Graduate student visitors conduct research in pursuit of their thesis in collaboration with NCAR scientific staff. Here a graduate student visitor stands next to a microwave radiometer on the Mesa Lab roof. She is using data from this instrument to develop a new water retrieval algorithm.
Priority 2: Enhancing Science Education
Graduate Visitor Program
Background and Progress
During FY 2006, the Graduate Visitor Program enjoyed its inaugural year at NCAR. The program was created in response to multiple requests from NCAR scientists for graduate student funding and from the university community for access to NCAR's resources and facilities for their students. This new program revises and enhances its predecessor, the NCAR Graduate Fellowships, and with the same level of funding as the fellowships, will sponsor a larger number of meaningful visits and collaborations with graduate students and their advisers.
The Graduate Visitor Program gives NCAR scientific staff the opportunity to bring graduate students to NCAR for three- to 12-month collaborative visits. These visits are undertaken with the endorsement of the graduate student's thesis adviser. While residing at NCAR, the students conduct research in pursuit of their thesis requirements. Funding is also provided to allow the student's adviser to visit NCAR for up to two weeks. NCAR received 24 applications for the Graduate Visitor Program for the FY 2007 program. Nineteen students were funded, and 13 of these students' advisers will visit NCAR at least once.
The Graduate Visitor Program has the goal of enhancing NCAR partnerships with other public and private institutions. Judging by the feedback received by scientists and students, meaningful, long-term collaborations have been established through this program. Furthermore, several scientists have indicated that at least one publication will result from the visit.
The program also responds to another of NCAR's strategic priorities: in modest progress, one of the FY 2006 visitors sponsored by ASP comes from a minority-serving institution (Howard University), adding to NCAR's diversity. As the program expands, it will continue to increase diversity at NCAR.
Plans
The program will continue in FY 2007 at about the same level as in FY 2006, with the hopes of expanding in FY 2008. This program is funded by the NSF.
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