2025 Rick Toracinta Endowed Graduate Scholarship Awardee
The Rick Toracinta Endowed Graduate Scholarship honors Dr. Richard (Rick) Toracinta and is awarded biennially to an outstanding graduate student at The Ohio State University pursuing studies in atmospheric science, broadly defined. Recipients must demonstrate exceptional scholarship and professional excellence. This prestigious award provides $2,000 to advance the winner’s graduate career.
The Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center is pleased to announce that the 2025 awardee is Brian Rakoczy, of the Department of Geography and the Polar Meteorology Group at the Byrd Center. His current research project is titled Characteristics of Antarctic Katabatic Wind Confluence Zones from Observations and High Resolution Modeling. The runner-up is Jacklynn Beck, also of the Department of Geography.
Special thanks go to the evaluation committee—Professors Ellen Mosley-Thompson, Joseph Chan, and Alvaro Montenegro—for reviewing applications. The next competition will be held in Fall 2027.