Category: News

CATEGORIES: News

Regional climate forecast is troubling, but there’s hope

Dig into the latest big report just released by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and a fact sheet tells you about projected climate changes in central North America. There’s “high confidence” that drought will increase as warming increases, according to the panel’s sixth report, “Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis.” It’s “very likely” … Continue reading Regional climate forecast is troubling, but there’s hope

CATEGORIES: News

Winds of Change – The Graether Family Fund for Climate Science

While the term “climate change” can provoke polarized reactions, retired Marshalltown ophthalmic surgeon and philanthropist Dr. John Graether says those reactions point to the importance of education. “The education of people is so important in fighting climate change; people don’t grasp the enormity of the problem,” he says. “I think we can make a difference … Continue reading Winds of Change – The Graether Family Fund for Climate Science

CATEGORIES: News

Glaciologists measure, model hard glacier beds, write slip law to estimate glacier speeds

During their trips to glacier beds recently exposed by retreating glaciers in the Swiss Alps (Rhone, Schwarzburg and Tsanfleuron glaciers) and the Canadian Rockies (Castleguard Glacier), four glaciologists used laser and drone technology to precisely measure the rocky beds and record their very different contours. The researchers turned the measurements into high-resolution digital models of … Continue reading Glaciologists measure, model hard glacier beds, write slip law to estimate glacier speeds

CATEGORIES: News

Timing is Everything – Graether Family Fund for Climate Science Advancement

For the past few years, the faculty and staff in the Department of Geological and Atmospheric Sciences have sought to develop a new major for undergraduate students focused on climate science. The challenge was determining how to offer a new, robust program with no additional funding. During this same time, Dr. John Graether, a retired … Continue reading Timing is Everything – Graether Family Fund for Climate Science Advancement

CATEGORIES: Awards, News

Assistant Professor Alex Gonzalez receives NSF grant to explore weather patterns in the Intertropical Convergence Zone

Alex Gonzalez, assistant professor of geological and atmospheric sciences, is studying the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) with the help of a $316,000 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF).   A highly active weather region, the ITCZ appears as a narrow band of clouds encircling the equator. It extends for thousands of miles in continuous … Continue reading Assistant Professor Alex Gonzalez receives NSF grant to explore weather patterns in the Intertropical Convergence Zone

CATEGORIES: News

GEAT receives $2.2M donation establishing the Graether Family Fund for Climate Science Advancement

Surgical innovator Dr. John M. Graether of Marshalltown, Iowa, has provided $2.2 million to establish the Graether Family Fund for Climate Science Advancement, which will help advance climate science education at Iowa State University. The fund will provide support for the Department of Geological and Atmospheric Sciences to grow interdisciplinary climate science programming that would … Continue reading GEAT receives $2.2M donation establishing the Graether Family Fund for Climate Science Advancement

CATEGORIES: News

GEAT drops GRE requirement from graduate admissions process

The Department of Geological and Atmospheric Sciences (GEAT) is changing the application process for students seeking graduate degrees in geology and meteorology. These changes include discontinuing the GRE requirement (effective immediately) and implementing a two-stage application process (forthcoming) in hopes of reducing barriers faced by underrepresented student groups. Our overall goal is to increase the … Continue reading GEAT drops GRE requirement from graduate admissions process

CATEGORIES: News

GEAT welcomes Assistant Professors Christina Patricola and Ian Williams!

Dr. Christina Patricola studies the physical relationships between extreme weather events, natural climate variability, and climate change within the coupled Earth system. She uses high-resolution numerical climate models and observations to investigate connections between the large-scale climate and extreme weather events, including tropical cyclones, floods, storms, and drought. Dr. Ian Williams studies atmospheric and terrestrial … Continue reading GEAT welcomes Assistant Professors Christina Patricola and Ian Williams!

CATEGORIES: Awards, News

Dr. Betsy Swanner receives NSF CAREER award

Congratulations to Dr. Betsy Swanner, associate professor in geology, who has been awarded a National Science Foundation 2020 Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) award, one of the NSF’s most distinguished awards! The award will support Betsy’s project entitled, “Quantifying the Extent and Biogeochemical Impact of Modern Ferruginous Lakes”. You can find her Twitter summary of … Continue reading Dr. Betsy Swanner receives NSF CAREER award