Abstract ATM-9508038 Changnon, David Northern Illinois University Title: Development of Climate Relationships-Decision Models for Environmental and Economic Applications Currently, in the field of applied climatology a "gap" exists between climatologists, who develop and use climate data and information, and weather- sensitive users, such as those in utilities, agriculture, water resources, recreation, and transportation, who either do not understand climate information or know how to apply it to their environmental and economic models. To bridge this critical gap, this study will incorporate non-traditional educational methods where students in an applied research environment will collaborate with weather-sensitive user groups to develop and test relationship models. This project represents a model, to be developed and tested locally, which has great potential for application at regional and national levels. The goal of the research component of this project is to develop a broader understanding of what types of climate information can be utilized by various weather-sensitive users in decision-making processes relating to environmental and commercial situations. The goal of the education component is to create a unique educational experience in a class room-laboratory setting where undergraduate students in meteorology/geography can develop relationship models through a collaborative process with those employed in weather-sensitive agencies and firms. In the research activity, the P.I. will identify, through an intensive literature search and by interviews with users of climate information, the needs of weather- sensitive user sector groups for climate information. The principal investigator will work with the National Weather Service and the Midwestern Climate Center to assess the adequacy of available climate data and information to meet the needs of these user groups. Based on the data obtained he will develop climate-effect relationship mod els and disseminate them to weather-sensitive users and climatologists. The education plan will involve course research projects, where students under the P.I.'s supervision will work hand-in-hand with users in government agencies and in the private sector to develop and test the computer-based models that will relate climate information to environmental and economic applications. Students will receive research experience and important job training, i.e., where the students applies the educational experience developed in class room-laboratory settings to address problems similar to those they may encounter after graduation. Developing continual information flow between climatologists and weather- sensitive users will assist applied climatologists by identifying the types of climate information that will be incorporated into decision models. This linkage will also help direct the research focus of climatologists as they develop their careers. Furthermore, it is critical that meteorology department expand their curriculums to include such course(s) that will provide not only exciting opportunities to understand the theoretical background associated with climate but also to apply it in a real world situation. These applications would be facilitated by partners from outside the university in government agencies and private sector positions.
