John Frye
Associate Professor,

Dr. John D. Frye is an Associate Professor of Geography, Geology, and Environmental Science at the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater (UWW). I have established myself as a dedicated educator, administrative leader, and prolific researcher in the fields of meteorology, climatology, and physical geography. His professional journey reflects a deep commitment to understanding severe weather phenomena, exploring the environmental impacts of climate change, and pioneering undergraduate research and mentorship.

My academic path began in the field of communication and visual media, and I earned a Bachelor of Science in Photojournalism from Ball State University in 1999. My passion for atmospheric sciences soon redirected my career toward geography and meteorology. I returned to Ball State University to complete a Master of Science in Geography in 2004, where my thesis, The Possible Role of Land Cover Boundaries on Tornadogenesis in Indiana, marked my entry into severe weather research.

To further my scientific training, I attended the University of Georgia, where I earned my Ph.D. in Geography in 2008. His doctoral dissertation, An Empirical Study of the Relationship between Soil Moisture and Convection in the Southern Great Plains, investigated critical land-surface-atmosphere interactions. During my graduate studies, he was repeatedly recognized for his instructional excellence, receiving the Graduate Student of the Year and Teaching Assistant of the Year awards at Ball State, followed by an outstanding teaching assistant award at the University of Georgia.

In the fall of 2011, I joined the faculty at the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater as an Assistant Professor and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2015. I maintain a robust presence at UW-Whitewater through dual appointments in teaching and administrative leadership. Since 2015, I have served as an Associate Professor in the Department of Geography, Geology, and Environmental Science. In this role, I teach a wide array of courses, including Global Climate Systems, Geohazards, and experiential travel-study courses such as the Field Course in Extreme Weather.

In addition to his faculty duties, I have assumed significant administrative responsibilities to elevate undergraduate scholarship. In 2022, I received the Everett and Ellen Long Award for the Advancement of General Education for my work with the General Education Committee on campus during their recertification of General Education courses. Since the summer of 2023, I have directed the Undergraduate Research, Innovative, and Creative Activities (URiCA) program, following a year-long tenure as Associate Director of the Undergraduate Research Office.

My active research program spans several core areas within the atmospheric and environmental sciences, frequently integrating undergraduate students as active collaborators. A central pillar of my scholarship is the investigation of severe convective storms, tornadoes, and high-wind events. I have published extensively on non-convective high winds associated with extratropical cyclones in the Great Lakes region. Additionally, my research has examined the influence of topography on tornadogenesis—most notably through my study of the historic 1984 Barneveld, Wisconsin tornado family—as well as climatological analyses of severe weather warning systems and false alarm ratios. Building on my doctoral work, I continue to investigate how land surface characteristics influence atmospheric conditions. Publications in major journals like the Monthly Weather Review and the Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology have explored how soil moisture boundaries and the low-level jet stream synergistically influence convection initiation in the Southern Great Plains.

My recent work focuses heavily on the local and regional impacts of climate change. I have led and participated in projects monitoring precipitation and streamflow trends in Wisconsin, wildfire effects and ecosystem recovery in Yellowstone National Park, and the shifts in habitat ranges for key regional flora and fauna, such as paper birch trees and black bears. I am a strong advocate for STEM education reform. My research examines the integration of undergraduate research into field-based science courses, the development of active learning laboratory exercises, and online teaching technologies. As a mentor, I have secured dozens of internal and external grants to support student-led research presentations at national conferences, such as the American Association of Geographers (AAG) annual meetings.