REU Site: Research Experiences for Undergraduates in Atmospheric Remote Sensing Focused Around the CSU-CHILL National Radar Facility

Colorado State University, Fort Collins CO

Investigators

Abstract

This award supports a REU Site at the Colorado State University CSU-CHILL polarized Doppler radar facility, which serves as a focal point for advanced research and education in radar engineering and radar meteorology. The emphasis on remote sensing and radar meteorology, and collaboration with engineering, enables students to gain experience with technology development as well as scientific research. The site provides summer research experiences at the CHILL facility for six students, usually following their junior year. The students spend 10 weeks in residence at CSU. The program encompasses a full research experience, from literature survey, developing background on instrumentation, developing research topics, and through to the actual research. At the end of the project, students will write a formal report and present their results in research seminars. Opportunities will also be available through the National Center for Atmospheric Research, NCAR. In addition, the facility has completed a major initiative to create a virtual radar facility over the Internet. Through this, extensive support will be provided for radar experiments, data, and computer links, so that students may continue their work at their home institutions as part of their senior projects if desired. The CSU-CHILL REU Site enables a new generation of researchers to gain familiarity with scientists at a major research center and hands-on experience with cutting-edge interdisciplinary research using a highly advanced weather radar system. The power and flexibility of this system makes it convenient for undergraduate students to learn radar operations, data collection, product display, and generation of new products. The intellectual merit of this effort centers on unique student-driven activities bridging the atmospheric science and engineering communities. Broader impacts are wide ranging, and include involvement of student participants drawn from underrepresented groups and facilitation of exchange among representatives of multiple scientific disciplines. Participation by faculty, CSU-CHILL staff, and NCAR staff will enable the students to acquire a strong theoretical and experimental background while participating in a mix of team-oriented and individual research projects making use of this unique radar facility.