Creation of a Teaching Module based on the CSET Field Campaign

We developed an educational module covering research aircraft field deployment and operations during the Cloud System Evolution in the Trades (CSET) field project, which occurred in Summer 2015. The goal of the CSET study was to make observations of the stratus-to-cumulus cloud transition in the north-Pacific trade winds by flying trajectories within the winds on the NSF/NCAR Gulfstream V. By following the evolution of the boundary layer cloud, aerosol, and thermodynamic structures, scientists (and now meteorology students) will be able to characterize each regime and understand the transitions between them.

Our module makes use of inquiry-based activities that allow students to plan for their own flight using a real world case study during the field project, and to follow along with a simulation of their flight using the CSET field catalog and data stream. Advanced students also have the opportunity to analyze the data from their flight and even conduct their own research. The teaching module is intended to orient students with the processes involved in planning and carrying out a research flight as it occurs for the science team in the field. At the AMS Annual Meeting, we will discuss the process of creating an inquiry-based educational experience, including what background information to provide and how to adapt the model for use in classrooms ranging from introductory to graduate. We will also discuss the lessons learned during the use of the module in an introductory atmospheric science lab so that other educators will be able to better utilize the module in their own classrooms.