* Graduate Advisor

Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees are offered in atmospheric sciences as well as the Bachelor of Science degree in meteorology. Students from disciplines other than meteorology are encouraged to enroll in graduate programs. Normal prerequisites are 12 hours of calculus and differential equations and 8 hours of physics. The department offers a sequence of courses (601, 602, 611, 612) each year that covers key topics of atmospheric relevance in the areas of fluid dynamics, thermodynamics, cloud physics, radiation and chemistry. These courses form a base for a large number of the other graduate courses. By the end of their first year, students typically have made arrangements to begin a research project directed by a faculty member: faculty interests span a wide range extending from field and laboratory work through data analysis to numerical modeling and theory. Please see the department's website at www.met.tamu.edu for more information. The Department of Atmospheric Sciences can also serve as the "home" department for the Master of Geoscience degree. The MGsc is a non-thesis degree that provides a multidisciplinary background in the geosciences, appropriate for science teachers in public schools, or for individuals interested in environmental issues, for example.

Persons with a BS in meteorology and an MS degree in atmospheric sciences typically obtain employment with government agencies, industrial organizations and consulting firms, or they may enter the meteorological branch of one of the military services. The PhD degree is normally required for a teaching or research career.

The Department of Atmospheric Sciences occupies upper floors in the 15-story David G. Eller Building for Oceanography and Meteorology. The weather radar is a campus landmark, and Doppler capability has been added to the 10 cm radar. All data can be recorded on magnetic tape or disk for later display in the classroom or for research study on workstations. Digital weather data are acquired through a combination of a UNIDATA system and a workstation which is interfaced with the Doppler radar system. A mesometeorological network is being added for satellite ground truth and other uses. The department is well-equipped for data analysis and modeling, with a workstation network, numerous personal computers, and the laboratory for exploration of atmospheric processes (LEAP). Additional computing facilities are available at the university's Supercomputing Facility. Faculty and students also use off-campus computing resources, such as those at NCAR. The department maintains an extensive archive of synoptic information, satellite data and data tabulations on microfilm, tape, and compact disks. There is an internal working collection of up-to-date journals, books, and reports, shared by the Departments of Atmospheric Sciences and Oceanography.

Faculty, staff and students have the opportunity to participate in regional, national and international field programs and remote sensing experiments. They also gain hands-on experience with state-of-the-art technology.

The Cooperative Institute for Applied Meteorological Studies (CIAMS) is affiliated with the Fort Worth-based headquarters office of the Southern Region of the National Weather Service. The Institute employs research scientists and graduate students in a broad program of applied research and service to Texas and surrounding states, in agricultural meteorology, marine meteorology and air-sea interactions over the Gulf of Mexico, lightning and severe weather, and Doppler radar studies from the installments in the Department and at the Houston Forecast Office.

The Office of the State Climatologist for Texas (OSC) is a component of the Department, having close links with the National Climatic Data Center and the Global Historical Climate Group in Asheville, North Carolina. OSC retains a large database covering Texas and southern states and, as well as publishing regular reports and monographs, undertakes research on climate patterns and applied climatology.

(ATMO)