Program: Meteorology
For as long as he can remember, Ron Stenz has been fascinated by weather.
“Growing up, it was watching thunderstorms out the window and reading books about extreme weather filled with pictures that solidified my interest in understanding how these events happen. Eventually I was chasing storms to do my own photography of them.”
Before coming to College of DuPage, Stenz—who earned his bachelor’s degree at Cornell University—was a meteorological programmer and data analyst as well as a graduate teaching assistant at the University of North Dakota, where he completed his master’s degree and is currently finishing his dissertation.
Pursuing an educational career was a logical decision for Stenz.
“I’ve always enjoyed helping people figure out things,” he said. “After getting an opportunity as a graduate teaching assistant, I realized that teaching was what I wanted my career focus to be. I’ve also found that student questions and trying to prepare for them also helps with furthering my knowledge in meteorology and coming up with new research ideas.”
Stenz finds inspiration being out in nature, especially up on mountains or watching storms, as well as in anyone who is curious, driven and always trying to learn.
“I hope my students leave my class with an increased appreciation of the world around them and see things, such as clouds and storms, differently after learning about how these processes work,” he said. “I also hope they build confidence in their problem-solving skills that will help them with any future challenges.”