Atmospheric Sciences (41) This project focuses on the incorporation of scientific inquiry at all levels of the meteorology curriculum using real-time atmospheric data through the acquisition and use of updated computing facilities. Enhanced computing facilities are supporting the acquisition of real-time meteorological data and forecasts, and allowing students to visualize these data, operate research-quality weather models to understand atmospheric processes, and develop programming skills needed for their future success in the atmospheric sciences. The project is investigating how scientific inquiry improves students' comprehension of basic atmospheric processes at the introductory level, and how improved data analysis and computer programming capabilities contributes to increasing the skills and employability of students majoring in meteorology. Intellectual Merit. Many previous studies have shown scientific inquiry to be a vital part of training future scientists and student scientists. This program is adding to that body of work by studying how incorporating inquiry into the meteorology curriculum can lead to improving the skills of students of varying abilities. Non-majors are being exposed to an improved inquiry-based approach as part of their introductory meteorology lab. Meteorology majors are gaining the vital computer skills necessary to obtain, analyze and visualize the large datasets typical of the earth sciences. Majors also are gaining experience operating their own forecasting models in classroom and research settings. Broader Impacts. Students completing activities using these facilities are enhancing their understanding of how to visualize and interpret atmospheric data. For non-majors, these kinds of inquiry-based activities are extremely relevant to the education of citizen-scientists at a time when it is becoming ever more important to develop a science-literate populace. These activities are also helping develop more research-savvy graduates, armed with skills necessary to be competitive in the workforce and in graduate research programs. The results of this effort are being shared with the education community in an effort to help improve earth science education as a whole.
