Meteorology
Meteorology is the science dealing with the phenomena of the atmosphere, especially weather processes and weather forecasting.
Meteorologist
Hello, I’m Bob Cameron, a meteorologist in the Federal Government, working for the Minerals Management Service in New Orleans. Right now, I’m working on air pollution that may affect the air quality for States surrounding the Gulf of Mexico. Gulf of Mexico oil and natural gas exploration and development require equipment that burns fuel, which creates air pollution, which must be regulated and kept within bounds established by laws and regulations.
I’ve worked as a meteorologist in several other economic sectors – private, State government, and the military. In the private sector, I worked as a television weathercaster in Omaha, Nebraska, where I prepared and delivered on-air televised weathercasts. With State government, I performed meteorological data analysis and modeling used in air quality models to calculate air pollution for Texas problem areas. My military weather jobs were varied and ranged from aviation weather forecasting to instructing weather courses to managing a forecast team at a centralized weather forecasting facility.
There are many opportunities in the meteorology field that I haven’t explored; some examples are listed below:
Serving as consultant to utilities, airlines, transportation, agriculture, manufacturing, and government, providing expertise in areas ranging from weather modification to pollution control to energy generation to resource management.
Conducting theoretical and experimental research in the atmospheric sciences, often in collaboration with scientists from other disciplines and often using sophisticated computer, satellite, and remote-sensing technology.
Teaching meteorology, primarily at the college and university level.
Educational Requirements
High School – The discipline of meteorology requires a strong background in mathematics and physics, so I recommend taking every math and physics course possible. Meteorology may also be studied as a part of other science courses, such as earth science or oceanography.
College – College courses should include a wider range of more specialized and sophisticated subjects, such as instruments and observations, climatology, atmospheric thermodynamics, air pollution, climate change, forecasting, chemistry, scientific programming, technical writing, statistics, calculus, differential equations, and physics.
Career Opportunities
Individuals with a background in meteorology could pursue a career in the private sector or with the government and military. Positions include forecasters, observers, aerial reconnaissance weather officers, meteorologists, managers, consultants, technicians, researchers, and teachers.
[Meteorologist] [Coastal Ecology] [Geophysicist] [Geologist] [Environmental Scientist]
[Marine Biologist] [Micropaleontologist] [Physical Oceanographer] [Petroleum Engineer] [Underwater Archaeologist]
Last update: Thursday November 29 2007
