Charles Wax Professor of Climatology Office: Hilbun Hall Room 201 Phone: (662) 325-2903 Fax: (662) 325-9423 wax@geosci.msstate.edu

Charles L Wax is Professor of Geography and State Climatologist with teaching and research interests in climatology, meteorology, hydrology, and natural resources. He is active in several state, regional, and national organizations, among which are the Mississippi Geographic Alliance and the Association of American Geographers. He served on and chaired the U.S.D.A.'s Southern Region Research Committee for Climatology in Agricultural Production, and has served as President of the American Association of State Climatologists. He has been presented the Outstanding Faculty Award by the University Honors Council at Mississippi State University, and a Research Award by the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station.

As State Climatologist for Mississippi, he monitors climate events and impacts in the state and often speaks or presents workshops or shortcourses on weather and climate. He served as Head of the Department of Geosciences from 1989 to 2001. His current research projects investigate climatological effects on land application of municipal wastewater and large hog farm wastewater, climatological potential for groundwater conservation in aquaculture, climatic water balance in Southern forests, climatic variability, and the effects of weather on phenological stages of soybeans in Mississippi. His hobbies include exercising, gardening, woodworking, and restoring and maintaining antiques.

He serves as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Starkville First United Methodist Church and as Sectretary/Treasurer of the Board of Directors of Oktibbeha County District Five Volunteer Fire Department.

Education

Ph.D.(physical geography: climatology), Louisiana State University, 1977
M.S.(physical geography: geomorphology), Louisiana State University, 1974
B.A.(political science), Delta State University, 1969
A.A., Miss. Delta Jr. College, 1967

Experience

Professor of Geography, Mississippi State University, 1987-present;
Professor and Head of the Department of Geosciences, Mississippi State University, 1989-2001;
State Climatologist for Mississippi, 1983-present;
Part-time Professor of Geography, Mississippi University for Women, 1985-1987;
Research Climatologist, Miss. Ag. and Forestry Experiment Station, Dept. of Ag. and
Bio.Engineering, Mississippi State University, part-time 1984-1990;
Associate Professor of Geography, Mississippi State University, 1983-1987;
Assistant Professor of Geography, Mississippi State University, 1978-1983;
Associate Scientist, Coastal Environments, Inc., Baton Rouge, LA, 1977;
Graduate Research Assistant, Center for Wetland Resources, LSU, 1975-1977;
Research Associate, Coastal Studies Institute, LSU, summer 1973;
Instructor, Department of Geography and Anthropology, LSU, 1973-1975;
U.S. Marine Corps, 1969-1972.

Selected Publications

1977. Muller, R.A. and C.L. Wax. "Comparative Climatic Baseline for Coastal Louisiana." In Geoscience and Man, Vol. 18: 121-129. School of Geoscience, LA State University, Baton Rouge, LA.

1981. Wax, C.L. and J.L. Tingle. "The Pearl River Flood of Easter 1979: A Water Balance Explanation." Water Resources Research Institution Bulletin, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS, 33 pp.

1982. _____. "Modelling Climatic Aspects of Pearl River Flooding." In Applying Research to Hydraulic Practice, Peter E. Smith, ed. American Society of Civil Engineers, New York. pp. 340-349.

1982. _____. Atlas of the Climatic Water Balance in Mississippi: Normals and Variability, 1951-1980. Water Resources Research Institute Technical Publication DO 18. Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS, 82 pp.

1985. _____, and J.C. Walker. "Climatological Patterns and Probabilities of Weekly Precipitation in Mississippi." Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station Information Bulletin 79, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS. Nine figures, 112 tables, 165 pp.

1987. _____. "Narrative Summary of Geographical and Climatological Characteristics." In Local Climatological Data, Annual Summary with Comparative Data, 1986, Tupelo, MS. NOAA, National Climatic Data Center, Asheville, NC.

1988. _____. "Aspects of the 1988 Drought in Mississippi." In Proceedings, The 1988 Drought Symposium, pp. 23-36. The Weather Channel, Landmark Communications, Atlanta, GA.

1989. _____. "The Weather Factor in Preparing for a Presidential Visit." The State Climatologist, V. 13(4). U.S. Department of Commerce, NOAA, National Climatic Data Center, Ashville, NC.

1990. _____ and J.W. Pote. "A Derived Climatology of Water Temperatures for the Mississippi Catfish Industry." Journal of the World Aquaculture Society, 21(1), pp. 63-89.

1990. _____. "General Climatology of Mississippi--Floods and Droughts." In National Water Summary 1988- Hydrologic Events and Floods and Droughts, USGS Water Supply Paper 2375. U. S. Geological Survey, Reston VA.

1993. Pote, J.W. and C.L. Wax. "Modelling the Climatological Potential for Water Conservation in Aquaculture." Transations of the American Society of Agricultural Engineers, Volume 36 (5), 1343-1348.

1995. Pote, J.W. and C.L. Wax. "Climatic Criteria for Land Application of Municipal Wastewater Effluent". Water Research, Vol 29, No.1, pp. 323-328.

1996. _____ and J.W. Pote. "The Influence of Climate on Design of Systems for Land Application of Wastewater." Climate Research, 6:71-78.

1996. _____. "Geography of Mississippi." In Microsoft Encarta 96 Encyclopedia. Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA.

1996. Tucker, C.S., S.K. Kingsbury, J.W. Pote and C.L. Wax. "Effluents from Channel Catfish Ponds in Northwest Mississippi." Aquaculture, 147: 59-67.

1998. _____ and D. W. Gamble. "El Nino: The Child, The Myth, The Legend (Perception, Press, and Reality." Keynote Address In Proceedings, Mississippi Water Resources Conference, pp. 1-4. Mississippi Water Resources Research Institute.

1998. _____ and J.W. Pote. "Incorporating Natural Climate Patterns Into Management Plans for Swine Wastewater Lagoons." In Proceedings, Mississippi Water Resources Conference, pp. 272-279. Mississippi Water Resources Research Institute.

2000. Pote, J.W., C.L. Wax and B.L. Karr. "Effects of Climate and Soil Type Interactions on Probable Work Days with Harvest Equipment in Mississippi and Alabama Forests". Southern Journal of Applied Forestry, 24:4(213-218).

2001. Schmitz, D.W., C.L. Wax and C.E. Peacock. "Water Resource Controls on Human Habitation Along the Blackland Prairie in North Central Mississippi." Submitted, University of Alabama Press.

Honors/Awards/Memberships

Charles L. Wax is active in several state, regional, and national organizations, among which are the Mississippi Geographic Alliance and the Association of American Geographers. He served on and chaired the U.S.D.A.'s Southern Region Research Committee for Climatology in Agricultural Production, and has served as President of the American Association of State Climatologists. He has been presented the Outstanding Faculty Award by the University Honors Council at Mississippi State University.