Keith Olson's expertise is in using computer technologies to enable the operational production of geospatial climatology data for PRISM (Parameter-elevation Regressions on Independent Slopes Model) modeling. He has a prior background in software and a graduate degree in geology, as well as prior experience developing software procedures to analyze and process model data for research on snow depth and climate change. His geology thesis research was conducted under the direction of Scott Burns on the debris flows that occurred on Mt. St Helens during the November 2006 PNW “Pineapple Express” event.