Barb Mayes Boustead, Ph.D., is a meteorologist, climatologist, and instructor. She writes about weather and climate, translating geek-speak into bite-sized, tasty morsels. Born in Michigan and currently living in Nebraska, her loves of weather and of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s books both grew from early elementary age.
Dr. Boustead received bachelor’s degrees in Meteorology, Geography, and English from Central Michigan University, an M.S. in Meteorology from the Pennsylvania State University, and a Ph.D. in Natural Resources: Climate Assessment and Impacts from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. Her award-winning dissertation, “The Hard Winter of 1880-1881: Climatological Context and Communication via a Laura Ingalls Wilder Narrative,” and its subsequent papers are the only academic publications in the intersection of Wilder and weather. Dr. Boustead’s weather, climate, and historical expertise are rooted in the Midwest and Great Plains, giving her a unique position in the intersection of weather and climate with Laura Ingalls Wilder’s life and stories.
Dr. Boustead’s career roles have included instructor, operational weather forecaster, national climate outreach and partnerships program manager, and central U.S. regional climate program manager. She has served as a contributing author on the 4th and 5th National Climate Assessments. Dr. Boustead is a member, past President, and past Board of Directors member of the Laura Ingalls Wilder Legacy and Research Association, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and a member of the American Meteorological Society and the National Weather Association. Her writing has appeared in the Washington Post, Weatherwise, Fine Lines, Medium, LIWLRA, and her own blog, Wilder Weather, as well as publishing numerous academic weather- and climate-related articles and book chapters. She has appeared as a guest on podcasts such as The Weather Channel’s Weather Geeks and Weather Brains and on radio and television outlets including Wisconsin Public Radio, Michigan Public Radio, and The Weather Channel. Dr. Boustead is active on Twitter and Instagram as @windbarb and on Facebook at @Wilder Weather.
Dr. Boustead has yet to wear a bonnet when she gives presentations about Laura Ingalls Wilder and her weather, but she does own one.