Educational Activities

Seminar Series

The ASP continued its series of seminar presentations. They are intended to promote greater understanding of the range of scientific activities underway at NCAR and the scientific community and to provide postdocs with an opportunity to schedule and arrange logistics for visiting scientists. During FY-03 ASP hosted four seminars from NCAR scientists and three outside institutions.

The Geophysical Turbulence Program also had a full seminar series. Seminar lecturers are invited to stay around NCAR for a day or two to collaborate with NCAR turbulence researchers after their seminar. During FY-03 GTP hosted one seminar by a new postdoctoral fellow here at NCAR and 17 from outside institutions.

Thompson Lectures

In 1998 ASP established the "Thompson Lecture Series," named in honor of Phil Thompson who founded the Advanced Study Program and was NCAR's first associate director. Under this program, prominent scientists are brought to NCAR for short visits that promote interaction between them and the postdoctoral fellows and other junior scientists at NCAR. In addition to presenting formal lectures, the Thompson Lecturers listen to briefings on the research being conducted by ASP Fellows and comment and provide advice on those research projects. They also meet with groups of scientists to discuss some more general topics, provide career advice, and offer their perspectives on scientific trends and priorities. In FY-03, two Thompson Lecturers were brought to NCAR: Craig Bohren (Pennsylvania State University) and Michael Wallace (University of Washington).

Other Educational Activities

A few ASP Postdoctoral Fellows served as SOARS mentors during the summer months. SOARS is hosted through the Human Resources department of UCAR. George Bryan participated in the Education and Outreach Undergraduate Summer Leadership Workshop. Jadwiga Beres participated in another UCAR function, the Building Bridges in Education Conference, also sponsored by the Boulder County Latina Women's League.

Some of the ASP postdoctoral fellows collaborated in teaching a graduate-level course at the University of Colorado on global climate change. Other education-related activities included Mark Potosnak's leadership in a high school and grade school teacher instruction workshop through the Earthworks Program in Jamestown, Colorado. Mark Miesch served as a volunteer for the Space Odyssey exhibit at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science.