Wiesje Mooiweer and Jennifer Mercer in Anarctica

New Undergraduate Degree - Earth System Science (ESS) with Concentration in Atmospheric Science

Jan, 15, 2007 - ESS is an interdisciplinary undergraduate program crossing the boundaries between departments and colleges, consolidating faculty strengths into a strong and unique curriculum. It is one of the few such programs in the country, distinctive to the Front Range in the Rockies. ESS requires rigor in math and science preparation and depth of study in the chosen Concentration, preparing students for employment as environmental scientists, consultants, specialists or planners, project administrators, project managers, field instructors or meteorologists in the public, private and education sector. Graduate studies in both traditional and environmentally orientated departments are an option for those interested in furthering an academic career. Concentrations include anthropology, atmospheric science, biology, botany, geography, geology and geophysics, and soil science.

There is a shift in the traditional investigations of the Earth where events and processes are moving from looking from the viewpoint of the traditional areas to looking at the Earth as a whole. Global warming, for example, leads one to look at vegetative changes, water supplies, atmospheric gases and aerosols, geologic and soil surface process, human activity, and changes in the regional weather, as well as how they interact and affect each other. ESS is built around specializing in one of the traditional Earth system science disciplines, while at the same time having training in viewing the entire Earth system. Being in an interdisciplinary program exposes the student to other disciplines and builds strong communication and collaborative skills. Internships combine the work experience with classroom knowledge, developing analytical and quantitative skills in understanding critical environmental issues. Opportunities to intern at national labs, NCAR, NOAA, NASA, other universities and private sector companies will be available.

ESS students with a concentration in atmospheric science will collaborate with internationally known faculty having strong research activity in aerosol science, cloud physics, boundary layer phenomena, and instrumentation. There will be an opportunity to work with one of the department’s observational facilities: King Air Research Aircraft; Wyoming Balloon Launch Facility; Elk Mountain Observatory at 11,000 ft. altitude; Wyoming Cloud Radar (WCR) for the study of cloud structure and composition; and the Keck Aerosol Laboratory.

Contact information:

• Robert D. Kelly, Director
• Office: 6072 Engineering
• Phone: (307) 766-4955
• Email: rkelly@uwyo.edu
• Program web site: www.uwyo.edu/ESS/