16th Symposium on Education

P1.21

Professional Development for Undergraduate Minority Meteorology Students Through the NOAA Educational Partnership with Minority Serving Institutions

John L. Shoemake Sr., Jackson State University, Jackson, MS; and M. D. Benjamin, S. L. Dixon, K. D. Hair, M. L. Jones, and Q. D. Jones

Jackson State University (JSU) is the only Historically Black College and University that offers an undergraduate degree in Meteorology. Some thirty years ago, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) was selected by the American Meteorological Society under the influence of the professional atmospheric science community to assist and sponsor the development of the JSU program. NOAA, through the National Weather Service (NWS), has continuously nurtured the JSU Meteorology Program over the convening years. Since 2001, the NOAA Educational Partnership Program for Minority Serving Institutions (EPP/MSI) has supported JSU through the NOAA Center for Atmospheric Sciences (NCAS). NCAS, led by Howard University (HU), is a consortium of university partners that includes, in addition to, JSU; the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez (UPRM); and, the University of Texas at El Paso. The primary goals of NCAS are 1) to increase significantly the number of minority students succeeding toward advanced atmospheric science degrees, and, 2) to provide partner university faculty, staff and students interdisciplinary atmospheric research relevant to the overall NOAA mission. Students' involved gain enhanced professional knowledge and in-depth individual training in practical climatological research and operational forecast skills during the summer at NCAS institutions or at various NOAA/NWS offices across the nation. Six JSU meteorology majors participated in NOAA/NWS internships at various locations over the past summer with one student to continue active participation at the NWS Forecast Office, Jackson, MS during Fall 2006. The summary and breadth of JSU Meteorology Program student involvement in NOAA/NWS local, routine, and daily operational activities demonstrates NOAA's strong commitment to increasing the number of minority professionals in meteorology and the atmospheric sciences.

Poster Session 1, Poster Session
Sunday, 14 January 2007, 5:00 PM-7:00 PM, Exhibit Hall C

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