When a national hub for weather and climate prediction debuts in College Park this fall, students who aspire to become meteorologists or oceanographers may soon receive new opportunities to further their goals.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Center for Weather and Climate Prediction – a 268,762-square-foot complex for national weather prediction, air quality studies and global satellite data – is slated to open at the M Square Research and Technology Park in August or September.
In collaboration with the center, the university’s atmospheric and oceanic science department will also offer a new undergraduate major once the building opens, which would allow students to work on projects with researchers at the center and satisfy federal government requirements to become certified meteorologists and oceanographers.
The $50 million complex will house offices for about 800 employees as well as the National Centers for Environmental Prediction, the Air Resources Laboratory and the Satellite and Information Service. Maureen O’Leary, a spokeswoman for the National Weather Service, said the center will allow for close collaboration among a “variety of different sciences.”
Jim Carton, who chairs the atmospheric and oceanic science department, said NOAA officials chose to build the center in College Park due to the university’s strong research background. He added officials envisioned collaborations between researchers and students when they first announced the center in 2006.
“They are extremely attracted by the idea of being associated with a great university, and we have a real strength in atmospheric and ocean science,” he said. “Students at the university are going to be able to have access to this expertise, because we are going to involve these researchers … we are going to have them available as advisers.”
Several students, including atmospheric and oceanic science graduate student Javier Amezcua, said students would benefit from having immediate access to researchers at the center.
“Sometimes [students’] funding comes from Ph.D. researchers,” Amezcua said. “It’s great because now they can fund students directly.”
Atmospheric and oceanic science graduate student Dan Goldberg said he hopes researchers will eventually teach classes at the university as well, noting that some researchers become professors after they graduate.
“That connection is easier – there’s a very close connection,” Goldberg said.
He added the hands-on experience outside of the classroom would be invaluable for undergraduate students.
“It’s very good for undergraduates just to see exactly what’s going on,” he said.
foley@umdbk.com
