Amanda Bowden is a graduate student at the University of Colorado at Boulder under the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Science (ATOC). Amanda earned her dual bachelor degree in Atmospheric Science and Geography at the University of Georgia (UGA) with certificates in Water Resources and Geographic Information System. Amanda received her masters at Colorado State University (CSU), while researching the effect of projected SST influence on the MJO Activity in a warmer climate. Amanda's PhD research focus is to evaluate how Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) activity change in a future climate impacts atmospheric rivers (ARs) and tropical cyclones (TCs) funded as a Department of Energy Computational Science Graduate (DOE CSGF) Fellow. Throughout her college career, Amanda has been highly involved in numerous leadership positions. In undergraduate, Amanda served as treasurer, vice president, and president for the UGA American Meteorological Society local chapter. During the Covid-19 Pandemic, Amanda chartered Chi Epsilon Pi Atmospheric Sciences Honor Society at the UGA. In graduate school, Amanda served as graduate representative for National Society of Black Engineers at CSU, and as president for FORTCAST (CSU AMS student chapter). While being highly involved in academic opportunities, Amanda has made time to serve the community on a personal note. Amanda has proudly served as an American Reads tutor in Athens-Clarke County by mentoring and teaching skills to improve student understanding for reading and math. Additionally, Amanda has taken time to expand her knowledge by attending summer research opportunities. In the summer of 2018, Amanda researched Hurricane Irma evacuation decisions using likert scales toward storm surge, rainfall, and wind in Pinellas County with survey data for the NSF REU Weather, Climate, and Society at the University of South Florida (USF). In the summer of 2019, Amanda attended international meetings with other Pacific Islands Stations, and modified the Fire Danger Rating System, which is now used for the Guam Forestry Department, as a Pathways Student Trainee for the NWS WFO in Guam. In the summer of 2021, Amanda investigated the effect of the projected sea surface temperature on precipitation change in the tropics at the CSU REU.Amanda’s future plan is to focus more research on climate variability as a research scientist, to increase science communication, to strengthen ties within the public and scientific community, and to inspire other minorities to pursue meteorology to increase diversity in the field.