Curtis N. James

Curtis James is Professor of Meteorology at Embry‑Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) in Prescott, Arizona. He has taught Embry‑Riddle courses in basic meteorology, aviation weather, thunderstorms, satellite and radar imagery interpretation, atmospheric physics, mountain meteorology, tropical meteorology and weather forecasting techniques since January 2000. He has also served as the Department Chair of Applied Aviation Sciences, Director of ERAU’s Undergraduate Research Institute and as faculty representative to the university’s Board of Trustees. He participates in ERAU’s Study Abroad program, having led many summer programs in Switzerland, Argentina, and Brazil. He earned a Ph.D. in Atmospheric Sciences from the University of Washington (2004) and participated in the Mesoscale Alpine Programme (MAP; 1999), an international field research project in the European Alps. His research specialties include weather radar, mesoscale, and mountain meteorology. He earned his B.S. in Atmospheric Science from the University of Arizona (1995), during which time he gained two years of operational experience as a student intern with the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Tucson, Arizona (1993-1995). Dr. James is a native of Arizona where he currently resides with his wife and children. He is active in his community, having served as the president of the Prescott SciTechFest Advisory Committee, a member of ARES/RACES, a scoutmaster, and as chairman of the Emergency Preparedness Committee and high councilor serving a number of local church congregations. In his spare time, he enjoys travel, lightning photography, backpacking, camping, fishing, caving, mountain biking, acting, music performance, and spending time with family.