This post is about the UNC Asheville Atmospheric Sciences Department.

Every Monday and Wednesday after Calculus II, I walk to the same corner of Rhodes-Robinson, reminding myself that the department is a nerd’s paradise. It’s the place where I will learn to become a scientist. The first thing I see is the weather display, with the current conditions up at the department weather station, a Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) loop, and a National Weather Service forecast for the next week in Asheville. Sometimes, a video of a tornado pops up. The video is of the 2013 Severe Weather Field Experience, which helps students see what they’re learning about in real life. In the background, I usually hear the constant whirring of the… air conditioning? If I try hard enough, I can smell the wooden desks and shelves that litter the area, those of Dr. Alex Huang. Dr. Huang taught at UNC Asheville for 35 years, and retired last semester. Things are changing. Then again, both the blue board with the ATMS department and the two main classrooms still greet the occasional visitor. One of those classrooms, Room 239, was the room for my introductory class, where I gained even more of an appreciation for meteorology. Turning away from the wall with the classrooms and the weather display, I see the professors’ offices. Dr. Miller, Dr. Hennon, and Dr. Godfrey. With the professors I usually talk about random weather phenomena, or even about what happened on the weekend. Walking down the hall, I see the pictures of all the past years’ atmospheric science seniors with the professors, and the research lab. There is also the hall for computer science, serving as a constant reminder that computers have been and will continue to be used heavily in meteorology.            

Now that I’ve described the department, well, why is it important? Perhaps it’s because some of the American Meteorology Society meetings occur there. It’s the place where I feel at home, or where I love to learn and develop a passion. Maybe that corner is important because I already have memories there. Sometimes, student research is presented in the hallways. One day, I hope to have my own research stand out there. It’s the place where I and many others will learn to become a scientist.

Pictures of the department can be found in this post. More information about the department can be found here.

Thanks for reading.