Kathryn Sullivan, first American woman to walk in space, and deputy administrator for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, gestures as she speaks in Norman, Okla., Thursday, Dec. 15, 2011. Nearly 200 experts from a variety of fields participated in “Weather Ready Nation: A Vital Conversation, ” a three-day conference at the National Weather Center in Norman, Okla. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)