Christos M. Mitas

cmitas@rsmas.miami.edu
http://www.rsmas.miami.edu/personal/cmitas

4600 Rickenbacker Causeway

Miami, FL 33149

Tel: 305-421-4277

Fax: 305-421-4649

EDUCATION

• University Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL, Department of Atmospheric Sciences.
  Ph.D. in Atmospheric Sciences, 1997-2003.
  Thesis title: Generalized barotropic models for studying the low-frequency variability of the extratropical atmosphere.
  Advisor: Professor Walter Robinson.

• University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY. Department of Atmospheric Sciences.
  M.Sc. in Atmospheric Sciences, 1995-1997.
  Thesis title: Estimating the composition of polar stratospheric clouds in the antarctic using in situ aerosol measurements.
  Advisor: Professor Terry Deshler.

• Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece. Department of Mathematics.
  B.Sc. in Mathematics, August 1994.

RESEARCH

• Assistant Scientist (2004-present),
  Division of Meteorology and Physical Oceanography (MPO)
  Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science (RSMAS)
  University of Miami, Miami, FL.
  • Examined IPCC simulations of past and future climate to detect tropical large-scale circulation changes.
• Post doctoral associate (2003-2004), MPO, RSMAS, University of Miami, Miami, FL.
  • Analyzed reanalyses and model datasets to compute tropical circulation indices.
• Graduate Research Assistant (1997-2003), University of Illinois, Urbana, IL.
  • Constructed empirical, barotropic, single-level, spectral, global, models on the sphere.
  • Computed normal, singular, and optimal modes of linear operators.
  • Performed initial value calculations of simplified barotropic models.
  • Compared analytical results of simple quasi-geostrophic models of the tropopause with empirical models.
• GFD Fellow (Summer 2000), Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute.
  • Constructed quasi-geostrophic, doubly periodic, two-layer models.
  • Ran initial value calculations to estimate momentum and potential vorticity fluxes.
• Graduate Research Assistant (1995-1997), University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY.
  • Analyzed in-situ data taken with balloon-borne instruments in Antarctica.
  • Implemented and ran chemical models of growth for particles of polar stratospheric clouds.
• Scientific computer programmer (1992-1995) for several climate change projects of the European Union at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece.

SCHOLARSHIPS

• Research Assistantship, University of Illinois, 1997-2003.
• GFD Fellowship, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, Summer 2000.
• Research Assistantship, University of Wyoming, 1995-1997.

PUBLICATIONS

REFEREED

• Mitas, Christos M. and A. Clement, 2005, Recent behavior of the Hadley cell and tropical thermodynamics in climate models and reanalyses Geophys. Res. Letts: submitted, Aug 2005.
• Mitas, Christos M. and A. Clement, 2005, Has the Hadley cell been strengthening in recent decades? Geophys. Res. Letts: Vol. 32, No. 3, L03809, 10.1029/ 2004GL021765.
• Mitas, Christos M. and W. A. Robinson, 2005, Atmospheric stability in a generalized barotropic model Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences: Vol. 62, No. 2, pp. 476-491.

THESES

• Mitas, Christos M., 2003, Generalized barotropic models for studying the low-frequency variability of the extratropical atmosphere. PhD Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL.
• Mitas, Christos M., 2000, Eddy PV fluxes in a one-dimensional model of quasi-geostrophic turbulence. 2000 Program in Geophysical Fluid Dynamics. Woods Hole, MA.
• Mitas, Christos M., 1997, Estimating the composition of polar stratospheric clouds in the Antarctic using in situ aerosol measurements. Master of Science Program, University of Wyoming, WY.

RECENT CONFERENCES

• Mitas, Christos M. and A. Clement, 2005, Recent changes in the strength of the Hadley cell. 17th Conference on Climate Variability and Change, June 13-17, Boston, MA.
• Mitas, Christos M. and W. Robinson, 2005, Empirical spectral relationship of potential temperature and streamfunction on the tropopause 15th Conference on Atmospheric and Oceanic Fluid Dynamics, June 13-17, Boston, MA.
• Mitas, Christos M. and A. Clement, 2005, The behavior of the Hadley cell in the late 20th century. IPCC Workshop, March 1-4, Honolulu, HI.
• Mitas, Christos M. and A. Clement, 2004, Has the Hadley cell strengthened during the last several decades? Global Circulation of the Atmosphere Conference, November 4-6, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA.
• Mitas, Christos M. and W. A. Robinson, 2003, Physical basis for empirical PV-streamfunction spectral relationships. 14th Conference on Atmospheric and Oceanic Fluid Dynamics. San Antonio, TX.
• Mitas, Christos M. and W. A. Robinson, 2002, Instability characteristics of generalized barotropic operators: Normal, singular and optimal modes. 27th General Assembly of the European Geophysical Society. Nice, France.
• Mitas, Christos M. and W. A. Robinson, 2001, Simulation of Observed Low-frequency Anomalies Using Generalized Barotropic Models. 13th Conference on Atmospheric and Oceanic Fluid Dynamics. Breckenridge, CO.
• Mitas, Christos M. and W. A. Robinson, 2000, On the relationship between potential vorticity and streamfunction on isentropic surfaces of the middle and upper troposphere. 5th Greek Conference of Meteorology, Climatology and Atmospheric Physics, Thessaloniki, Greece.
• Mitas, Christos M. and W. A. Robinson, 1999, On the implementation of generalized barotropic models for studying the dynamics of low-frequency variability of the atmosphere. 12th Conference on Atmospheric and Oceanic Fluid Dynamics. New York, NY.

TEACHING

• Instructor, Atmospheric Dynamics I (MSC405 )
  Updated and re-designed the course. Lectured, assigned homework and projects, gave quizes and tests, to a class of about 10 students.
  • Spring 2004, University of Miami.
  • Spring 2005, University of Miami.
• Discussion leader (TA), Introduction to Atmospheric Sciences (ATMS100)
  Lead discussions, overviewed active learning activities, and frequenlty lectured on new material to a class of about 35 students.
  • Fall 2002, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
  • Spring 2002, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
• Laboratory instructor (TA), Introduction to Meteorology (ATSC2000)
  Overviewed homework solutions, and occasionally lectured on new material to a class of about 15 students.
  • Fall semester 1996, University of Wyoming.
  • June 1996, Engineering Summer Program, University of Wyoming.
• Training
  • Teaching in Atmospheric Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
  • Orientation program for Teaching Assistants, University of Wyoming.

COMPUTER SKILLS

• Java, Perl, Python, HTML
• Fortran 95/90/77.
• C, C++.
• Linux administration (various flavors) and Unix scripting.
• Matlab, Mathematica, GrADS, L^ATEX.
• OpenOffice.org, MS Office.

LANGUAGES

Greek (native speaker), English (Fluent- wide knowledge), French (Conversational).

MEMBERSHIPS

• American Meteorological Society (AMS).
• American Geophysical Union (AGU).
• European Geophysical Union (EGU).

CITIZENSHIP: Greek (European Union). Currently on H1B work permit.

REFERENCES

• Dr. Amy Clement, Assistant Professor (supervisor)
  Division of Meteorology and Physical Oceanography
  Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science
  University of Miami 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway
  Miami, FL 33149
  email: aclement@rsmas.miami.edu
  Telephone: (305) 421-4846

• Dr. Walter Robinson, Professor
  University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
  Atmospheric Sciences Bldg
  105 S. Gregory St.
  Urbana, IL-61801
  email: robinson@atmos.uiuc.edu
  phone: (217) 333-2292

• Dr. Brian Soden, Associate Professor
  Division of Meteorology and Physical Oceanography
  Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science
  University of Miami 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway
  Miami, FL 33149
  email: b.soden@miami.edu
  Telephone: (305) 421-4916