For the first time in the history of Texas A&M’s Department of Atmospheric Sciences, a team of five undergraduate students presented their research at the main scientific program of the American Meteorological Society (AMS) annual conference. This is a rare accomplishment, as undergraduate work is typically limited to the student conference, not the formal scientific sessions during which established scientists and researchers present their work. The conference took place in New Orleans from Jan. 11-16.
The students — Eden Thompson, Cash Wendel, Adam Neuville, Brian Neuville and Evan Lopez — worked under faculty advisors Dr. Yue Zhang and Dr. Erik Nielsen. Their research analyzed atmospheric changes during the total solar eclipse by measuring the sudden reduction in solar radiation and its impact on different atmospheric components.
“Undergraduate students from the Atmospheric Sciences Department have demonstrated remarkable dedication, curiosity and motivation in their research endeavors,” Zhang said. “Over the course of just 11 months, they successfully conducted measurements, analyzed data and presented findings at a level comparable to that of second-year Ph.D. students.”
The team collected data from three sites across Texas using specialized equipment, including QuantAQs and Kestrels. These instruments help measure air quality, temperature and wind speed. By gathering this information before, during and after the eclipse, students tracked how atmospheric conditions shifted when the sunlight suddenly disappeared. They used that data to create their presentation.
Their findings offer a clearer understanding of how atmospheric components change when solar radiation is drastically reduced, similar to the day-to-night temperature cycle but on a much faster scale. Their work attracted attention at the conference, with many surprised to learn they were undergraduates.
This achievement was supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation’s Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences (Grant No. 2131369), the Southwest Research Institute and the Atmospheric Sciences Department at Texas A&M. The team also credited the CATE 2024 project for enabling them to measure data in geographically neutral areas.
“Their contributions have played a crucial role in fostering hands-on undergraduate research opportunities, advancing scientific discovery and preparing the next generation of atmospheric scientists,” Zhang said.