Dear Mrs. Boyd,

Neil Armstrong once said, “Research is creating new knowledge.” My name is Ashu Mishra and I am interested in helping your journal make new knowledge accessible and comprehendible for your readers.

According to news media reporting, the current El Niño is like a giant squid – we know it exists, but we have no clear idea how it behaves and affects its environment. On the contrary, science quite clearly understands El Niño patterns, and can even warn people how to prepare for its specific effects. Given the general public’s confusion regarding the ongoing El Niño and its upcoming impacts on global weather patterns, I hope you will find my article to be both timely and intriguing.

So what exactly is an El Niño? It is climate condition caused by warm surface ocean water on the eastern Pacific Ocean to move to the western side due to ocean currents. This causes deeper and colder water to rise to the surface on the eastern side and results in a surface water temperature difference. The water changes the air temperature, which causes shifts in wind patterns. Research indicates that the El Niño’s effects include the formation of drought and excessive precipitation, intensified cyclones, and shifting air temperature patterns. These directly impact food and water supplies, especially for countries experiencing drought, which in turn lead to economic and sociopolitical repercussions.

In the full article, I will explore the coming weather effects of the 2015 El Niño using research from previous occurrences and early trends from the current one. I aim to clarify the haze encompassing the basics of El Niño behavior while utilizing research that tests influences on rainfall and cyclones. Hurricane Patricia, the strongest hurricane to make landfall in the Pacific Coast, was a strong indicator of the current El Niño’s power. Additionally, I aim to bridge the gap between environmental impact and human day-to-day life to create a better sense of awareness and preparedness for the public.

I am currently a student researcher on health policy in South American regions with the Gillings School of Public Health at UNC. El Niño weather patterns heavily affect the people living in the region of my study, and predicting future weather effects can allow the public to prepare for the coming hardships. Given that the El Niño will impede with human health care, I find it incredibly important for societies to be able to understand and predict adverse weather effects. Moreover, millions of people in the Americas will experience not only weather changes, but also the sociopolitical and economic impacts of the weather system.

I hope you find my topic interesting and I look forward to joining and contributing to your journal. Feel free to contact me by email at ashu125@live.unc.edu. Thank you for your consideration and I hope to speak to you soon.

Best Regards,

Ashu Mishra