UCAR is welcoming seven new member universities, bringing the total membership for the nonprofit consortium to 117 universities and colleges across North America. The following is a news release from the University of Alabama published today after the membership agreement was officially signed. The other new members are Duke University; Louisiana State University; University of Maryland, Baltimore County; University of Massachusetts, Amherst; University of Massachusetts, Lowell; and University of Saskatchewan.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The University of Alabama’s partnership with the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research will benefit students, the state and the nation, said UA President Stuart R. Bell at an on-campus ceremony today.

Bell signed an agreement alongside UCAR President Antonio J. Busalacchi declaring UA as a member of the national organization focused on research and training in the atmospheric and related Earth system sciences.

“UA’s partnership with UCAR provides new opportunities for additional research into the atmospheric and related Earth system sciences, which is so vital for improving forecasts, protecting life and property, and fostering economic growth,” Bell said.

UCAR is a consortium of 117 universities and colleges across North America and manages the National Center for Atmospheric Research under sponsorship by the National Science Foundation. Through its community programs, UCAR supports and extends the capabilities of its academic consortium.

UA was voted into UCAR at its annual meeting in October, along with six other institutions including Duke University and Louisiana State University.

“We are honored to have The University of Alabama join the UCAR community,” Busalacchi said. “We look forward to collaborating with the University and their strong academic programs to advance our knowledge of weather, water, climate and other vital aspects of the Earth system for the benefit of Alabama residents and all of society.”

UCAR has a broad community of researchers and world-class assets, including research aircraft, powerful supercomputing and innovative models, that will assist UA in further developing educational and research programs in the atmospheric sciences.

“The community models developed by NCAR and its university partners help keep Alabama citizens safe from hurricanes, tornados, and other dangerous weather events, and UA researchers will be engaged in building the next generation of models,” Bell said. “The Earth sciences research that we are conducting with NCAR and UCAR’s member universities is vital for protecting lives and property, providing a major return on the investment by taxpayers.”

The University has ongoing research in the areas of climatology, atmospheric hazards, geocomputation, geomorphology, remote sensing and silviculture as well as hydroclimate and landscape modeling. Projects in these areas have received support from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NASA, the National Science Foundation, the United States Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Geological Survey.

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