The Mason Spirit

While still in high school, Nick Stasiak began reporting on the local weather on a website he created, gaining the attention of several nearby meteorologists. When he came to Mason, he began using his page Forecast GMU (now nickstasiak.com) and the Twitter and Instagram handle @GMUWeatherman to keep Mason students informed of local weather. His passion caught the attention of the Weather Channel’s president, as well as CNN, USA9, and other Washington, D.C.-based channels.

Fear Is Power: As a young boy, Stasiak was frightened by severe storms. It was his first hurricane that really spurred his curiosity about weather. When the eye of the storm passed overhead, Stasiak thought it was over. Minutes later, the hurricane raged on, leaving a young Stasiak with a lot of questions about storms. He harnessed this curiosity by shadowing meteorologists and learning how to monitor weather systems. And he hasn’t stopped asking questions.

Bridging the Gap: While Stasiak is interested in meteorology and earth science, he is also minoring in communication and helped found the university’s chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. He helps bridge the gap between science and the public with his easily accessible social media posts, which are skimmable, occasionally humorous, and have great photography. “I think it is important to be able to communicate information about weather systems, and there is often a disconnection between the professionals and the general public.”

Good Visibility: His influence on the current state of weather communications at Mason is undeniable. He has held positions with Connect2Mason, The Fourth Estate, and Mason Cable Network. While working as vice president of visits with the Mason Ambassadors, he would share his story with all the prospective students hoping to inspire them to pursue their passions as well. “I haven’t passed the torch for GMUWeatherman, but I think it would nice to see someone else take the lead.”

Protecting National Heritage: While an intern at Mason’s Center for Climate Change Communication, Stasiak worked with the National Park Service on a project monitoring the effect of climate change, mainly acid rain, on Washington D.C.’s monuments. The report resulted in the closure of the Jefferson Memorial for restoration and repairs. He also helped to start a severe weather communication page for the Climate Institute, and he was a geospatial intern for PlanetRisk Analytics.

Extended Outlook: Although Stasiak is hanging up his hat as Mason’s own Jim Cantore, weather is still on his horizon. “I’m working toward going to graduate school for either operational meteorology, or satellite remote sensing and GIS. Either way, I hope to communicate weather and climate science in the future.”

—Arthur Wesley, BA ’17