Molly Erin Menzel

Molly Erin Menzel

Atmospheric Scientist

NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies

Researcher, Instructor, Learner

Hi! My name is Molly Menzel, welcome to my personal page. I study our planet’s atmosphere by using both idealized and fully comprehensive climate models to better understand the dynamics involved. These models present valuable insight and allow us to further develop theory that describes past, present, and future climates. I am a recent doctoral graduate from Johns Hopkins University and started a NASA Postdoctoral Program fellowship at the Goddard Institute for Space Studies in the fall of 2022. My latest research is focused on developing a better understanding of the relationship between the upper tropospheric and lower stratospheric circulation features, and how that impacts both the tropics, the midlatitudes, as well as stratospheric transport. In addition to research, I actively seek out opportunities to teach the dynamics of our climate to students and the general public alike.

Interests
  • Large-scale Atmospheric Circulation
  • Troposphere-Stratosphere Connections
  • Climate Dynamics
Education
  • PhD in Earth and Planetary Sciences, 2022

    Johns Hopkins University

  • MSc in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, 2017

    McGill University

  • BSc in Engineering Science and Mechanics, 2014

    Virginia Tech

Teaching Experience

 
 
 
 
 
Dean’s Prize Fellowship
Sep 2021 – Dec 2021 Baltimore, MD
Recipient of a prize teaching fellowship from Johns Hopkins University’s Krieger School of Arts and Sciences to reteach my previous course as a freshman seminar in Fall 2021.
 
 
 
 
 
Dean’s Teaching Fellowship
Sep 2020 – Dec 2020 Baltimore, MD
Recipient of a competitive teaching fellowship from Johns Hopkins University’s Krieger School of Arts and Sciences. This fellowship allows advanced PhD student s to design and instruct their own course. The course I taught in Fall 2020 is titled ‘Communicating Climate Science.’
 
 
 
 
 
Guest Lecturer
Sep 2019 – Dec 2019 Baltimore, MD
Provided 2 weeks of guest lectures to Present and Future Climates as the teaching assistant for the course.
 
 
 
 
 
Teaching Assistant
AS.270.378/641 | Present and Future Climates
Sep 2019 – Dec 2019 Johns Hopkins University
 
 
 
 
 
Completion of Teaching Academy
Jun 2019 – Dec 2021 Baltimore, MD
 
 
 
 
 
Teaching Assistant
ATOC 215 | Oceans, Weather, and Climate
Jan 2017 – Apr 2017 McGill University
 
 
 
 
 
Teaching Assistant
ATOC 181 | Introduction to Atmospheric Science
Sep 2016 – Dec 2016 McGill University