Hello! My name is Selena Centeno, and I am currently a 4th year here at the University of Georgia! Apart from studying Atmospheric Science and Geography, I am working to complete undergraduate certificates in Geographic Information Science & Climate Change Geographies. As a senior, I must say that my interest in weather has increasingly developed over the years in school. Starting young, I knew I had this interest in knowing what was going on around me and what the numbers and graphics meant on TV & our phone screens. The sound of thunder plus the sight of lightning was nothing less than intriguing, so my mind turned those phenomena into what I wanted my career to be composed of. Moving throughout high school and early college, my interest in the atmosphere only grew as I was finally getting into the meat and potatoes of what goes on above our heads; needless to say, this subject matter only became more captivating as the years flew by!

In the near future, I will be a participant in the PICASSO REU Program at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, as part of their Summer 2026 cohort! While a specific project is not assigned just yet, I assume my project will include all the skills that I have learned through this incredible WxDawgs program. Certainly not limited to observation data analysis, real-time forecasting, and map interpretation.

In the foreseeable future, my goal is to be the person behind the screen writing the NWS forecast discussions. I had that "aha" moment when being introduced to these for the first time in one of my classes at this university. For a long time, I was hovering between the broadcast world and behind-the-scenes, but it wasn't until I got to college that it finally clicked that I really wanted to do.

Aside from academia, I enjoy running outside, trying/cooking new recipes, generally being outdoors, and spending time with my friends and family, of course!