This ISE award addresses the issue of disparity amongst media meteorologists in their perspective on climate change. Since the media has considerable impact on the public, this disparity of perspective is extraordinarily significant. One common factor in this issue is the education of these individuals at the undergraduate level. While there may be additional factors influencing these perspectives, this project will determine if the variation in coursework is responsible for the apparent disparity.
This group of researchers will interview media meteorologists, analyze the educational activity provided at the 126 institutions that produce meteorologists, and hold workshops that include media personnel, College faculty, and the public. From these efforts and data, the research team hopes to determine the impact that undergraduate education has on the media meteorologists' perspectives.
This is a collaborative effort between 2 institutions, Bentley College and Plymouth State University. The focus of this pilot effort will be the New England area.
