HT Person Distinguished Lecture Series

April 18, 2012 — Surface Transportation Weather - Challenges and Opportunities

Thursday, April 19th at 3:10 pm • EN3111

William P. Mahoney III

Deputy Director, Research Applications Laboratory

National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR)

Poor weather and road conditions play a role in 25% of all crashes, representing 7,400 fatalities and 629,000 injuries per year.  This additionally accounts for the second largest cause of non-recurring congestion.  The National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) has been a leader in road weather research for over a decade and is developing and implementing decision support technologies for winter snow and ice control for use by state and local departments of transportation.  NCAR is working with auto manufacturers on technologies to process vehicle data in real time to dramatically increase the nation's surface-weather observation network.  Vehicle data, when blended with traditional weather systems, will eventually provide the framework for driver specific hazard alerts.  William Mahoney will discuss the challenges and opportunities that accompany these research programs.

Mr. Mahoney is the Deputy Director of the Research Applications Laboratory (RAL) at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), in Boulder, CO.  He has been involved in research and development activities at NCAR for more than 25 years.  Additionally, Mahoney has written or co-authored more than 40 papers and frequently presents NCAR's work at national and international conferences and seminars. 

He is a member of the American Meteorological Society (AMS), Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITSA), American WInd Energy Association (AWEA), and the Utility Wind Integration Group (UWIG), and is active on several atmospheric science and surface transportation committees.

Mr. Mahoney is the Past-Chair of the AMS Board on Enterprise Economic Development, was a member of the AMS Economic Development Committee, and is an AMS Fellow.