Undergraduate

Introduction

Atmospheric Science encompasses a wide variety of topics such as weather forecasting, climate change, air pollution and air chemistry, radiative transfer, air-sea interactions, and boundary layer processes. The Institute for Terrestrial and Planetery Atmospheres is located at the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (SoMAS) on the South Campus of the State University of New York at Stony Brook. The Institute provides a comprehensive and flexible curriculum in these and other areas.  We offer the only Bachelor’s degree program in meteorology for the 2.8 million people on Long Island and for the whole metropolitan New York City area.

Our undergraduate program is structured to meet the educational needs of weather enthusiasts and people who want to pursue atmosphere science related careers. The geographic setting allows for detailed study of coastal meteorological phenomena such as hurricanes, nor-easters, and sea-breezes. Undergraduate majors are prepared for a range of career options including weather forecasting, environmental meteorology, TV weathercasting, or further study at a graduate institution. The meteorology bachelor’s degree satisfies the requirements for employment as a meteorologist with the National Weather Service and makes our graduates eligible for the rating of professional meteorologist given by the United States Civil Service Commission. Our curriculum also satisfies the education standards endorsed by the American Meteorological Society. With strong background training in physics, mathematics and computer sciences, our atmospheric sciences majors are also well prepared for a variety of alternative career paths.

Because the Institute also maintains a diverse graduate program, undergraduate students can take advantage of a variety of opportunities to enhance their education. For example, some graduate courses are available to advanced undergraduates and employment possibilities exist in several of the Institute’s research groups. Undergraduate students are welcome at the Institute’s many seminars and colloquia and are encouraged to join in the annual forecast contest. Undergraduates can also work on independent research projects under the guidance of a faculty member.

The Institute has arranged a number of internships with outside organizations.  Internships with the New York City National Weather Service Forecast Office (15 miles east of Stony Brook), Eastern Region headquarters of the Weather Service (15 miles south of Stony Brook), and several of the local and New York City television stations have proven to be the most popular.  Such internships provide valuable real-life learning experiences outside of the classroom.

More information about the Education Programs offered at ITPA is available through the SoMAS website.

For Further Information

Prof. Brian Colle, Undergraduate Advisor

Prof. Brian Colle,
Undergraduate Advisor

Prof. Kamazima Lwiza, Director of Undergraduate Programs

For addition information, a student should contact either Prof. Kamazima Lwiza, Director of Undergraduate Programs, SoMAS (631) 632-7309, e-mail: kamazima.lwiza@stonybrook.edu, or Prof. Brian Colle, Undergraduate Advisor (631) 632-3174 or email: brian.colle@stonybrook.edu).  Students are also welcome to stop by the Educational Programs Office located at 107 Endeavour Hall of the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences at any time.