Jason C. Furtado, Ph.D. 
Dr. Furtado is an Associate Professor in the School of Meteorology at the University of Oklahoma. He joined the School of Meteorology faculty in August 2015. He has a B.S. in Meteorology and a B.S. in Mathematics from Lyndon State College (2002), a M.S. in Atmospheric Sciences from Colorado State University (2004), and a Ph.D. in Earth and Atmospheric Sciences from the Georgia Institute of Technology. His Ph.D. worked focused on quantifying uncertainties in Pacific decadal climate variability and working toward a new paradigm of understanding Pacific climate using multiple modes of oceanic and atmospheric variability. Prior to working on the faculty at the University of Oklahoma, Dr. Furtado was a climate scientist and sub-seasonal weather forecaster for a private company in the Boston area. His research focuses on large-scale climate dynamics, including coupled systems (e.g., stratosphere-troposphere coupling, ocean-atmosphere coupling) on multiple timescales. His work features observations, model experiments, and working with coupled model output. He also has strong interests in applications of climate dynamics to improving sub-seasonal and seasonal forecasts.
Here is a short video about J. Furtado, including his background and his research interests.
View his CV.
Jordan Christian
Postdoctoral Scientist
Dr. Christian is a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the School of Meteorology at the University of Oklahoma and is on the S2S team for the Oklahoma National Science Foundation EPSCoR Project. He received a B.S. in Meteorology at the University of Oklahoma in 2014, a M.S. in Atmospheric Science at the University of Wyoming in 2017, and a Ph.D. in Meteorology at the University of Oklahoma in 2020. Dr. Christian’s prior work includes analysis of precipitation whiplashes, land-atmosphere coupling, and climate variability across the Southern Great Plains. Currently, his work focuses on flash drought, including the identification of these events, quantifying their climatological characteristics, improving the near real-time monitoring of developing events, and investigating the compound and cascading impacts associated with flash droughts. His research has utilized reanalysis datasets, remote sensing observations, and climate models on local to global scales. In his free time, he enjoys traveling, running, woodworking, and gardening.
Ollie Millin
Ph.D. Student, Meteorology
Ollie Millin is a Graduate Research Assistant and part of the S2S team in the Oklahoma National Science Foundation EPSCoR Project. Prior to graduate school at the University of Oklahoma, Ollie received his undergraduate integrated Master’s degree in Meteorology and Climate from the University of Reading, UK in July 2020. During this four-year degree program, he spent his third year at the University of Oklahoma studying abroad. During his undergraduate studies, Ollie researched stratosphere-troposphere coupling and its impact on predictability during the winter months by using reanalysis and model hindcast data. Now, Ollie will be researching into meteorological extremes and predictability in the Great Plains on the S2S timescale. In his free time, he enjoys running, swimming, playing soccer, seeing friends and watching his soccer team Manchester United.
Henry Olayiwola
Ph.D. Student, Meteorology
Henry Olasunkanmi Olayiwola is a Graduate Research Assistant at the School of Meteorology, University of Oklahoma and a member of the S2S team in the Oklahoma EPSCOR project, funded by the National Science Foundation. Prior to coming to the USA for his Doctoral Studies, Henry received his Undergraduate and Master’s Degrees in Meteorology and Climate Science from the Prestigious Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria in 2016 and 2021 respectively. During his undergraduate studies, he researched the effects of deforestation on total precipitation amount and decline in vegetation canopy in a Guinea savannah region of Nigeria using ground data, satellite data and GIS techniques. Moreso, his Master’s Degree work was centered around the investigation of Future projections of land use and land cover changes (LULCCs) and their effects on Future temperatures In Ibadan, Nigeria, using both ground and modelled temperature data, statistical data analyses as well as advanced GIS modelling techniques. Furthermore, Henry has extensive years of meteorological work, field and operations experience, thriving in several areas and departments whilst on the job before leaving for the United States. At the moment, he is studying compound and cascading events using S2S timescales with a significant focus on concurrent heatwaves and droughts in the contiguous United States. In his free time, he enjoys playing football (the real football), watching football (especially The Nigerian National Team and Manchester United), watching a wide variety of movies, spending time with his wife and daughter, hanging out with friends and working out at the gym.
Katie Giannakopoulos
M.S. Student, Meteorology
Katie Giannakopoulos is a Graduate Research Assistant working on the S2S team for the Oklahoma National Science Foundation EPSCoR Project. She received her B.S. in Meteorology from the University of Oklahoma in May 2022 and is excited to continue her graduate work there. During her undergraduate career, Katie was selected for the Ernest F. Hollings Undergraduate Scholarship Program. As a part of this program, she conducted research with the National Hurricane Center into the addition of lightning predictors to the Rapid Intensification Index for tropical cyclones. Additionally, she worked with CIWRO to compare boundary layer heights from the CLAMPS platform to those detected by the polarimetric WSR-88D radar. Katie is researching temperature whiplashes on the S2S timescale in Oklahoma. In her free time, Katie embraces her passion for the arts, specifically singing and theatre. She’s also a proud New England and OU sports fan.
GROUP ALUMNI
 | Ty Dickinson Ph.D. Student (2018-2023) Dissertation Title: Developing a Framework for Seamless Prediction of Subseasonal to Seasonal Extreme Precipitation Events in the United States |
 | Simon Lee Ph.D. Student (2018-2021) SCENARIO Project w/ University of Reading Dissertation Title: Stratosphere-Troposphere Coupling on Subseasonal Timescales |
 | Dan Groeneveld Honors Research Student (Spring 2021) |
 | Bailey Jarrett Undergraduate Research Assistant (2018-2020) |
 | Matthew Rogers M.S. Student (2018-2020) Thesis Title: The Pacific Decadal Precession and its Relationship to Tropical Pacific Decadal Variability in CMIP6 Models |
 | Jacob Ohnstad M.S. Student (2018-2020) Thesis Title: Subseasonal Winter Weather Predictability Associated with Single \\ \>vs. Multiple Wave Pulse Events and Their Impact on the Arctic Stratospheric Polar Vortex |
 | Gregory Jennrich M.S. Student (2017-2019) Thesis Title: Synoptic Characteristics and Precursors to Subseasonal to Seasonal Extreme Precipitation Events Across the United States |
 | Matthew Green M.S. Student (2016-2018) Thesis Title: Evaluation of the Madden-Julian Oscillation and the Stratospheric Polar Vortex and Their Joint Influence on the Northern Hemisphere Extratropical Circulation |
 | Yujia You M.S. Student (2016-2018) Thesis Title: South Pacific Atmospheric Internal Variability and its Role in the El Niño-Southern Oscillation |
 | Carly Narotsky Undergraduate Research Assistant, REU Program (Summer 2017) |
 | Clarice Dyson Undergraduate Research Assistant (2016-2017) |
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