Undergrad Research Experiences: The Case of MET 431 (Applications in Climatology)

NIU’s Meteorology Program strives to develop valuable student “preprofessional” experiences through student participation in a variety of activities, including: faculty research projects through National Science Foundation grants and the Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship Program, forecasting for the campus student newspaper and television station, operating the DeKalb-area National Weather Service Cooperative Weather Station, serving the community as severe weather watchers, conducting weather awareness seminars in local schools, and through internship experiences with the NWS and various weather-sensitive organizations in northern Illinois.

One of the unique “preprofessional” experiences that Meteorology Program students can take advantage of during their tenure at NIU is the annual “Applications in Climatology” course taught by NIU Presidential Teaching Professor Dr. David Changnon. “Applications in Climatology” (MET 431) is a senior capstone course where students work in groups of two to four on applied climate research projects for regional decision makers. Real issues from both the private and public sectors are addressed by student/faculty teams to produce tangible results for the sponsoring organization. Dr. Changnon has published two articles that highlight the uniqueness of this course: "Design and Test of a "Hands-On" Applied Climate Course in an Undergraduate Meteorology Program" (Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, Volume 79, pages 79-84) and "Improving Outreach in Atmospheric Sciences: Assessment of Users of Climate Products" (Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, Volume 85, pages 601-606). In addition, a number of projects completed by MET 431 students have appeared in top international research journals over the last ten years. Undergraduate research experiences, like those enabled through courses like MET 431, are a hallmark of the NIU Meteorology Program. Skills learned during these experiences empower our students, helping them gain a “leg up” in the job market.

Below is a summary of the three research projects carried out by student groups during fall 2008’s MET 431 class:

Del Monte Foods:
The student group that included Joe Astolfi, Jonathan Kopczyk, and Matias Sich, worked with Dr. Brian Flood (entomologist) and Mr. Mike Sandstrom (meteorologist) of Del Monte Foods on a project examining the influence of various weather variables on the occurrence of the first major corn earworm (CEW) migration in north central Illinois. The group found that on average (during the 1960-2005 period) the first major CEW migration occurred on approximately August 20, however the date of the first major flight of the growing season varied from August 1 to September 16. Weather factors that were found to occur just prior to a major flight included a southerly wind and precipitation. In some cases, periods of usually warm weather preceded the first major flight. This predictive model successfully forecasted the first major flights for the years 2006-2008. Climatologically, when the first major flight occurred prior to August 20, both the number of warm nights (Tmin > 65°F) and the accumulated number of growing degree days (base of 50°F) were above average. Farmers and food production companies such as Del Monte Foods may find this research useful as they develop methods to protect vegetable crops from pests such as the CEW.

Northern Illinois University:
The student group that included Matt Chyba, Gloria Maleski, and Kevin Nasiatka, worked with Mr. Jeff Daurer (Director of Capital Budget and Planning) of Northern Illinois University on a project developing a wind speed climatology for north central Illinois. Mr. Daurer was interested in understanding the seasonal variations in wind speed both at the surface and several meters above the surface as they look to potentially expand the campus on the western fringe of DeKalb. Examination of wind speed data from Rockford and NCEP-NARR data identified that July (summer) had the lowest wind speeds. Nearly 50% of the time July wind speeds are less than 7 mph, a critical minimum wind speed for wind turbines. The chances of experiencing low wind speeds in other parts of the year are much less. The group found that the lowest wind speed period during a 24-hour period was generally at night between 6 pm and 9 am.

WGN-TV9; Chicago Tribune:
The student group that included Victor Gensini, Erik Janzon, and Zachary Rahe, worked with Tom Skilling of WGN-TV9 and the Chicago Tribune on a project examining the frequency of summer days with Tmax >90°F (i.e., “hot days”) at Chicago Midway during the 1933-2008 period. Initially the students found that the frequency of Chicago hot days had decreased dramatically from the 1930s. The frequency of warm nights (summer Tmin >70°F) was found to be increasing during the period, a signal expected in an urban heat island. Trends of summer hot days, warm nights and the diurnal range was examined at both urban and rural stations across the Midwest. Trends similar to those found at Chicago Midway were found throughout the region suggesting that a regional land-use factor (e.g., changes in agricultural practices from general farming to intensive row cropping) may be altering boundary layer atmospheric moisture levels and thus changing the summer temperature climatology. An increase in low level dew points could have an influence on the frequency and magnitude of summer heat waves as well as heavy rainstorms.

Interested? Students interested in participating in an upcoming MET 431 course should drop by Dr. Changnon’s office in Davis Hall.