V.U. Department of Geography and Meteorology

  About the Meteorology Program

The VU Department of Geography and Meteorology offers a comprehensive undergraduate program leading to either a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in meteorology or a Bachelor of Arts with an interdisciplinary major in Broadcast Meteorology (with the Communication Department). Enrollment in the meteorology program has quadrupled in the last five years to approximately 85 students, making it one of the largest in the country. Students from our program go on to attend the nation's top graduate programs and are employed by various public and private sector firms and broadcast stations. A large number of our students have received NASA summer fellowships, National Science Foundation, American Meteorological Society or university undergraduate and graduate fellowships.

Valparaiso location offers a wide variety of interesting and challenging weather, from lake-effect snows to severe convective storms. The Department maintains the VU Weather Center, a state-of-the-art laboratory where students gain "hands-on" experience and provide weather information and forescasts for Northwest Indiana. This facility has an excellent array of meteorological equipment, including a 55-foot instrumented tower, UNIDATA McIDAS-OS/2 data retrieval and display system, DIFAX satellite downlink, DTN and Alden NWS Doppler radar feeds, as well as portable sensors and computers.

Extracurricular experiences are important components of the meteorology program at VU. Our popular 10-day severe storm field study trips to the Southern Plains are an integral part of the educational experience for meteorology students. The Department has established an excellent relationship with the National Weather Service (NWS). Our program has placed students in internships at NWS offices in Indianapolis, Louisville, South Bend, and St. Louis. Paid co-ops have been established with the Climate Analysis Center and Techniques Development Laboratory in Washington, D.C. and the NWS Forecast Office in Romeoville (Chicago), IL. Internships are also established with a regional educational channel, WGN-TV in Chicago, and other broadcast stations. Students may also work for the campus radio station, WVUR. These positions provide studens with valuable experience as well as opportunities for post-graduate employment.

Many students are active members of Northwest Indiana SKYWARN and the Valparaiso University Storm Intercept Team (VUSIT), one of the nation's best-equipped chase teams. A regional chapter of the National Weather Association is also located on campus which, together with the Department, hosts visits by prominent outside scientists.

Last updated August 17, 1998, by Jon T. Kilpinen.