The U.S. National Science Foundation National Center for Atmospheric Research (NSF NCAR) has named Christopher L. Castro the new director of its Research Applications Laboratory (RAL). Castro is currently professor and interim head of the Department of Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Arizona, as well as director of the Center for Applied Hydroclimate Sciences within the Arizona Institute for Resilience.

Castro will assume his new position on August 1.

“Chris is a consummate scientist and proven leader who has dedicated his career to actionable science and helping society through the advancement of knowledge,” said NSF NCAR Director Everette Joseph. “His experience with NSF NCAR goes back more than 20 years, providing him with a deep understanding of our organization as well as the breadth and depth of the important science taking place in RAL. Chris has the demonstrated expertise to build on RAL’s partnerships and successful track record to lead the lab to even greater achievements, and I am very excited to welcome him to our team.”

Castro has been on the faculty of the University of Arizona for 18 years. He has served in a leadership role since 2019, when he was named associate head of the Department of Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences, before becoming interim head in 2022.

An expert in hydrometeorology, Castro has applied specialized modeling techniques to predict water resources and extreme weather in arid and semiarid environments. A particular focus of his research has been the North American monsoon, among many other research topics. His expertise spans short-term weather forecasts, sub-seasonal to seasonal forecasts, and climate projection. He holds a Ph.D. from Colorado State University in atmospheric science.

Castro’s history with NSF NCAR dates back to the late 1990s, when he was one of the students in the first class of the Significant Opportunities in Atmospheric Research and Science (SOARS) program. He has collaborated extensively with NSF NCAR scientists since then. He also serves on the UCAR President’s Advisory Council on University Relations, which helps guide strategic priorities for the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR), a nonprofit consortium of 126 North American colleges and universities that manages NSF NCAR on behalf of NSF.

“UCAR and NSF NCAR hold a very special place for me in my life,” Castro said. “The RAL directorship position provides me an exciting, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to give back to an organization that has made such a profoundly positive impact on my life and is well aligned with my values.”

RAL is a world leader in community-driven, end-to-end research. It applies its discoveries to solving societal problems that range from air quality and human health to agriculture, transportation, water resources, and wildfires. As director, Castro will oversee the lab’s multidisciplinary approach, building strategic partnerships and continuing to transfer science and technology solutions to society for deployment.

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