Dr. Melissa A. Wagner is the Associate Director of Science for Integrated Remote and In-Situ Sensing (IRISS) at the University of Colorado Boulder, where she leads scientific efforts in developing and deploying uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) technologies for atmospheric research. Her work bridges meteorology, geography, and aerospace engineering to advance understanding of severe weather impacts and dynamics. With expertise spanning UAS operations, remote sensing, machine learning, and geospatial analysis, Dr. Wagner has pioneered the use of drone-based damage surveys to characterize tornado and derecho impacts at unprecedented spatial resolutions. Her innovative research combines high-resolution UAS imagery, satellite observations, radar data, and numerical simulations to investigate the complex interactions between severe convective storms and the landscape, providing critical insights into tornado evolution, wind flow patterns, and damage mechanisms.

Dr. Wagner earned her Ph.D. in Geography from Arizona State University in 2020 and subsequently developed the UAS program at NOAA's National Severe Storms Laboratory, where she led transdisciplinary teams investigating severe weather events including the 2020 Midwest Derecho and numerous tornado outbreaks. Her contributions have significantly advanced damage assessment methodologies and fostered multi-agency collaborations with NOAA, NWS, FEMA, and NASA for post-event data collection and sharing. As an FAA-certified remote pilot since 2017, she has conducted extensive field campaigns and published over 20 peer-reviewed articles on severe storm impacts, establishing her as a leading expert in applying emerging technologies to operational meteorology and hazard mitigation.