High Performance Technologies, Inc.
Company: High Performance Technologies, Inc., Reston, VA
Company Description: Founded in 1992, High Performance Technology, Inc., designs IT solutions that help our federal customers protect America’s safety and prosperity. Our experts use applied science, performance-based architecture, and systems engineering to help our customers achieve the results they need. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, HPTi has over 240 employees in sites across the country.
Nomination Category: New Product Awards & Product Management Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Product Developer of the Year
Nomination Title: Steve Klotz, Senior Developer
Tell the story about what this nominee achieved since January 1 2010 (up to 500 words). Focus on specific accomplishments, and relate these accomplishments to past performance or industry norms. Be sure to mention obstacles overcome, innovations or discoveries made, and outcomes:
Uncertainty will always remain in weather forecasting. The Greeks relied on
Zeus, and the Egyptians sought predictions from Ra, the sun god. In 300 B.C.E.
Aristotle took things to another level by comparing the interaction of earth,
fire, air, and water in his work, “Meteorologica.” More recently, forecasters
have relied on single forecasting—a method that generates a forecast using only
one model and one set of observational data. Single forecasting does not allow
forecasters to adjust the data to generate multiple forecasts and reduce the
margin of error. It cannot quantify meteorological uncertainty or the
probability of the prediction.
Enhanced Forecasting:
To address that challenge, the U.S. Navy Fleet Numerical Meteorology and
Oceanography Center (FNMOC) uses a relatively new forecast tool—ensemble
forecasting. Ensemble forecasting is when multiple models and data are
manipulated to generate forecasts. Furthermore, ensemble forecasting allows
users to assess the risk associated with economic and operational activities
that may be impacted by weather. For example, will a port be closed by a major
storm?, or will a fleet be delayed by high winds?
A Better Software Product:
The Navy needed a tool to analyze multiple ensemble forecast models, forecast
errors, and display probabilistic forecasts (a method that assigns
probabilities to model inputs). The resulting tool was the Navy Ensemble Post-
Processing System (EPS). Steve Klotz, a senior technologist at High Performance
Technologies, Inc., acted as one of the lead developers of EPS. Klotz supported
most of the system's software components and the master script that controls
workflow in the application. EPS forecasts meteorological and ocean-wave-height
data, which is used by Navy forecasters worldwide. Klotz’s work has helped
create a powerful tool that the Navy can use to predict complex weather
patterns and determine what impact the weather can have on certain areas
economically and environmentally.
Fighting Piracy, Oil Spills, and Climate Change:
For example, Steve enabled EPS to analyze the data, plot forecast
probabilities, and generate forecast images, which can be directly compared to
Naval Oceanographic Office Pirate Performance Surface plots to determine
whether or not such forecasts might prove useful in assessing the threat of
Somali pirate attacks in the Indian Ocean. Klotz’s work was also used, by
request of the Navy, to forecast images of the Gulf of Mexico (GOMEX) surface-
wind and wave-height probabilities to support GOMEX oil-spill operations. EPS
also has potential for use in assessing uncertainty in oceanographic forecasts
and climate change predictions.
Steve Klotz’s Contribution to Forecasting:
The weather is inevitable. The more accurate our forecasts are, the more
prepared we are for natural disasters, military missions, developing safer
structures, and keeping our shores safe. Steve Klotz’s work will affect our
lives many years to come.
List hyperlinks to any online news stories, press releases, or other documents that support the claims made in the section above. IMPORTANT: Begin each link with http://, and enclose each link in square brackets; for example, [http://www.youraddress.com]:
FNMOC Slide Show
http://www.emc.ncep.noaa.gov/gmb/ens/NAEFS-5th/Session_3/Sestak_WAVE_ENSEMBLE.pdf
FNMOC
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fleet_Numerical_Meteorology_and_Oceanography_Center
Presentation given to the American Metrological Society
http://ams.confex.com/ams/91Annual/webprogram/Paper180193.html
Provide a brief (up to 100 words) biography about the nominee:
Steve Klotz has over 25 years of applications experience in computational and
geophysical dynamics, high-end computing, and distributed computing.
Additionally, he has experience with a variety of NASA grid-generation
application packages. Prior to HPTi, he was a Research Associate at the Texas
Advanced Computing Center where he provided user support in the Department of
Defense High Performance Computing and Modernization Program. Klotz received
his Ph.D. in Aeronautics and Astronautics at Stanford University.