B.S. Recipients, Job Statistics and Degree/Job Requirements in Meteorology: A 20-Year Perspective

1. B.S. Recipients, Job Statistics and Degree/Job Requirements in Meteorology:A 20-Year Perspective NWS NWS Dr. John Knox UGA Department of Geography AMS/AGU Heads and Chairs Meeting October 16, 2014 1993 2012

2. Annual number of atmos sci BS recipients increased 102% from 1993-2007. For same period, annual number of science and engineering BS degrees increased 32%, all degrees increased 31%. B.S. Recipients in Meteorology/Atmospheric Sciences 1993-2012 Data(Sources: NSF/NCES) NWS NWS BIG SURGE

3. B.S. Recipients in Meteorology/Atmospheric Sciences 1993-2012 Data(Sources: NSF/NCES) Annual number of atmos sci BS recipients increased 40% from 2002-2012. For same period, annual number of science and engineering BS degrees increased 42%, all degrees increased 38%. NWS NWS SOME DECLINE

4. Annual number of atmos sci BS recipients increased 40% from 2002-2012. For same period, total number of jobs in our field increased 44%. Jobs in Meteorology/Atmospheric Sciencesvs. B.S. Degrees: 1993-2012 Data(Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics, NSF/NCES) NWS NWS

5. Meteorological measurements Sensor performance characteristics/sources of error Quality assurance, standards, evaluation of data Surface and upper-air weather instrumentation Principles and interpretation of weather radar Principles and interpretation of wx satellite data Profiling systems (radio frequency, acoustical, optical) Physical meteorology Atmospheric thermodynamics Radiation in the atmosphere Cloud and precipitation physics Atmospheric electricity and optics Dynamic meteorology Governing equations Geostrophic, gradient, and thermal winds Circulation and vorticity Quasigeostrophic theory Atmospheric waves Baroclinic and barotropic instability Mathematics Differential and integral calculus Vector and multivariable calculus Probability and applied statistics Physics Fundamentals of mechanics Basic thermodynamics Electromagnetic radiation Electricity and magnetism Chemistry Atomic structure and chemical bonding Properties of gases Scientific computing Experience using a high-level structured programming language (e.g., C, C++, Python, Matlab, IDL, or Fortran) Ability to apply numerical and statistical methods to atmospheric science problems Oral, written, multimedia communication AMS Recommendations for B.S. Degree (Basic Components, revised 2010) NWS NWS

6. Synoptic meteorology Subjective weather analysis Objective weather analysis Predictability and chaos theory Structure of synoptic-scale weather systems  Jet stream dynamics Cyclogenesis and frontogenesis Weather forecasting concepts Precipitation types and hydrometeorology Use of NWP products in forecasting Mesoscale meteorology Air mass boundaries (fronts, drylines, outflows) Mesoscale instabilities Fundamentals of the planetary boundary layer Mesoscale boundary layer phenomena Single, multi-, and supercellular convection Mesoscale convective systems Severe weather Tropical cyclones Orographic mesoscale phenomena Climate dynamics General circulation of the atmosphere & ocean Regional climates and microclimates Intraseasonal and interannual climate variations, including ENSO Long-range weather forecasting Climate data analysis Reconstruction of past climates Climate models Causes of past and future climate change Capstone experience Undergraduate research project, or Career-focused internship, or Capstone course AMS Recommendations for B.S. Degree (Basics, Cont.) NWS NWS

7. a.  Graduate school preparation ODEs, PDEs Linear algebra Computational fluid dynamics Research experience Additional scientific computer programming b.  Weather forecasting Additional topics in NWP Additional topics in remote sensing Geospatial information science (GIS) Boundary layer, micrometeorology, etc. 1) National Weather Service: see 1340 2) Military Navy: Physical oceanography, marine meteorology, acoustics, and hydrography 3) Broadcast meteorology: see CBM Minor in broadcast journalism/communications Internship at TV/radio station Introductory courses in environmental science, oceanography, geology, hydrology, and astronomy 4) Other private sector forecasting Minor in business 5) International standards: see WMO c.  Air quality and env. sci. applications  A minor in chemistry or environmental chemistry  Atmospheric aerosols Cloud and precipitation chemistry Boundary layer basics The urban atmosphere Transport and diffusion theory Regional air pollution modeling GIS Atmosphere-environment interactions Health effects of air pollutants Environmental policy d.  Teaching Master’s in Education Introductory courses in: geology, astronomy, and biology and possibly chemistry AMS Recommendations for B.S. Degree (BEYOND Basics) NWS NWS

8. Meteorology Series, 1340 • Basic Requirements: • A. Degree: meteorology, atmospheric science, or other natural science major that included: • 1. At least 24 semester (36 quarter) hours of credit in meteorology/atmospheric science including a minimum of: • a. Six semester hours of atmospheric dynamics and thermodynamics;* • b. Six semester hours of analysis and prediction of weather systems (synoptic/mesoscale); • c. Three semester hours of physical meteorology; and • d. Two semester hours of remote sensing of the atmosphere and/or instrumentation. • 2. Six semester hours of physics, with at least one course that includes laboratory sessions.* • 3. Three semester hours of ordinary differential equations.* • 4. At least nine semester hours of course work appropriate for a physical science major in any combination of three or more of the following: physical hydrology, statistics, chemistry, physical oceanography, physical climatology, radiative transfer, aeronomy, advanced thermodynamics, advanced electricity and magnetism, light and optics, and computer science. • Or • B. Combination of education and experience – course work as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. Current Federal Requirements for Meteorologists (1998) NWS NWS