Project description
The Research Experience in ALpine Meteorology (REALM) will rely on the natural scientific laboratory, provided by the nearby Wasatch Mountains and adjacent urban areas, to enhance student awareness of societal challenges, such as water availability and air quality, that require understanding the influence of alpine terrain on weather and climate processes.
The Department of Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Utah is the leading program for weather and climate education and research in the Intermountain West and is recognized internationally for its expertise in atmospheric studies related to mountain environments, including: measurement, analysis and prediction of orographic precipitation; fire weather applications; and air quality.
The objectives for REALM are to:
- Engage students in full-time active research
- Provide professional development opportunities for students and mentors
- Motivate students towards STEM careers by constructing an engaging, inclusive, and supportive cohort experience that includes exposing them through site visits to employment opportunities in the weather, water, and climate enterprise
- Improve students’ science literacy and oral and written communication skills
Learning Environment To create an inclusive and supportive environment, each participant will interact with a mentoring team that includes:
- A faculty advisor, required to complete training on practices for successful mentoring, who will propose a research topic relevant to the interests and skills of undergraduate students
- A student peer mentor from within the cohort
- STEM subject matter mentors that provide enhanced targeted training and feedback regarding writing, public speaking, computer programming, and field work and safety
- The REALM Mentorship Council that will meet bi-monthly with all REU students to encourage their educational and professional development