This cache is part of an occasional series about Women in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). I’m preparing this puzzle during a snow event which is what led me to select meteorology as the topic for this cache. The cache is not located at the posted coordinates, that location was selected because it seems to be a popular location for news media during local snow events.
This cache highlights Ada Monzón, the first female meteorologist from Puerto Rico. She grew up knowing she wanted to become a meteorologist. She attended college at the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras campus but there was not a meteorology major available so her undergraduate degree is in mathematics with a concentration in physics. She received a NASA fellowship to study at Florida State where earned her Master’s degree in Tropical Meteorology. She is the first and only female American Meteorological Society (AMS) Fellow and Certified Broadcast Meteorologist in Latin America. She did live broadcasts of the three most important recent scientific events in Puerto Rico: Hurricane Maria (September – October 2017), a magnitude 6.4 earthquake (January 2020), and the collapse of the Arecibo Observatory (December 2020)
To solve the puzzle you will likely need to consult a few different sites as the usual source for information does not seem to be available for Ada Monzón.
Let A = the total number of women, including Ada Monzón, who were studying meteorology at Florida State when she was there.
Let B = the last digit of the year Ada Monzón joined the US National Weather Service Forecast Office in San Juan as Forecaster and Warning and Preparedness Meteorologist.
The Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH) is a nonprofit that describes itself as “the country’s leading consumer advocate for strengthening homes and safeguarding families form natural and manmade disasters.” FLASH named Ada Monzón the National Weatherperson of the Year. Let C = the last digit of the year divided by the first digit of the year she was named National Weatherperson of the Year (round any fractions up, if needed).
AMS awarded Ada Monzón the Joanne Simpson Mentorship Award (recently renamed the Robert H. and Joanne Simpson Mentorship Award), with this award being given “for selfless, dedicated mentoring of Latino students and early career professionals, exemplary commitment to STEM education, and inspiring a new generation of Puerto Rican scientists.” Let D = the last digit of the year minus the first digit of the year Ada Monzón received this award.
Ada Monzón played an invaluable role in communicating with Puerto Ricans prior to and during Hurricane Maria in 2017. She broadcast the forecast and, perhaps more importantly, helped Puerto Ricans prepare for this catastrophic storm. Hurricanes are rated by category, based on wind speed with anything category 3 or higher considered “major.” Let E = Hurricane Maria’s category.
In addition to her decades-long contributions to meteorology, Ada Monzón is Founder and President of the Board of Directors of the Ecoexploratorio: Museo de Ciencias de Puerto Rico which is a science museum in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Let F = the last digit of the year it was founded. (It may be helpful to know that it is the same year that the museum’s first educational exhibition opened to the public).
Ada Monzón was elected an AMS Fellow, a designation that no more than 0.2% of all AMS members can receive in a single year (in other words, 1 out of 500 members becomes a fellow each year). According to the AMS, “Those eligible for election to Fellow shall have made outstanding contributions to the atmospheric or related oceanic or hydrologic sciences or their applications during a substantial period of years.” Let g = the last digit of the year in which Ada Monzón was elected an AMS Fellow.
AMS also awarded Ada Monzón the Award for Broadcast Meteorology, with this award being given “for long term commitment to informing, educating, and inspiring resiliency in the people of Puerto Rico before, during, and after extreme events like Hurricane Maria.” Let H = the last digit of the year Ada Monzón received this award divided by the checksum of the other digits of the year (round any fractions down, if needed).
The Sor Isolina Ferré Award (named after a Puerto Rican Roman Catholic religious sister known as the “Mother Teresa of Puerto Rico”) for Excellence in Service to Others, recognizes people who selflessly serve those most in need. It is one of two awards recognized by law in Puerto Rico. Ada Monzón received this award in the category of Education. Let I = the checksum of the last two digits of the year she received this award.
National Weatherperson’s Day is observed each year on the same day during February. Let J = the checksum of the day it is celebrated.
The cache can be found at N45 AB.CDE W122 FG.HIJ. If you drive to the cache, please park in a legal parking spot to the north.
This cache complies with the geocaching policies for Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) properties. Please respect park hours when caching.