Agriculture News

Two Western Kentucky University graduate students, along with Dr. Josh Durkee, University Meteorologist and Director of the WKU Disaster Science Operations Center (DSOC), recently provided specialized weather monitoring for the grand opening of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago, bringing WKU’s nationally-recognized meteorology and disaster science programs to one of the country’s highest-profile public events of the year.

Dr. Durkee was specifically recruited to design and deliver event-specific weather planning, forecasting, and on-site monitoring services for the June 18 grand opening ceremony for the Obama Presidential Center. The ceremony marked the official unveiling of the 19.3-acre campus in Chicago’s historic Jackson Park.

Dr. Durkee led the effort through the new DSOC Pro, the professional services unit of DSOC, and was joined on-site by graduate students Harmony Guercio and Thomas Payette.

“I am sincerely honored that Agency EA and the Obama Foundation gave my graduate students and me the opportunity with full trust behind our mission to provide precise and accurate event-specific weather planning, forecasting, and on-site monitoring for such a prestigious, historic event,” Dr. Durkee said.

The team’s services required custom weather support for a large-scale outdoor event with high-visibility, complex operations, and extensive security considerations. Dr. Durkee said the team provided hyperlocal weather intelligence to support operational and safety decisions throughout the event.

“The weather was diverse, inclement, and quite challenging to predict accurately for the array of critical decisions needing support across all elements of operations and production of the event,” Dr. Durkee said. “It is professionally rewarding to be sought for the work and to successfully conduct the work, but even more so to pass these experiences on to my students so they can be better than me.”

For WKU students, the opportunity represented yet another example of the applied, real-world training that has become a hallmark of the University’s meteorology and disaster science programs.

“Participating in an event of this scale is something I never imagined I would have the opportunity to do, especially as a graduate student,” Guercio, a graduate student from Knoxville, Tennessee, pursuing a Homeland Security Science degree, said. “Being trusted to provide weather support for an event involving President Obama, other former U.S. presidents, Secret Service, production teams, event organizers, and thousands of attendees was both humbling and incredibly rewarding.”

Guercio said the experience reinforced how essential weather intelligence is to the success and safety of major public events.

“What stood out to me the most during this event was seeing how weather information influenced nearly every aspect of the operation,” she said. “From wind impacts on staging and rigging to safety decisions that affected staff, performers, and guests, every single forecast and observation was of high importance.”

The Obama Presidential Center event is the latest example of DSOC’s growing national reach. Over the years, WKU’s Disaster Science Operations Center has built partnerships and provided weather support for large-scale events and organizations, including the Special Olympics USA Games, the Chicago Marathon, Chicago road races, the National Cherry Blossom Festival, NASCAR events, concerts, and festivals.

“The growth and national recognition of DSOC and disaster science at WKU has been steadily gaining traction and prominence over the years,” Dr. Durkee said. “Our program has built a record of providing unmatched, unique learning experiences by bridging academia with professional practice, and inspiring and better-connecting students with career targets, all while helping to shape the industry with better practices to improve safety and success.”

Guercio said DSOC has prepared her for the opportunity through years of complex forecasting and event support experiences, beginning with campus events and expanding to large national operations.

“DSOC’s emphasis on hands-on operational experience allows students to build professional-level skills long before graduation, and this event was the perfect example of that preparation in action,” she said.

For Durkee, the opportunity also reflected the broader mission behind WKU’s disaster science and meteorology programs: combining classroom learning with real-world experience in ways that prepare students to step directly into their careers.

“This is why WKU has developed a national reputation for its operational training,” Durkee said. “Students get first-hand experiential learning by participating in these events. That’s what sets us apart."