Severe Weather Field Experience: An Undergraduate Field Course on Career Enhancement and Severe Convective Storms

Undergraduate students acquire a deeper understanding of scientific principles through first-hand experience. To enhance the learning environment for atmospheric science majors, the University of North Carolina at Asheville has developed the severe weather field experience. Participants travel to Tornado Alley in the Great Plains to forecast and observe convective storms for two weeks. The objectives of the course encompass far more than observing severe storms. On days with nonthreatening weather in the Great Plains, students participate in an array of activities that provide exposure to facilities and interaction with professionals in various sectors of meteorology. While the allure of chasing storms initially prompts the students to enroll in the course, the focused career-development aspect of the curriculum increases awareness for the varied career options in the atmospheric sciences and helps students discover where their own capabilities and interests might best suit the discipline. The course thus offers students a comprehensive career-development experience woven within a thrilling adventure.