the University of Miami, has been awarded a prestigious Significant Opportunities in Atmospheric Research and Science mentorship. view more
Credit: UM/RSMAS
VIRGINIA KEY, Fla. – Roque Vinicio Céspedes, a junior at the University of Miami double majoring in Meteorology and Applied Mathematics, with a minor in Spanish, has been awarded a prestigious Significant Opportunities in Atmospheric Research and Science (SOARS) mentorship. SOARS is a paid summer research internship for undergraduate science, math, engineering and social science students.
This summer Céspedes will travel to Boulder, Colo. and become a protégé, working with a team of scientists and mentors on a project. He will conduct original research, prepare a scientific paper, and present his research at a colloquium. He is eligible to participate in the program for up to four summers, and will be supported by four mentors, including a research mentor, a writing mentor, a community mentor, and a peer mentor.
Ultimately aspiring to become a meteorologist, Céspedes is fascinated by issues of global warming and climate change, and hopes to research ways of improving daily weather forecasting. He has already completed both a summer internship at NOAA's Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML) comparing the rainfall data at three canal sites around West Palm Beach County, Florida to the nutrient concentrations at each canal site, and an Honors Summer Research Program at the Rosenstiel School (RSMAS) as a research assistant with Marine and Atmospheric Chemistry Professor Dr. Elliot Atlas.
Céspedes is also the recipient of numerous academic accolades including appointment to the University of Miami’s Honors Student Association, a $10,000 scholarship awarded by Kraft during a taping of the "El Show de Cristina" television program, and a University of Miami’s George E. Merrick Scholarship.
In 2006, Céspedes was also selected as one of seven extraordinary teens to be honored by “Selecciones” magazine as part of a celebration called “Generación Latina está cambiando el mundo" (“Generation Latino: Hispanic Teens Who Are Changing the World”), to mark this Spanish version of Reader’s Digest’s 35th anniversary.
Originally from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Céspedes, who was born with Cerebral Palsy, and currently lives in Miami, Fla. with his mother and younger brother. They will be accompanying him to Colorado for the summer program.
SOARS is sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF), National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Science (CIRES), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Center for Multi-scale Modeling of Atmospheric Processes (CMMAP) and the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR).
About the Rosenstiel School
Founded in the 1940's, the University of Miami's Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science has grown into one of the world's premier marine and atmospheric research institutions. Offering dynamic interdisciplinary academics, the Rosenstiel School is dedicated to helping communities to better understand the planet, participating in the establishment of environmental policies, and aiding in the improvement of society and quality of life. For more information, please visit www.rsmas.miami.edu