UC Santa Cruz has recently joined the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR), a nonprofit consortium of 126 colleges and universities in North America that focuses on research and training in Earth system science. This membership allows UC Santa Cruz to be part of a network that includes almost all academic programs in Earth system science across the continent.
As a member of UCAR, UC Santa Cruz will have access to over 30 professional development opportunities. These opportunities range from internships that provide students with research experience working alongside leading scientists, to fellowships that support the next generation of Earth system scientists, and even potential careers at the National Center for Atmospheric Research, one of the premier modeling centers involved in the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
UCAR membership is aligned with UC Santa Cruz’s recent strategic focus on climate change, sustainability, and resilience, as well as the university’s goal of encouraging a diverse group of students to pursue careers in science. The membership application was led by the Earth & Planetary Sciences department with help from Ocean Sciences and Applied Mathematics. UC Santa Cruz’s representatives in UCAR are associate professors Claudie Beaulieu and Nicole Feldl.
Associate Professor Beaulieu stated, “It’s about time, given the high-impact research and educational activities going on at UC Santa Cruz in Earth system science, including atmospheric science, climate science, hydrology, oceanography, biogeochemistry, and solar physics.” Meanwhile, Associate Professor Feldl expressed her enthusiasm for the discussions surrounding Earth system predictability and the importance of making credible predictions about the climate we will experience in the future. She believes UCAR plays a crucial role in coordinating research efforts in climate science.
