[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 91 (Thursday, June 17, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1145]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR RETIREMENT JEFF KIMPEL

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. DAN BOREN

                              of oklahoma

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 17, 2010

  Mr. BOREN. Madam Speaker, I am here to congratulate Dr. James 
``Jeff'' Kimpel, on his retirement after 13 years of federal service as 
director of NOAA's National Severe Storms Laboratory, NSSL, in Norman, 
Oklahoma. He has been active in advancing the Geosciences and 
Meteorology Program in the state of Oklahoma and throughout the nation.
  His career spans not only the academic community, but government 
service as well. After graduating and earning graduate degrees from the 
University of Wisconsin, Dr. Kimpel joined the meteorological faculty 
at the University of Oklahoma, where he earned the rank of full 
professor and held several administrative positions which include dean 
of the College of Geosciences and provost and senior vice president of 
the Norman, Oklahoma campus and having the title of senior vice 
president of the Norman campus. He chaired both the National Science 
Foundation's Advisory Committee for Atmospheric Sciences and the Board 
of Trustees of the University Corporation for the Atmospheric Sciences.
  Some of the prestigous positions that have been held by Dr. Kimpel 
include Assistant Professor for the Colleges of Arts and Sciences and 
Engineering at the University of Oklahoma, Norman campus where he was 
granted tenure. He later became the Associate Professor for the School 
of Meteorology followed by having the title of Emeritus Professor of 
Meteorology at the University of Oklahoma, Norman campus. Before coming 
to the University of Oklahoma, Dr. Kimpel held positions as research 
assistant at the University of Wisconsin, Madison and as a lecturer.
  The NSSL is responsible for creating Doppler weather radar technology 
that has opened many doors and eventually led to the creation of the 
national NEXRAD, NExt generation weather RADar, network which consisted 
of more than 160 radar systems. This has greatly reduced the number of 
fatalities that have been caused by tornados. During Dr. Kimpel's time 
there, NSSL conducted scientific and technological research that 
upgraded NEXRAD's systems.
  Dr. Kimpel worked vigorously to launch the Multifunction Phased Array 
Radar initiative as a possible replacement in the future for NEXRAD. He 
has worked with the NWS Storm Prediction Center and the Norman Weather 
Forecast Office to create a Hazardous Weather Testbed to speed up the 
transition of new science into operational warning and forecasting 
decision processes. He has also expanded the NSSL's radar-based flash 
flood forecasting and water management programs into areas near the 
coast where inundation from land falling tropical storms, hurricanes 
and other inclement weather is possible.
  Dr. James Kimpel has had a major impact throughout the state of 
Oklahoma, and I am proud to be from a state where he has contributed so 
much to protecting the lives of so many Americans through his work at 
the NSSL. I thank him and all Oklahomans and Americans.

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