Dr. Pat Fitzpatrick is an Assistant Professor of Meteorology at Jackson State University. Within the Department of Physics and Atmospheric Sciences, Dr. Fitzpatrick will be responsible for teaching undergraduate courses and conducting research.

Fitzpatrick received his Bachelors of Science in Meteorology from Texas A&M University in 1988. He remained at Texas A&M to pursue his Masters of Science, where his responsibilities included being a synoptic lab assistant, student computer consultant, and teaching instructor. Upon receiving his Masters in 1992, Fitzpatrick entered the atmospheric science Ph.D program at Colorado State University under the supervision of Dr. William M. Gray. Fitzpatrick investigated processes which control tropical cyclone intensity change for his Ph.D., which was completed in 1995.

Fitzpatrick's research interests include tropical cyclones, tropical meteorology, synoptic and mesoscale meteorology, Gulf Coast meteorology, the planetary boundary layer, storm surge prediction, and numerical modeling. He has written several conference and journal publications related to these areas, particularly in tropical cyclones. He also served as a consultant to an oil company during the 1994 Atlantic hurricane season. Recently he developed a statistical scheme that predicts typhoon intensity change, which may be implemented for forecast guidance at the Joint Typhoon Warning Center.