Record Enrollment in Climate Graduate Programs
Climate graduate programs in AOES reached record enrollment this fall. Both the Climate Dynamics Doctoral Program, and the newer Climate Science Master’s Program, are small programs where students receive personalized attention from faculty who serve as academic and research advisors, teachers, and mentors. This year’s entering class of seven students – 5 PhD and 2 MS – brings total graduate enrollment in the two programs to 25 students.
As in previous years, the new class is a diverse group, with students coming with previous degrees in Meteorology/Atmospheric Science, Physics, Geology, and Environmental Science. Students come from prior schooling in Virginia, Texas, and California, as well as Bangladesh, Kenya, and Taiwan. This year we also welcome our first student joining through AOES’ participation in the AGU Bridge Program, which is “an effort to develop, adopt, and share inclusive practices for recruiting, admitting, and retaining historically marginalized students in STEM graduate programs.”
This year’s entering class is the second largest in AOES history; only last year’s class of eight students was larger. The generally larger class size in recent years is attributed to the introduction of the Climate Science MS, which provides a path into climate-related careers for students with undergraduate degrees in a wide range of disciplines.
