Written by: Aurora Wornham
As summer break comes to a close and the students of UAH return to their busy and bustling campus lives, we want to highlight a student who has spent their summer with the Alabama Office of the State Climatologist (AOSC). Please meet Aurora Wornham, our Science Communications Student Specialist! You might have seen her work on the AOSC blog and our Instagram account @al_stateclimatologist. Aurora did an amazing job this summer, bringing her creativity, curiosity, and communication skills to everything she worked on. It was a pleasure having her on our team, and we’re excited to share a little more about her!
Aurora’s Path to AOSC
Although this office serves Alabama, many students and staff have traveled and lived well beyond the state.
Where are you from? How does the climate compare?
I moved to Huntsville from Central Texas (CTX) just a year ago to attend the University of Alabama in Huntsville. The climate isn't crazy different, but it is definitely more stormy here in Huntsville (and way more humid!!). At most times, it is around 10 degrees cooler here than back home - which is sometimes nice, but there are times I yearn for the warmth. The temps might be on the cooler side, but winter weather is still about the same as CTX - it is still the South after all! The picture below is from a particularly unique day in Huntsville, when the weather was fairly mild both before and after, but the morning was filled with snow! At the same time back in Texas, there was only sunshine.
What got you interested in climate?
I have always had an interest in weather and climate, though I haven't always pursued it. I honestly like so many aspects of atmospheric science that it's hard to pin down just one A-HA moment that specifically got me interested. It could have been the Eyewitness book on natural disasters I had as a kid, or how my parents encouraged my curiosity by showing me what was happening in the sky when storms were building up. Now, I’m attending UAH as an Atmospheric & Earth Science student with a concentration in Atmospheric Science & Meteorology. I saw an opening for student interns this summer at AOSC and decided to go for it. I find it really cool that there's always something new to learn, especially while working here at the climate office.
Tell us about what you do at AOSC.
I was the Science Communications Student Specialist for AOSC during my 2026 summer semester and I wrote blogs for the website and designed social media posts on various topics for AOSC's Instagram. You can read my work in the NWS Heat Blog, the Summer Seasonal Climate Snapshot, the Hurricane Blog, future blogs on lightning and irrigation pivots, and even this blog!
When I think about what I’ve learned here, the biggest thing I have learned about is actually the climate office itself! This was something I didn't know existed until the internship listing was posted. Not only did I not know there was such a thing as a state climatologist or a climate office, but I also didn't realize that a state climate office would be involved with so many things - state water resources, all kinds of research, public outreach and partnerships, maintaining climate records between months, seasons, years, and beyond, and more. My favorite part of working with the AOSC has been the people! I really like working with everyone here. I have gotten to collaborate with so many awesome people throughout my internship and have built some really cool connections. I also gained so much new knowledge through research for the blogs and have learned so many new things about climate offices.
What advice do you have for students interested in science communication?
I find that being good at writing is key in this job. It is also important to be able to take the lead on projects, or work independently without set guidelines or someone always telling you what to do. This was a skill I worked on and strengthened during my summer internship. And make sure you’re always open to collaboration and reaching out to people. People want to share their knowledge; you just have to be brave enough to ask.
Concerning writing, I’ve learned a lot of strategies while working here and writing blogs. One of the most helpful things I have learned is how to simplify writing. When my first draft has too much extra information, I turn each paragraph into a bullet list. I’ll list every piece of information in the paragraph and then figure out what to keep, what not to keep, and what to just simplify. It helps me rein in my thoughts from something jumbled and complex to something more structured and simple. This process really clicked for me while I was writing the lightning blog.
Also, remember that a team builds everything. Even in the context of outreach and communications, it's not all one person. It’s as they say: teamwork makes the dream work. With almost every task I completed, I had a second pair of eyes on it. I collaborated with people on a lot of my work, as well. Everyone has something to bring to the table, whether it’s a new perspective, subject expertise, or a keen eye for editing.
Finally: Oftentimes, the best opportunities are found when you just go for it.
What’s coming up next for you?
I have two more years to complete my Bachelor’s degree in Atmospheric & Earth Science at UAH. For now, I will continue studying and keeping an eye out for more opportunities - internships, volunteering, etc. I don’t know where the future will lead, but I’m optimistic as I continue to build a good foundation for a career in this field.
Until Next Time, AOSC!
Hello, readers of the AOSC blog! It’s been fun writing and researching and designing and talking and learning! This was totally a new experience for me as a fairly new meteorology student just entering a professional setting. I’m really glad I did it, though. There are some things you really do only learn beyond a classroom. I’ve gotten to meet and work with some amazing people too. And all of you have gotten to see my work as well! Wow, I sure hope you all have enjoyed it. Until next time!