UTEP to Inform Earth Science Research as Member of University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
Last Updated on November 23, 2020 at 9:00 AM
Originally published November 23, 2020
By Christina Rodriguez
UTEP Communications
The University of Texas at El Paso recently was selected as a member of the prestigious University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR). UCAR is a nonprofit consortium of 120 North American colleges and universities focused on research and training in the atmospheric and related Earth system sciences.
UTEP faculty member Rosa Fitzgerald, Ph.D., professor of physics, with the support of Mark Pederson, Ph.D., physics department chair, and Robert Kirken, Ph.D., dean of the College of Science, put together an extensive application that highlighted all the areas of UCAR-related research, programs and scholarship carried out at the University during the last three to five years. The UCAR Evaluation Committee agreed the University met all requirements and voted to accept UTEP’s application.
“We are very enthusiastic about all the opportunities that this membership represents and welcome it for our faculty and students,” Fitzgerald said.
UCAR brings together the Earth system science community to exchange ideas, discuss challenges and share expert knowledge. The consortium aims to connect researchers and educators to take research out of the lab for real world applications that benefit society.
Member institutions appoint representatives who serve as vital links between the academic community, the National Center for Atmospheric Research and other programs and projects managed by UCAR. Members benefit by having access to community networking resources and services that could otherwise not be accessible by individual member institutions. UCAR alerts its members to legislative and budget issues that may affect their work, educates members of Congress on scientific problems and societal impacts, and advocates on behalf of broad community interests.
UCAR’s community programs range from encouraging diverse students to pursue science careers, to providing online professional training, data delivery and other valued services to extend and enhance the world-class research done at the national center that push the boundaries of Earth system science.
“The University of Texas at El Paso is a first-class research university with expertise in the sciences and engineering that will enrich our consortium,” said UCAR President Antonio Busalacchi. “We are honored to have them as a member.”
