The Jackson State University Meteorology Program's Role In Undergraduate Atmospheric Science Training And Research

The Jackson State University (JSU) Meteorology Program, contained within the Department of Physics, Atmospheric Sciences, and General Science (and within the University's College of Science, Engineering and Technology), was initiated in the mid 1970's and has provided quality minority scientists for the atmospheric science community since 1980. The program was initially supported by the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the American Meteorological Society. Since its initiation, the JSU Meteorology Program has grown in both students and capabilities. One of the primary missions of the JSU Meteorology Program is to increase the number of underrepresented minority professionals within the atmospheric science community. The JSU Meteorology Program has been quite successful in this endeavor in the past having graduated 1 out of every 4 bachelor degreed African-American meteorology majors within the country during the past five years. Future growth of the JSU Meteorology Program depends on its ability to attract students, to provided significant opportunities for professional development and individual research and the university's commitment to the program. With these components in place, the program is firmly positioned to increase diversity within the atmospheric sciences.