UW undergraduate students and others took observations
on the NOAA research vessel Ron Brown in the tropical
Pacific during the KWAJEX field experiment.
Introduction
Atmospheric Science encompasses a wide variety of topics, some of which are: weather forecasting, air pollution and air chemistry, climate change, cloud and precipitation physics, and boundary layer processes. The Department of Atmospheric Sciences provides a comprehensive and flexible curriculum in these and other areas. Each student is required to take a collection of core courses that provides essential background in the field. Then, for the remainder of their atmospheric studies, students are provided considerable latitude in putting together a program suited to their needs and interests.
The department's undergraduate majors are prepared for a range of career options including weather forecasting, environmental meteorology, TV weathercasting, or further study at a graduate institution. With strong backgrounds in physics, mathematics and computer sciences, atmospheric sciences majors are also well equipped for a variety of alternative career paths. Students awarded a bachelor's degree by the Department are also eligible for the rating of professional meteorologist given by the United States Civil Service Commission.
Because the Department also maintains a large graduate program, UW atmospheric sciences students can take advantage of a wide variety of opportunities to enhance their education. For example, some graduate courses are available to advanced undergraduates, and students can gain first hand experience by employment with one of the department's research groups. Undergraduate students are welcome at the Department's many seminars and colloquia and are encouraged to join in the annual forecast contest. Undergraduates can also work on independent research projects under the guidance of a faculty member, often for credit.
The University of Washington is the only higher education institution in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska to award undergraduate degrees in atmospheric sciences and has the most comprehensive undergraduate meteorology program in the western United States. Major's classes generally range in size from 10-15 students and all are taught by department faculty.
The department has arranged a number of internships with outside organizations. Internships with the Seattle National Weather Service Forecast Office and several of the local television stations have proven to be the most popular. Such internships provide valuable real-life learning experiences outside of the classroom.
Undergraduate Research Opportunities
About a third of our undergraduates typically participate in departmental research projects, learning while making important contributions to the projects. In addition, a number of undergraduates have taken part in field programs, in which atmospheric data is collected and analyzed in often exotic locations. For example, several department majors were involved in the KWAJEX experiment which studied thunderstorms in the mid-Pacific: some students took observations at Kwajalein Atoll, while others helped on the NOAA research ship Ron Brown (see picture below). Other students assisted in the COAST field experiment in which they flew on research aircraft to study the interaction of Pacific fronts with coastal terrain. More recently, a number of undergraduates flew on the NOAA P3 aircraft (the "Hurricane Hunter") during a study of precipitation processes over the Oregon Cascades. In addition to helping with faculty research efforts, students can work on individual research projects under the guidance of an atmospheric sciences faculty member.
UW undergraduate students and others took observations
on the NOAA research vessel Ron Brown in the tropical
Pacific during the KWAJEX field experiment.
More examples of undergraduate research
Internships
Internships provide a valuable opportunity to test a student's interest in potential meteorological career paths and to extend his or her knowledge with real-life experiences. The department has arranged internships with a number of outside organizations. Internships with the Seattle and Portland National Weather Service Forecast Offices and with several of the local television stations have proven to be the most popular. Students can be awarded academic credit for internship experiences, which sometimes provide a stipend. Internships have propelled several students into successful careers in TV weathercasting and forecasting at the National Weather Service.
Scholarships and Employment
In addition to University scholarships, there are at least four departmental scholarships available each year, awarded for both academic excellence and financial need. These scholarships are provided by the Bruce Caldwell Memorial Fund, contributed by the parents and friends of Bruce Caldwell – a graduate of the department – and by the Atmospheric Sciences Endowment Fund, made possible by a generous, but anonymous donor.
There are also a number of employment possibilities in the department, ranging from assisting research projects to helping maintain the map room.
Department Facilities
The department receives a wide range of weather data and forecast model output through Internet links, including surface and upper air data, radar and satellite imagery, and forecast output from several major numerical weather prediction centers. It maintains interactive software for acquiring, displaying, and printing all forms of observations and model output, as well as instruments for taking local observations (see picture below). Students can view and analyze weather data on the department workstations or computers, including those in the student computer laboratory. The department maintains a map room on the sixth floor for viewing weather data in either print or electronic forms. The map room is used for some classes and is a frequent gathering place where students and faculty informally discuss the current weather situation. The Department classrooms also possess internet links and the ability to project high-resolution graphical information.
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| The Department maintains a full suite of meteorological
sensors on its roof. |
The Department map room is a place where students and faculty
gather to view the latest weather information and foreasts. |
Extensive computer resources are available for student use. The department maintains a large network of UNIX workstations for both general use and research projects. In addition, several PCs are also available. These computers are linked to each other and outside facilities over a high-bandwidth Internet connection. The department also possesses massive computer resources for real-time high resolution regional forecasting and long-term climate simulations.
The Undergraduate Computer Laboratory has twelve
SUN workstations and several PCs .
The department maintains an instrument laboratory with a wide range of observing and data collection systems. Used extensively in the undergraduate instruments class, this facility acquaints students with a wide range of instrumentation and modern methods for interfacing observing systems with computers. Students in atmospheric sciences also have access to a machine shop, several electronic labs, and an extensive weather data archive.
Seminars and Meetings Open to Undergraduates
Learning possibilities for department undergraduates don't end in the classroom. Each week there are 6-12 seminars or talks on a variety of topics, and undergraduates are welcome to attend all. Some opportunities include:
Closely Related Departments and Programs
Because the sciences have become more interdisciplinary in nature, close ties are maintained with the School of Oceanography, and with the Departments of Applied Mathematics, Astronomy, Chemistry, Mathematics, Earth and Space Sciences, Physics, Environmental Health, the College of Engineering, and with other units such as the Program on the Environment, Program on Climate Change, and Astrobiology Program.
Employment After Graduation
Most of our students go on to successful careers in atmospheric sciences and other fields, including many employed with the National Weather Service or private weather forecasting firms. Others have gone to graduate school in the atmospheric sciences, secured positions in local air qualilty/environmental consulting firms, or become weather officers or pilots in military service. A number of our students have gone on to successful careers in TV weathercasting, using their internship experiences as an invaluable base. Students have used the strong computer backgrounds they developed at the UW to secure positions in the software and computer industries.
More information on careers in the atmospheric sciences can be found at the American Meteorological Web Site: A Career Guide to the Atmospheric Sciences.
For Further Information
For additional information, contact either:
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| Kathryn Stout, Academic Counselor |
Professor Cliff Mass, Undergraduate Advisor |
The Atmospheric Sciences Academic Program
The Atmospheric Sciences major has been designed to provide students with considerable flexibility in designing a program suited to their interests and needs. The student chooses courses with faculty advice, to create a tailored program reflecting his/her interests and career goals. For those students wishing to explore the atmospheric sciences in less depth, a minor program is also available.
Entrance Requirements:
There are no entrance requirements. A student may declare Atmospheric Sciences as a major upon application and admission to the university or at any time thereafter.
Required Core Courses:
The atmospheric science major is designed to provide flexibility in response to student interests and career goals. All students take a collection of core courses that provide essential material that all atmospheric scientists should master. A grade of at least 2.0 is required in the core courses, with an overall average of at least 2.5. These courses are
CSE 142: Introduction to Programming
MATH 124, 125, 126; (or 127,128,129 or 134,135,136);
324 Calculus
AMATH 301: Introduction to MATLAB (to be taken during the Autumn Quarter)
AMATH 351, 353 Differential Equations
PHYS 121,122, 123 and labs 131,132, 133: Calculus-based
Physics
ATM S 301: Introduction to Atmospheric Sciences
ATM S 321: Physical Climatology
ATM S 340: Introduction to Thermodynamics and Cloud Processes
ATM S 358: Fundamentals of Atmospheric Chemistry
ATM S 370: Atmospheric Structure and Analysis
ATM S 431: Atmospheric Physics
ATM S 441: Atmospheric Motions
In addition to the core courses, a student will select additional elective courses, a minimum of 19 credits of coursework at the 200 level or above. These credits should be chosen to provide a coherent, customized program that reflects the student's interests and career goals. Elective selections must be approved in advance by the department. A grade of at least 2.0 is required for all elective classes that are applied to graduation requirements.
In order to provide guidance for elective selection, some groups of electives or "tracks" are given below. These examples are not meant to be exhaustive but to provide suggestions of possible course sequences.
Suggested Track 1: Atmosphere and the Environment
This track is intended for students interested in environmental applications of the atmospheric sciences, including air quality, atmospheric chemistry, human health, and hydrology. Students interested in a program including the social sciences should consider supplementing this track with classes associated with the Program on the Environment. Courses selected for this track are:
CHEM 142 (5), CHEM 152 (5) General Chemistry
plus a minimum of 3 courses from the following list:
ATM S 451: Instruments and Observations (5)
ATM S 458: Global Environmental Chemistry (4)
CIVE 350: Environmental Engineering -Water and Air Quality
(4)
CIVE 476: Physical Hydrology (3)
CIVE 480: Air Quality Modeling (3)
CIVE 490/ENV H 461: Air Pollution Control (4)
CIVE 493: Air Pollution Source Testing and Equipment
Evaluation (3)
CHEM E 468/CIVE 494/M E 468: Air Pollution Control Design
(3)
ENV H 311: Introduction to Environmental Health (3)
ENV H 449: Respiratory Effects of Air Pollution (2)
ENV H 472: Environmental Risk and Society (prereq: CHEM
162 or 203) (3)
M E 424: Combustion Systems and Pollutant Formation (4)
PHYS 341: Energy and Environment I (3)
PHYS 342: Energy and Environment II (3)
STAT 311: Basic Statistical Analysis (4)
Suggested Track 2: Meteorology
This track provides students with a strong background in dynamics, synoptic meteorology and weather forecasting, and provides the coursework required for entry into the National Weather Service and military forecasting careers. The elective courses selected for this track are:
STAT 311: Basic Statistical Analysis (4)
ATM S 442: Atmospheric Motions II (5)
ATM S 451W: Instruments and Observations (5)
ATM S 452: Weather Forecasting and Advanced Synoptic
Meteorology (5)
Other recommended courses for this option: General Studies 350 (Internship) or ATM S 492 (Research/Independent Study).
Suggested Track 3: Atmosphere and Ocean
For those interested in both atmospheric and oceanic studies. Please see the undergraduate adviser for course selection.
Suggested Track 4: Teacher Education Focus
The University of Washington Teacher Education Program has set up a special program for earth sciences students who are interested in teaching careers. It is possible for undergraduates to gain early entrance in the Teacher Education Program leading to the Master of Arts degree. Further information is available from the Teacher Education Program website in the College of Education. After taking the core atmospheric sciences courses, the student interested in this focus should consult with the atmospheric sciences adviser to select further coursework.
Honor's Program
Programs and requirements for honors students will be arranged on an individual basis with the undergraduate adviser.
Minor Requirements in Atmospheric Sciences
This program is suited for any student interested in the atmospheric sciences who wishes to enhance his/her career opportunities in research, prepare for graduate school or simply acquire more knowledge about the atmosphere and the environment.
The Atmospheric Sciences minor is open to all students who have earned 90 or more credits. The prerequisites for the minor are MATH 124, 125 and 126; PHYS 121/131, 122/132, and 123/133.
After completing the prerequisites, a student wishing to minor in atmospheric sciences should take ATM S 301 plus other ATM S courses at the 300 or above level to equal a total of not less than 25 credits. Independent study credits may be used, up to a maximum of 6, as part of the 25 required credits. Consultation with the department on the selection of courses is recommended.
Updated 4/3/02