UCSC Joins UCAR Network, Boosting Earth Science Research and Education Efforts

Recently, the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC) has joined the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR), a nonprofit consortium comprising 126 colleges and universities across North America. This membership enables UCSC to be part of a network that includes nearly all academic programs in Earth system science on the continent.

Being a member of UCAR offers numerous benefits to UCSC, such as access to over 30 professional development opportunities. These opportunities range from internships that provide students with research experience alongside leading scientists to fellowships that support the next generation of Earth system scientists and even potential careers at the National Center for Atmospheric Research, one of the premier modeling centers involved in the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

UCAR membership aligns with UCSC’s recent strategic focus on climate change, sustainability, and resilience as well as its goal of encouraging a diverse group of students to pursue careers in science. The application was led by the Earth & Planetary Sciences department with assistance from Ocean Sciences and Applied Mathematics. UCSC’s representatives in UCAR are associate professors Claudie Beaulieu and Nicole Feldl.

Associate Professor Beaulieu stated, “It’s about time given the high-impact research and educational activities going on at UCSC in Earth system science, including atmospheric science, climate science, hydrology, oceanography, biogeochemistry, and solar physics.” Meanwhile Associate Professor Feldl expressed her excitement about discussions surrounding Earth system predictability and emphasized how crucial it is to make credible predictions about the climate we will experience in the future. She believes that UCAR plays a vital role in coordinating research efforts in climate science.

This membership marks an exciting opportunity for UCSC to collaborate with other institutions focused on Earth system science and enhance its reputation as a leading center for scientific research and education.