Meet: Francis J. Merceret, Ph.D.

Who I Am

Spaceflight operations - launches, landings and ground operations - are all very sensitive to weather. Space shuttle weather support is provided by forecasters of the 45th Weather Squadron (USAF/45WS) at Cape Canaveral Air Station and of the National Weather Service's (NWS) Spaceflight Meteorology Group at Johnson Space Center. In 1991, NASA, the USAF and the NWS joined forces to create the AMU to develop and transition new weather technologies into operational use.

What I Do

The AMU is operated by ENSCO, Inc., under contract to NASA. I supervise the contract which NASA pays for. The Air Force provides laboratory and office space collocated with the 45WS. Our primary customers, the 45WS and SMG, tell us what their highest priorities for new technology are. The five contract employees and I work with them to locate appropriate technologies to solve these most important problems. We evaluate potential solutions, modify them if necessary, and help put the successful ones into operation as tools for the forecasters to use. Sometimes we end up developing new technologies ourselves.

My Career Journey

I attended City College (a public high school) and earned a bachelor's degree in physics from the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. I also got my Ph.D. degree in atmospheric physics from Johns Hopkins.

When I finished at Hopkins, I did research and taught courses in physical oceanography at the University of Delaware for two years. This was followed by seven years as a research scientist with the NOAA Hurricane Research Laboratory in Miami, during which time I attended law school at night. Four additional years were spent as a scientist and manager for NOAA's Office of Aircraft Operations where I worked on calibration and analysis of data obtained from the "hurricane hunter" aircraft.

I Decided to Try Out My Legal Skills

Having thoroughly enjoyed science as a profession, I decided to try out my legal skills. I joined the State Attorney's Office in Miami working for Janet Reno as a criminal prosecutor. I specialized in economic and environmental crimes where my training in science and mathematics proved to be of continuing value.

After seven years, my careers as a scientist and as a lawyer led me to conclude that I liked science better and wanted to get back to it. As a life-long fan of the space program, I was thrilled to hear that NASA was looking for someone with a background like mine to head up their new AMU at KSC. I competed successfully for the position, which continues to be a source of pleasure and pride for me.

Personal Information

My major hobby is amateur ("ham") radio. This lifelong interest contributes to the success of my career because of the skills in electronics and communications it provides, and it allows me to contribute to the community by providing communications for emergencies and civic events. I am an avid "DXer" who likes to talk to people in foreign countries, and a competitor who has won two world championships in radio contests. If any of you are hams, look for me, call sign NA4CW, on the air! Additional recreational interests include photography, target shooting, playing the guitar and astronomy.

I am 54 years old. My wife, Elizabeth, is a real estate lawyer in Miami, Florida. She commutes each week between our home near KSC and her Miami office. Our daughter, Honor, is an architect in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Our son, Martin, is a student at Merritt Island (Florida) High School. His major academic interest is music.

Learn More From My Chats

• March 03, 1998
• July 31, 1997