Emmett Twomey ’23, a meteorology major from Valparaiso University and current meteorologist for ABC 57 in South Bend, has been nominated for an Emmy for his work in severe weather education. His team’s nominated piece, a segment for the station’s annual “Project Tornado” series, educates families and young kids on the science of tornadoes and tornado safety. The segment also featured Valparaiso University, including its students, faculty and renowned storm chasing program.
“It is awesome coming back to Valpo and having everyone willing to work with me and having that collaboration,” Twomey said. “I think now especially we need to cross our professional boundaries and give back to the people from other times in our lives.”
One of the main goals of the segment is to show younger children that severe weather doesn’t have to be quite as scary as it seems — a lesson he had to learn himself when he was their age.
“I was in kindergarten, and we got the gray screen from the National Weather Service flash across our TV for a tornado warning in Cook County. I was terrified,” Twomey said.
By second grade, Twomey had educated himself on just how tornados form, what they do, and how to keep himself safe—sparking a lifelong fascination with meteorology. After hearing about Valparaiso University in a news segment with Tom Skilling on WGN 9 Chicago, and being impressed by the University’s strong academic reputation and generous financial aid, Twomey decided to pursue his passion in Northwest Indiana.
The Valparaiso University meteorology department routinely produces stellar meteorological experts, and alumni of the program can be found at top graduate programs, private-sector firms and broadcast media outlets around the world.
“I’ve met a lot of people in the industry who have worked with Valpo students and recognize their strengths,” said staff meteorologist Leanne Blind-Doskocil. “Even though we’re a small school, our program has a big impact in the broader meteorology community. Our alumni are some of the top people in the field.”
Participating in projects like Twomey’s segment are also great opportunities for students to make a real difference in their chosen field.
“We were a bit nervous about the whole film crew being here, but it was overall exciting to help inform the public about severe weather and how to stay safe,” Blind-Doskocil said. “That’s why a lot of people are drawn to meteorology.”
According to both Twomey and Blind-Doskocil, much of what makes Valpo’s meteorology program unique is the hands-on experience students gain as early as their first year. Since 1994, the University’s active storm chasing team has been launching weather balloons into the troposphere — the lowest layer of the atmosphere, where most weather phenomena occur — to collect real data that informs real forecasts.
“Our students are driving, leading forecasts every day, and we try to give them as much say as possible so long as it’s not a safety concern,” Blind-Doskocil said.
Beyond technical knowledge, Twomey learned several key interpersonal skills that have been vital to making a quality news broadcast day after day, including communication and teamwork.
“Weather is something that we all encounter, so you can’t really gatekeep that. Becoming a well-rounded communicator means explaining meteorological concepts to people who don’t have the same meteorological background that I do,” Twomey said. “That and teamwork. I sometimes work with people who have little to no scientific background at the news station. Interacting with people who have different backgrounds than you is essential, because at the end of the day, we’re all trying to put out a good news broadcast.”
Twomey began his career in professional meteorology as an intern at ABC 57 while still at Valpo. His Emmy nomination is an impressive career accomplishment, not just for his own brand as a broadcast personality, but for the entire team he’s been working with.
“It’s pretty cool to say I’m an Emmy nominated meteorologist,” Twomey said. “It says my product and our product is good enough that people who aren’t meteorologists know it’s valuable.”
Twomey’s segment can be viewed here, and more information on his Valparaiso University experience can be found in this article. To learn more about meteorology at Valparaiso University, visit the department website here.
