David Vollmer

Professional Experience:

Director of Meteorology/Assistant Professor/Senior Military Faculty, US Air Force Academy, CO                 2013-2018
• Directed first-ever full academic program and curriculum review for meteorology major, ensuring program compliance with World Meteorological Organization BIP-M sand career field entry requirements
• Served as Research Director for 5 research centers and $800K annual research budget
• Elected to National Center for Atmospheric Research Developmental Testbed Center Scientific Advisory Board (DTC SAB) developing national weather modeling strategy and research priorities
• Organized activities for 45 meteorology majors and 7 faculty/support staff; managed 12 course curriculum
• Drove largest surge in meteorological research in Academy’s history; mentored 15 student independent research projects collaborating with government/private entities resulting in 10 conference presentations
• Established the first-ever Weather Research & Forecast (WRF) model capability at USAFA; integrated real modeling into classroom and independent research opportunities not normally available to undergraduates
• Ran multiple high-resolution nested WRF model domains focusing on fine scale winds over complex terrain verifying performance for future operations
• Designed USAF Academy’s first dedicated meteorological remote sensing course using latest radar and satellite platforms and visualization tools, preparing future weather officers for resource protection activities
• Inspired a 300% increase in student enrollments into the meteorology major in one year
• Innovative teaching and research garnered 2016 USAF Academy Outstanding Academy Educator Award

Commander/Director of Operations, 2d Combat Weather Systems, Hurlburt Field, Ft Walton Beach,         FL 2010-2013
• Oversaw daily operations of 54-member weather systems team across three locations while managing equipment and projects worth $6.8 million and an annual budget of $121,000
• Led development, test and evaluation, and fielding of base and tactical weather concepts of operations used globally across the Air Force and Army
• Managed the most intense Air Force weather system test cycle in almost two decades, directing 22 system evaluations over 310 days at 6 bases, ultimately improving 900+ weather systems
• Organized, trained, and employed the Air Force's sole weather system maintenance team across 11 nations and 70 forward locations, ensuring safety of $150 billion worth of assets

Director of Operations/Flight Commander, 16th Weather Squadron, Offutt AFB, Omaha, NE             2008-2010
• Integrated Google Earth weather viewer into common operating systems for decision makers, making over 600,000 customized products available on-demand
• Helped orchestrate install of $650,000 high-performance weather model computer system 3 months ahead of schedule; weather forecast model capacity increased 250%
• Managed cutting-edge cloud forecast projects to support national intelligence operations
• Directed enhancements to DoD's only space weather warning center
• Resolved theater commander’s #1 issue by improving quality of dust model forecasts through $300,000 acquisition; increased resolution 300% in support of 23,000 sorties
• Oversaw daily operations of 62-member team charged with state-of-art technology development and display of weather decision aids

PhD Candidate, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC                       2005-2008
• Earned PhD in atmospheric dynamics in 3 years with 4.0 GPA; Dean’s List every semester
• Led research laboratory reorganization, ensuring continuity of multiple research projects
• Dissertation title:  “The Interaction of Jet/Front Systems and Mountain Waves:  Implications for Lower Stratospheric Aviation Turbulence”
• Dissertation examined high-altitude aviation turbulence regimes for Air Force Research Lab; tested automatic grid-nesting algorithm for WRF and other mesoscale weather models

Commander’s Action Group/Weather Branch Chief, AF Technical Applications Center, Cocoa Beach, FL         2002-2005
• Managed the DoD’s largest classified weather database, supporting all aspects of AFTAC’s weather mission
• Directed reallocation of weather manpower support to 700-member organization, streamlining process and ensuring data availability for 10,000 transport and dispersion weather model runs
• Served as director of staff; organized efforts to bring stalled upgrade to United States Atomic Energy Detection System back on track
• Deployed to Iraq with 2d Armored Cavalry Regiment; supported key anti-insurgency operations
• Ensured agency aced key compliance inspection, earning an individual MAJCOM Superior Performer award

Graduate Student, Master of Science, Meteorology, Air Force Institute of Technology, Dayton, OH            2000-2002
Plans and Programs Officer/Combat Weather Team Leader, 607th Weather Squadron, S. Korea            1998-2000
Staff Weather Officer, Joint Readiness Training Center, Ft Polk, LA               1996-1998

Awards & Recognition

• 2016 USAFA Outstanding Academy Educator
• 2014 USAFA Department of Physics Field Grade Officer of the Year
• 2012 Air Force Specialized Weather Support Unit of the Year (as Squadron Commander)
• 2009 Air Force Weather Agency Staff Weather Officer of the Year
• 2009 Air Force Weather Agency Arthur J. Flemming Award for Scientific Achievement