Meet Harold Gamarro

Graduate Research Fellow Harold Gamarro joined the Atmospheric Composition Modeling research program in 2022.

When did you start at CSL?

I initially joined NOAA CSL in early 2020 for a six-month period through the NOAA Experiential Research and Training Opportunities (NERTO) program. I returned to CSL in 2022 as a NOAA Educational Partnership Program with Minority Serving Institutions (EPP/MSI) Graduate Research Fellow, continuing my dissertation work with the support of CSL scientists. Both these opportunities came through the NOAA EPP/MSI Cooperative Science Center (CSC) at The City College of New York (CCNY), where I am completing a PhD in mechanical engineering. A big shout-out to the NOAA office of Education for their outstanding efforts in connecting students like me with the distinguished scientists at CSL.

What do you do here at CSL?

My current research focuses on the complex interactions between urban infrastructure and land cover, examining how these factors collectively influence weather extremes, including urban heat, energy consumption, and air quality. At CSL, I am involved in developing and refining modeling tools that investigate the dynamics of flow and transport within urban environments, with a particular emphasis on studying New York City and Houston.

Where are you from/where did you grow up?

My family is originally from Chicaman, a small town in Guatemala, but I was born and raised in Queens, New York after my mom decided to make NYC home.

What was your career path to get here?

I began my academic journey as a mechanical engineering major in undergrad. I was drawn to this major from my background in fixing airplanes out of high school and enjoyment of math. Initially, I pursued traditional internships in HVAC and design within mechanical engineering but found that they did not fulfill me. My perspective shifted during a summer research internship under the guidance of my current advisor, where I was introduced to the NOAA CSC at CCNY. There I made the connection that weather modeling was just a fluids and heat transfer problem but at a much larger scale. I am now nearing the completion of my degree, fully committed to the path I discovered.

What did you want to be when you grew up?

I was always into computers and technology, so the goal was to do something in that space.

What were you like in high school?

In high school, I got along with pretty much everyone. I fit in wherever and enjoyed hanging out with all sorts of groups.

Name one thing about you that people wouldn't/don't expect.

Got a license to fix and maintain airplanes out of high school but never used it because I went to engineering school.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

Playing basketball, boardgames, and Halo. Also enjoy mountain biking.

If you could hop on a plane tomorrow, where would you go?

Tokyo, Japan for the ramen.

What energizes/motivates you at work?

What is the best piece of advice anyone has given you?

Create to inspire and empower others.

Name one item on your bucket list.

Bag pack and explore Guatemala.