National weather expert joins OBU as a visiting professor

OBU welcomes Dr. Patrick Marsh as a visiting professor of natural science.

Marsh is the chief of science and support for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Storm Prediction Center (SPC) in Norman, Okla. His wife, Dr. Sarah Marsh, has been a math faculty member at OBU since 2011, and they have lived in Shawnee since 2013.

Patrick Marsh said it was the Shawnee tornado on April 19, 2023, that led him to reach out to Dr. Larinee Dennis, Dean of Business, Health, Science and Education, about ways he could serve OBU. The result is this one-year appointment as a Visiting Professor of Natural Science.

Marsh earned a Bachelor of Science degree in math and physics from the University of Arkansas in 2005. He then earned a Master of Science degree in meteorology in 2007, and then finished his doctorate in 2013, both at the University of Oklahoma.

Marsh brings a wealth of STEM-related experience to OBU. He has worked in a variety of high-profile roles ranging from managing the operations center for the largest tornado research project dedicated to understanding how tornadoes form to being interviewed by national and international media before, during, and after significant, high-impact weather events. Additionally, Marsh is known for developing new forecast techniques and innovative displays of weather information and his scientific leadership in setting National Weather Service severe weather and fire weather research priorities and policies. Currently, Marsh oversees the SPC’s research portfolio and manages its IT system.

Marsh said, “I have been fortunate to collaborate with local, national, and international experts on furthering our understanding of how the atmosphere works, especially regarding the improvement of predictions for severe thunderstorms, tornadoes and critical fire weather conditions. I look forward to bringing this experience and expertise to the OBU community, especially into the classroom, where I hope to inspire students with my passion for STEM.”

Dennis said this a special opportunity for OBU.

“I am delighted that Dr. Marsh is joining the OBU academic community in a visiting professor role,” Dennis said. “His professional expertise and connections will be valuable to students in the classroom and to the larger OBU STEM community outside the classroom.”