Baron Critical Weather Institute and U.S. Space & Rocket Center Announce Partnership
September 9, 2019
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Bob Baron, CEO and Founder of the newly-formed nonprofit Baron Critical Weather Institute, today will announce a partnership with the U.S. Space & Rocket Center (USSRC). The Center will be the site of both the office for the Institute and a permanent weather exhibition. The exhibit will house the Institute’s weather research lab and offer an opportunity to support science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education regarding Earth and space weather and climate.
Baron will make the announcement during his keynote address at the National Weather Association Conference today at 1:35 p.m. in the Von Braun Center South Hall. The Conference is being held in Huntsville for the first time and is an annual gathering of professional meteorologists, scientists and organizations across the industry.
At 2:30 p.m., Mr. Baron, along with Dr. Deborah Barnhart, CEO and Executive Director of the USSRC, and Madison County Commission Chairman Dale W. Strong, will be available for media interviews at the Baron Services booth located in the VBC South Hall exhibit area.
The Baron Institute and USSRC interactive, hands-on weather exhibit allows museum visitors as well as Space Camp trainees to see first-hand the many types of weather instruments used by meteorologists and researchers. The Institute’s first initiative, a high density, real-time statewide weather sensor and camera network will be included in the exhibit.
This permanent exhibit, which will focus on how we know the weather on earth, and how it is influenced by space. It will feature two of the largest weather sensors in use – a Doppler Radar and a weather satellite – provided by exhibit donors Baron Services, NOAA, and NASA among others. The project is being endorsed and supported by Madison County Commission Chairman Dale W. Strong.
The Baron Critical Weather Institute is focused on world class instrumentation in support of public safety, educational outreach, and economic development. The Institute is proud to be partnering with the Alabama Emergency Management Agency, Alabama Department of Transportation, the State Climatologist Office, members of the Institute’s Science Council, The U.S. Space & Rocket Center and other interested parties in establishing the network.
Media contact: Pat Ammons, pat.ammons@spacecamp.com; 256-721-5429; 256-655-4222
About Baron Critical Weather Institute
The Baron Critical Weather Institute, a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization, was established in 2018 to spearhead research on how weather impacts all aspects of the transportation industry. Alabama and the Tennessee Valley and are home to numerous manufacturing powerhouses who produce transportation- related products. Additionally, Alabama experiences a broad range of climates and weather events along with all modes of transportation. The Baron Critical Weather Institute will develop, coordinate and support world-class instrumentation, and will provide major weather research and development. The Institute is founded by Bob Baron, the CEO and Founder of Baron Services, a company known for innovation and scientific contributions to significant weather detection.
About U.S. Space & Rocket Center
The U.S. Space & Rocket Center, a Smithsonian Affiliate, is the Official Visitor Center for NASA Marshall Space Flight Center and a showcase for national defense technologies, activities based at the U.S. Army’s Redstone Arsenal, and energy information hub for the Tennessee Valley Authority. USSRC is home to Space Camp®, Space Camp® Robotics, Aviation Challenge® and U.S. Cyber Camp as well as the Apollo 16 capsule, the National Historic Landmark Saturn V rocket and world-class traveling exhibits.
To learn more about the exciting programs and activities at the USSRC, go to RocketCenter.com.