Lessons from GATE--a Graduate Student's Perspective

GATE provided an ideal environment for graduate students to learn by doing and work as team to address major science issues. My own GATE experience can be broken into three parts—pre-GATE (Colorado State University), GATE (in-field, Dakar Senegal), post-GATE (Penn State and University of Miami). My first introduction to GATE was a telegram that I received from Professor Steven Cox in the spring of 1972 offering me an opportunity as a graduate student to join his CSU group on an exciting 4-month adventure in Africa in 1976. It was an offer I could not refuse. Once I arrived at CSU my first task was to evaluate the solar radiometers and pyrgeometers (IR) that were to be used in GATE. This activity included lab evaluations and the analysis of in-flight observations from the flights with NCAR Queen Air. This was followed by the installation of the sensors and their enclosures on NOAA’s DC-6 and C 130 research aircraft. Those pre-GATE activities taught me the steps required to develop plans for using research aircraft, prepare for and implement those plans, and analyze the results from the measurements.

I arrived in Dakar Senegal for GATE in June of 1974 with two other CSU graduate students (Michael Poellot and David Starr) who worked with Steve Cox. Our first activity was to determine if the radiation instruments on the two NOAA aircraft and on the NCAR Sabreliner were working properly. Once the first intensive period started, we flew on the two NOAA aircraft as instrument operators and observers. I would also fly as the airborne mission scientist on the NCAR Sabreliner where I would direct the aircraft flight patterns. In total, I would accumulate over 200 hours of flight time during the three intensive observing periods of GATE. This observational experience provided an important scientific context for the measurements we were making and many opportunities to interact directly with the pilots and flight crews and technicians. These activities provided valuable lessons for my own involvement in the planning and implementation of future aircraft missions. Another important aspect of my time spent in GATE was the many opportunities to interact with world-class scientists and other graduate students. This included interactions during mission planning and pre-flight briefings, on aircraft flights, and in social settings. Those interactions would set up life-time friendships, future collaborative efforts, and major career opportunities.

After GATE, much of what I learned and experienced during it would have a major impact on my career. First, the connections I made during GATE would lead directly to my faculty position at Penn State and then the University of Miami. It also would lead to my involvement in the planning and implementation of major field programs involving air-borne and surface-based observations. These projects always involved numerous graduate students who hopefully learned from their experiences like we did during GATE. But this type of involvement should not be limited to those making and working with the observations. Students working on theoretical problems or modeling efforts should also be encouraged to be involved in large atmospheric and oceanic field programs so they can work with other students and scientists while experiencing the real-world environment.