Thousands of scientists, educators, students, and other professionals from across the weather, water, and climate community are headed to Seattle to share, learn, and collaborate.

Organization: American Meteorological Society

Conference: 97th Annual Meeting

Venue: Washington State Convention Center

City: Seattle

Following the Annual AMS Student Conference and Sunday afternoon’s Weatherfest, AMS 2017 kicks off on Monday morning with the 17th Presidential Forum, which will discuss how current meteorological observations serve societal needs and address challenges to human health, food security, sustainable energy, water quality and abundance, and environmental change. Also in the forecast:

Outside chatter. Making their debut this year are Side Panel Discussions. Partnered with the conference’s town hall meetings, these discussions will allow the conversation to continue outside of the technical sessions. Scheduled panels include challenges, opportunities, and trends in digital weather journalism, as well as building disaster resilience.

Stronger networks. During Monday evening’s speed-networking event for students and early-career professionals, participants can pick the brains of senior scientists and researchers. They’ll hear from members of the community who still love their profession after a decade or two, and they’ll get insight into different career paths and better understand the responsibility of each sector in the field.

Bright lights. AMS Beacons will once again be available onsite to answer questions. These volunteers, who can be identified by their bright yellow lanyards, are available to assist anyone in attendance—from the first-timer who needs directions to the seasoned attendee seeking some timely and thoughtful advice.

Want more meeting details? Head to Twitter (#AMS2017) or Facebook, or read The Front Page Blog.

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