Graduate, Undergraduate, and Professional Education in Space Weather at the University of Colorado Boulder

The University of Colorado at Boulder recently incorporated the Space Weather Technology, Research, and Education Center (SWx-TREC) in response to the Chancellor's Grand Challenge "Our space. Our future." SWx-TREC facilitates collaboration and educational exchange between academic, federal government, industry, and commercial space weather providers by developing models, tools, mission concepts, and educational material. SWx-TREC consists of the Research Enterprise, the Missions, Applications, and Data Technology (MADTech) Enterprise, and the Education Enterprise. Here we describe the activities of the Education Enterprise with an emphasis on the development of new Graduate Certificate in Space Weather Applied Research (SWAR). The proposed certificate will involve courses from the Smead Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences (ASEN), the Department of Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences (ASTR), the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences (ATOC), the Department of Electrical, Computer, and Energy Engineering (ECEN), Department of Applied Mathematics (APPM) and Laboratory for Interdisciplinary Statistical Analysis (LISA), and the Department of Physics (PHYS). The purpose of the certificate is to develop interdisciplinary skills in the field of space weather, which often requires knowledge about both fundamental processes in science and practical applications to space-based and ground-based technology. We envision this certificate as one way of extending the highly successful CU Space Minor to the realm of graduate education. In addition, SWx-TREC is working with the co-located National Solar Observatory on methodologies for distance learning in space weather and space physics courses, based on the highly successful multi-institution COLLAGE program. The goal is to develop a Professional Masters degree in space weather suitable for engineers, operational forecasters, and other industry professionals in need of the latest knowledge in space weather research and technology.