OCS Researchers
Dr. Bradley G. Illston
Senior Research Scientist; Mesonet Research Team Lead
B.S. Meteorology (2000), University of Oklahoma; M.S. Meteorology (2002), University of Oklahoma; Ph.D. Meteorology (2016), University of Oklahoma
Dr. Illston is interested in surface and subterranean observational and climate data, urban/atmospheric interactions, boundary layer processes, and land surface interactions. His past research has led to the development of a soil moisture climatology of Oklahoma and a better understanding of the impacts droughts have on soil moisture conditions and studies on the historical evolution of urban heat island characteristics over developing metropolitan areas. He has been involved in field research with NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory on the SWOT and NISAR projects and working with the PeruHUB in installing weather stations in Peru.
He in an expert team member on the World Meteorological Organization’s ET-SSM instrumentation panel and conducts extensive intercomparison evaluations of all-in-one, air temperature, solar radiation, and soil moisture sensors in Oklahoma. His current research activities involve electric grid resilience, fire environment, extreme heat impacts, near-surface atmospheric flux measurements, and unmanned aerial systems boundary layer profiling. He also teaches the Atmospheric In-Situ & Surface-Based Measurements courses for the School of Meteorology at the University of Oklahoma.
Dr. Monica Mattox
OK-FIRE Extension State Program Specialist, Oklahoma Mesonet
B.S. Meteorology (2012), University of Oklahoma; M.A. Geography (2015), University of Oklahoma; Ph.D. Geography and Environmental Sustainability (2024), University of Oklahoma
Dr. Monica Mattox is the OK-FIRE Extension State Program Specialist in Oklahoma State University's Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management. She works in partnership with the Oklahoma Mesonet. Her work spans fire weather research broadly, with an emphasis on applied research that fire, land, and emergency managers and the public can utilize. With a background in meteorology, geography, and environmental sustainability, she specializes in fire weather, wildfire risk perception, and decision-making among fire managers at the federal, state, regional, and local levels.
Dr. Mattox earned her bachelor's degree in meteorology, followed by a master's degree in geography. Her master's research examined how particulate matter, weather, and climate contribute to meningitis outbreaks in Burkina Faso, West Africa. She later completed her Ph.D. in geography and environmental sustainability, expanding her expertise in wildland fire, applied climatology, and hazard risk assessment.
Her role is built around OSU Extension's three focus areas: teaching, research, and extension. In teaching, she leads OK-FIRE training workshops and develops curriculum for fire, land, and emergency managers and county educators. Her research centers on applied fire weather, including wildfire warning systems, fire environment products, and risk perception. Through extension, she works with federal, state, and local agencies and organizations, county extension partners, National Weather Service offices, utility partners, and communities to put fire weather data and research into practice. The goal is to strengthen fire management, improve wildfire monitoring and prediction, and connect researchers with fire, land, and emergency managers and the public.
Dr. Christopher Fiebrich
Director of the Oklahoma Climatological Survey
B.S. Meteorology (1998), University of Oklahoma; M.S. Meteorology (2000), University of Oklahoma; Ph.D. Meteorology (2007), University of Oklahoma
Dr. Fiebrich’s research focus involved improving our climate data through the use of automated weather stations. He has also published papers on data quality assurance, the history of weather observations, and meteorological instrumentation. Chris is currently the Director of the Oklahoma Climatological Survey. Chris works with all aspects of the Mesonet, from laboratory calibrations to site maintenance to Mesonet websites and outreach to teachers and emergency managers.
Research Partners
The Oklahoma Mesonet partners with many local, state, and federal agencies on a variety of research projects including small experiments, research grant studies, and large on-going projects.
USDA/ARS Grazinglands Research Lab (GRL), El Reno, OK
The Oklahoma Mesonet operates and maintains two micronets for the Grazinglands Research Lab (see the ARS website). The Mesonet also collaborates with the GRL on groundwater research across the Fort Cobb watershed.
Oklahoma Water Resources Board (OWRB), Oklahoma City, OK
The Oklahoma Mesonet operates and maintains the Fittstown station for the Oklahoma Water Resources Board. The Mesonet also collaborates with the OWRB on groundwater research across Oklahoma.
National Weather Service (NWS), Norman and Tulsa, OK
The Oklahoma Mesonet partners with the National Weather Service on a number of research projects across Oklahoma. Most recently, the Mesonet has installed an experimental wet bulb globe temperature sensor at the Norman site and a road pavement sensor at the Tulsa site to help the NWS develop and verify forecasts for heat stress and pavement temperatures. The Mesonet also partners with the NWS Arkansas-Red River Forecast Center to provide rainfall data to be used to calibrate radar estimates of rainfall, which are then input into NWS hydrologic models.
Department of Energy Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Program
The Oklahoma Mesonet data are transferred to the ARM External Data Center located at Brookhaven National Laboratory. The data are then provided to ARM Science Team members who utilize the data to plan site activities and monitor the quality of ARM instruments.
Noble Foundation, Ardmore, OK
The Oklahoma Mesonet operates and maintains the Newport station for the Noble Foundation. This site provides data from the pasture demonstration farm for research projects at the Noble Foundation.