Robin Tanamachi has been captivated by tornadoes and extreme weather her entire life. When she realized people researched weather for a job, she was hooked.
She now studies tornadogenesis, or how tornadoes form, and what causes them to get weaker versus strengthen. For her, driving around in a Doppler radar truck aiming towards storms is a normal day in the office. The data she collects is then modeled and studied on computers—with math, physics, and computer science working hand in hand with meteorology.
At the end of the day, knowing exactly how, when, and where these violent storms happen can give more warning time for everyone involved.
Mary Kay Carson lives with her husband, Tom Uhlman, and their dog, Ruby, in a century-old house surrounded by deer, hawks, woodchucks, songbirds, and other creatures in Cincinnati, Ohio. Check out their other Scientists in the Field books, including The Tornado Scientist, Park Scientists, Emi and the Rhino Scientist, The Bat Scientists, Inside Biosphere 2, and Mission to Pluto.
Tom Uhlman has been a freelance photographer for more than twenty-five years. He photographs lots of news and sporting events, but enjoys shooting pictures of wildlife and the natural world most of all. Tom's photographs can be seen in the Scientists in the Field books written by his wife, Mary Kay Carson.