Alumna forecasts a bright future with the U.S. Air Force

By Ashley Craft

Nov. 4, 2025

Since graduating from the University of Missouri in May 2025, Kirsten Robinson has launched a career that combines her passions for atmospheric sciences and military service. Commissioned as a weather officer in the U.S. Air Force, she is now active duty and using the skills she gained in the School of Natural Resources at the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR).

“It’s really cool because I’m applying what I learned right away,” Robinson said. “I’ve already briefed pilots on the impact of upcoming weather, helping ensure their safety as they travel across the country.”

In her role, Robinson and her team help support the overall safety and successful operation of the base with respect to weather hazards by providing reliable weather information, monitoring severe conditions and using radar analysis tools to assess potential weather threats. While she credits many courses with preparing her for these responsibilities, one senior-year class — radar meteorology — has been especially influential in her daily work.

“In that class, we learned GR2Analyst, a tool used to interpret radar data,” she said. “Surprisingly, it was one of the first tools I used during my first month on active duty. When they asked if I knew how to use it, I said, ‘Actually, yes!’ It was great to go into the job already knowing something important we use to brief pilots.”

Looking back, pursuing a degree through the School of Natural Resources felt like a natural fit. Robinson has always been drawn to military service, inspired by a family with a father who served in the Army and a brother who served in the Marines. Knowing that Mizzou is where the state’s primary Air Force ROTC detachment is located, she looked up the degree options at the university during her senior year of high school.

“I saw the environmental sciences major with an emphasis in atmospheric sciences and immediately thought, ‘This is for me. I’m going to the Air Force, and there’s a big need for weather officers,’” Robinson, a Perryville, Missouri, native, said. “Now I’m here doing weather for the Air Force. It’s kind of crazy; it’s come full circle.”