Weather Analysis Laboratory

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This projects seeks to create an innovative weather analysis laboratory at Mankato State University. It builds upon the experience of our first NSF-ILI Grant (1988) and extends it to include better and cheaper options for data supply making the facility easier to sustain in the long run. In order to do this, we need to institute uniformity and compatibility between equipment. Our selection in 1988 of the Vista Display system from Kavouras Inc., a local manufacturer, has enabled us to maintain a high profile of weather information on this campus using the instant display features in classes, each quarter exposing 400+ students to the benefit of seeing and analyzing real-time data in a classroom setting. Now we want to build upon this beginning and update our laboratory. This project enlarges the old Weather Facility into a Weather Analysis Laboratory bringing in a series of Radac Workstations, an integrated Graphics Workstation (low-end), capable of on-air quality TV graphics. With this facility we will be able to prepare students to integrate local weather data and provide a video recording, slide making and graphics production facility from the data sources. In short, the laboratory will facilitate the teaching and learning of science through the principles and processes of weather. Local weather data, along with national and international data streams received over satellite links, will be collected and displayed in an integrated series of workstations. These will be connected to graphics display consoles to enable students to analyze, create, and present data in a variety of formats. Real-time data will be captured digitally, and students will be encouraged to evaluate their real-time weather observations together with national data. The use of mesoscale models will also be used and students will be taught to run and interpret these and other models. Special consideration will be given to the preparation of K-12 teachers. At Mankato State University, preservice teachers take we ather courses as part of their preparation for the teaching of the life sciences, geography and earth sciences. This project also impacts directly upon enhanced classroom teaching and visual materials preparation and will further create a nucleus facility for teacher service workshops. It will also give opportunities for local schools to obtain this data through dial-in and Internet means. Our standing as an educational institution will be enhanced as direct benefits accrue to the local community and commercial world. The payback from this high profile Weather Analysis Laboratory will be significant as it increases our service to our own community and our students will be sought after for internships and employment opportunities in a highly competitive area.