Kathy teaches classes mostly in the Distance Learning Programs, including BMP/OMP Statistical Climatology and TIG Research methods and Local Field Methods.  Her research interests include response to weather hazards, mass media, and distance learning. She is primarily interested in how people obtain and use weather information, especially when provided by the TV meteorologist. Kathy recently became state coordinator for Mississippi CoCoRaHS, the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network.

Outside of work, Kathy enjoys cooking, gardening and travel. She also enjoys spending time with her husband John, and dogs Mopey and Charlie. She originally is from Easton, Pennsylvania in the beautiful Lehigh Valley.

Education

PhD Geography 2006 Florida State University, FL.

    Dissertation: A Place for PSI: Finding a Role for Parasocial Interaction in Hazards Research

MS Geosciences 1999 Mississippi State University, MS. 

    Thesis: Perceptions of El Niño: The Effect of Media on Public Perception

BSE Social Studies, Geography Concentration and Minor 1997 Mansfield University, PA

Experience

Assistant Professor, Mississippi State University, 2007
Instructor, Mississippi State University, 2003-2006
Graduate Teaching Assistant, Florida State University, 2000-2002
Mentor, 2 + 2 Distance Learning Program, Florida State University, Fall 2000 and 2001
Field Assistant/Interviewer, Hazards Management Group, Summer 2000
Graduate Research Assistant, Florida State University, 1999-2000
Lecturer, Mississippi State University, Summer 1999
Graduate Teaching Assistant, Mississippi State University, 1997-1999

Selected Publications

Sherman-Morris, K., Jason Senkbeil, Robert Carver (2011) Who's Googling What? What Internet Searches Reveal about Hurricane Information Seeking. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 92, 975–985. [Abstract]

Sherman-Morris, K. (2010) Tornado Warning Dissemination and Response at a University Campus. Natural Hazards. 52(3): 623-638. [Abstract]

Sherman-Morris, K. (2008) Paws and Click: Disaster Preparedness Information on Animal Welfare Websites. Weather and Society Watch 2(4): 2, 8-9.

Dixon, G., Brown, M., Sherman-Morris, K. Kirkland, B. (2008) Comments on Seals Of (Dis) Approval: Television Weathercasters Debate The Value Of Voluntary Credentials, National Weather Digest. 32(1): 61-65.

Sherman-Morris, Kathleen., Morris, John., Thompson, Keith (forthcoming). Discovering Vegetation Patterns in the Owens Valley through the Use of Geospatial Technology. Submitted to Journal of Geoscience Education.

Sherman-Morris, Kathleen (2005, copyright 2006). Tornadoes, Television and Trust—A Closer Look at the Influence of the Local Weathercaster during Severe Weather. Environmental Hazards. 6(4) 201-210.

Sherman-Morris, Kathleen (2005) Enhancing threat: Using cartographic principles to explain differences in hurricane threat perception. The Florida Geographer. vol. 36, pp. 61-83

Philip E. Steinberg and Kathleen Sherman-Morris (2004) People and Places: A Case Studies Workbook to accompany Human Geography by Knox and Marston (working title). Prentice Hall.

Philip E Steinberg, Andy Walter, and Kathleen Sherman-Morris (2002) Using the Internet to Integrate Thematic and Regional Approaches in Geographic Education. The Professional Geographer 54(3) 332-348.

Professional Affiliations
National Weather Association
Association of American Geographers
Southeastern Division of AAG

Please see Kathy's personal website for full CV and other information.