Copyright Dane Webster 2013
Nonfiction
Before I joined the Ph.D. program in STS at Virginia Tech, I was a creative writer and instructor in the humanities. I have an M.F.A. in creative nonfiction from Goucher College, and I've written poetry, nonfiction, and several articles for literary and mainstream journals.
It's this love of writing that has transformed my career from writing essays and articles about weather and weather safety to becoming a researcher focused on social science methodology. .
Storm Chasing
As an amateur storm chaser, I've written about this fascinating sub-culture. At one time, I tried my hand at a novel about a young researcher searching for the key to understanding tornadoes. (Stay tuned for this project in Summer 2020). In 2013 I published an essay in The American Scholar titled "What We Chase," which reflects on my experiences storm chasing with a group of Virginia Tech meteorologists during a deadly tornado season.
Weather Safety & Outdoors
I love to help parents find activities that take their families out of doors and be mindful of severe weather. I've written dozens of articles on weather safety for local parenting magazines. I also completed an e-book, "Big Storm Coming!" tailored for parents who want to know what to do when severe weather is on its way.
General Nonfiction
The bulk of my writing includes essays and articles I've written about a variety of topics. I enjoy writing about weather, of course, but also experiences I've had in my family, in relationships, and with my world.
Paradigm
Under the Sun
Other Places to Find Me
While I still love this part of my life and enjoy writing (when I have time!), my main focus is on research that advances our understanding of how people experience and make sense of weather disasters.
In 2014, I published an essay that is part memoir part place-based writing about my childhood home in Utah. It's called "Geographies of Home" and can be found in the lovely collection Utah Reflections: Stories from the Wasatch Front.