Promoting Geoscience Research, Education & Success

Shelley L. Knuth

Shelley L. Knuth, Assistant Director of Research Data and Training for Research Computing

Shelley L. Knuth, Assistant Director of Research Data and Training in High Performance Computing

Education and Experience

2016 – present: Assistant Director of Research Data and Training, Research Computing, University of Colorado-Boulder

2014 – 2016: Senior Research Data Specialist, Research Computing, University of Colorado-Boulder

2009 – 2014: Professional Research Assistant, Cooperative Institute for Research in Sciences, University of Colorado-Boulder

2006 – 2008: Field Technician, Chequamegon Ecosystem-Atmosphere Study (ChEAS), University of Wisconsin-Madison

2002 – 2010: Research Specialist, Space Science and Engineering Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison

2014: Ph.D. in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences from University of Colorado-Boulder

2007: M.S. in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences from University of Wisconsin-Madison

2002: B.S. in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences from University of Wisconsin-Madison

My interests

My current academic interest lies in data management – ensuring that the data collected as part of university research projects are well maintained, preserved, and can be used effectively. My past research interests were largely focused on understanding atmospheric boundary layer dynamics in the polar regions, specifically in the Antarctic. I also enjoy sports, especially softball, and cycling, and have recently begun competing in triathlons in the area. I also enjoy spending time with my husband and three year old son.

How I became a scientist

My first interest in atmospheric science came from an introductory class I took as a freshman, after which I pursued the topic as my major. My senior year I participated in two courses that promoted field research, and fell in love with it. After graduating I managed to get a job assisting a research group that put out weather stations in the Antarctic. Four field seasons and a Masters degree later, I was ready for a new challenge, and left for Colorado to work on my Ph.D. Here I would work with data collected from unmanned aerial vehicles to understand the atmospheric boundary layer better. One additional Antarctic field season and a Ph.D. later, and after 12 years of working as a full-time researcher and a part-time student, I decided to leave research science and pursue a new challenge in research data management. My new position has been different, challenging, and has come with a learning curve, but it has been invaluable in teaching me new skills and concepts that I can use to benefit research as a whole.

How my work benefits society

Proper research data management is extremely important not only for scientists’ current and future work, but for society as well. Without proper care, a dataset will be rendered useless for future work, thus eliminating the ability to reproduce results, or expand on past studies. My work in the Antarctic has led to measurements being captured of atmospheric phenomena that was previously only understood by and large by models. I have also done extensive outreach work in our community to assist the general population with having a better understanding of climate and weather. I have had nine peer reviewed publications, participated in nine different research projects/grants, have had the opportunity to see parts of the world many can only imagine, and have had the ability to follow a circuitous route in academia that I find rewarding and fulfilling.