OU School of Meteorology Recognized as Top Program in the Nation

The University of Oklahoma School of Meteorology was recently recognized as the No. 1 program in the nation by OutstandingColleges.com.

Housed in the OU College of Atmospheric and Geographic Sciences, the School of Meteorology is the largest program of its kind in the nation, with approximately 250 undergraduate and 95 graduate students. The school’s broad portfolio of academic and research offerings addresses weather and climate research topics from the tropics to the poles, studying issues that are critical to society, the economy and environment across the state, nation and the world.

“For more than 60 years, the OU School of Meteorology has provided students with a world-renowned education that promotes collaborative, innovative and inclusive academic and research opportunities,” said Berrien Moore, dean of the college. “We take great pride in the work we do to prepare the scientists of tomorrow, and it is an incredible honor to be recognized as the top program in the nation.”

The OU School of Meteorology is located on the fifth floor of the National Weather Center, which is home to several local and federal agencies. There are five entities of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), including the National Severe Storms Laboratory, National Weather Service Forecast Office for the area, the Storm Prediction Center, the Radar Operations Center and the Warning Decision Training Division. In addition, there is the NOAA-OU Cooperative Institute and the Oklahoma Climatological Survey. Due to the School of Meteorology’s close proximity to the more than 500 meteorologists, climatologists, scientists, engineers, researchers and technicians at the National Weather Center, the school offers a unique opportunity for students to learn and interact with leading experts in the field.

The school also boasts a robust research program that affords both undergraduate and graduate students a host of opportunities to work with faculty members on cutting-edge projects. For instance, this summer, meteorology students and faculty were active in a number of field campaigns, including TORUS (Targeted Observation by Radars and UAS of Supercells), PRECIP 2022 (Prediction of Rainfall Extremes in the Pacific), DCOTSS (Dynamics and Chemistry of the Summer Stratosphere) and TRACER (Tracking Aerosol Convection Interactions Experiment), creating exciting opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students to gain field-work experience.

Students in the School of Meteorology are routinely recognized as NOAA Hollings Scholarship recipients, and many students receive awards for outstanding oral and poster presentations at professional conferences. In addition, approximately 90% of OU students earning their bachelor of science in meteorology secure job placements within months of graduation, with many assuming positions with the National Weather Service, industrial and commercial companies, airlines, utility and insurance companies, all branches of the military and as teachers.

For more information about the OU School of Meteorology, visit meteorology.ou.edu.