Edward Rappaport facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Edward Rappaport
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| Born | November 18, 1957 |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | University of Washington Texas Tech University |
Edward Neil "Ed" Rappaport (born November 18, 1957) is an American scientist. He is known for his long career studying hurricanes. He worked at the National Hurricane Center (NHC) for many years. The NHC is a special office that tracks and forecasts hurricanes.
Ed Rappaport served as the acting director of the NHC two times. He was acting director from 2007 to 2008. He also held this role from 2017 to 2018. He was also the deputy director of the NHC for a long time. This means he was the second-in-command. He retired in 2021 after a great career.
Early Life and Education
Ed Rappaport was born in Los Angeles, California. He showed an early interest in science. He went to the University of Washington. There, he earned his first two degrees. He got his Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in 1979. He then earned his Master of Science (M.S.) degree in 1983.
He continued his studies at Texas Tech University. In 1988, he earned his Ph.D. This is a very high-level degree. His Ph.D. was in atmospheric science. This field studies Earth's atmosphere and weather.
Working with Hurricanes
Ed Rappaport joined the National Hurricane Center in 1987. He started as a post-doctoral fellow. This is a special training position after getting a Ph.D. In 1988, he became a research meteorologist. A meteorologist is a scientist who studies weather.
He quickly moved up in his career. In 1990, he became an assistant hurricane specialist. He also worked as a Tropical Satellite and Analysis Center meteorologist. This means he used satellite images to study tropical storms.
In 1993, he became a full hurricane specialist. These experts forecast where hurricanes will go. They also predict how strong they will become. From 1998 to 2000, he led the Technical Support Branch. This team helps forecasters with tools and information.
Leading the Center
Ed Rappaport became the deputy director in 2000. This was a very important leadership role. He had experience both forecasting and doing research. This made him a great fit for the job.
He served as acting director twice. He stepped in when the main director left. This shows how much trust people had in him. He helped guide the NHC through busy hurricane seasons. His work helped keep people safe. He retired in 2021 after many years of service.
