Student Experiences Abroad in Meteorology is a Maymester program designed to provide a significant scientific and cultural experience without affecting time-to-graduate or summer study, internships, or employment. The focus is primarily on locations with significantly different meteorological mechanisms from North American and/or the mid-latitudes, with strong interactions with regional academic and government institutions.
Students apply during the fall semester and all preparations occur during the prior spring semester, before two weeks of travel and study during mid-May. Although the experiences are targeted to Meteorology undergraduate majors/minors, the content is often appropriate to other majors in our college, including Environmental Programs.
PAST SEA-MET TRIPS
BEIJING AND QINGDAO, CHINA
2015
The first SEA-Met class traveled to Beijing and Qingdao China to study Meteorology of Asia, including air pollution, monsoon and related fronts, large scale air/ocean interaction, and sea fog. Our academic partners were Peking University, Tsinghua University, and the Ocean University of China. Cultural activities included visits to the Great Wall, Summer Palace, and ascent of Mt. Tai in Shandong province near the birthplace of Confucius.
BARBADOS
2016, 2018, 2022, 2024
The Second and subsequent even year cohorts studied Caribbean/Tropical Meteorology including easterly waves, island and wake effects, and island sustainability on the island of Barbados, West Indies. Our academic partner for these experiences is the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology, the WMO Regional Training Center. Multiple days were devoted to an observational study including erecting a beach observation site and launching weather balloons. Cultural activities included a visit to the Oistin’s Fish Fry, an Island Tour, and lessons in Bajan and Caribbean history and culture. A return to Barbados is planned for May 2020.
BEIJING AND CHENGDU, CHINA
2017
This cohort again studied air pollution in Beijing, but this time travelled to the western city of Chengdu to study mountain and plateau effects in addition to monsoon and other core Asia meteorology topics. Our academic partners were Peking University, Tsinghua University, and Chengdu University for Information Technology. Cultural activities included visits to major Beijing area sites such as the Great Wall, the Panda Breeding Center, the Leshan Buddha, and an ascent of the famous Ermei mountain in western Sichuan province.
GERMANY & AUSTRIA
2019, 2023
Air quality and sustainability highlighted the cohort’s academic pursuits in Berlin and Munich, Germany. The group completed an urban heat island field study in both cities. In Austria, our academic partner, the University of Innsbruck, provided instruction and activities related to mountain meteorology. Two cable-car assisted mountain ascents were made to the highest point in the German Alps (Zugspitze) and to Nordkette in the Austrian Alps. Cultural activities abounded, including a visit to the Dachau concentration camp, walking tours, hiking, and a visit to the 1936 Olympic stadium.
