Josie Pettis

Biography

Hi! My name is Josie, and I’m a master’s student in the University of North Dakota’s Department of Atmospheric Sciences. Originally from Nebraska, I developed a fascination with the atmosphere, from the changing patterns in the sky to the beauty of four seasons. I’ve always enjoyed helping others, collaborating with people, and tackling challenging questions that push me to think in new ways. That curiosity led me to a double major in meteorology and mathematics.

Growing up in Nebraska, I became fascinated by a wide range of atmospheric phenomena, but my research interests have increasingly focused on microphysics and its role in lightning. While severe weather has always been a major passion of mine, I’m especially interested in looking beneath the surface to better understand the physical processes that drive these events. I hope my work can help identify gaps in our understanding of thunderstorms and provide forecasters with better tools to analyze storm intensity and potential hazards.

Beyond academics, I actively love exploring new interests. I especially enjoy traveling, paddleboarding, building Lego sets, baking, playing board games, and playing the flute.