UNL Cuts Dept Of Earth & Atmospheric Sciences - NE Has Seen 26 Billion-Dollar Disasters Since 2005; 4 In Prior 20 Years

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Last month, the University of Nebraska Board of Regents voted to eliminate the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences and three other programs at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, or UNL. The move means the university system’s flagship campus will no longer be able to produce homegrown meteorologists and geologists — professions that monitor for severe weather and study groundwater, both of which are critical in a state where agriculture remains the economic backbone. The cuts have raised alarm both in and out of the soon-to-be shuttered department.

“The (department) … is a nationally recognized program,” wrote nine professors from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in a letter of support. “Particularly for a state in the center of ‘Tornado Alley,’ there is a need for trained meteorologists and climatologists which contribute to Nebraska residents’ safety. More nationally, the need for geologists to secure domestic sources of critical minerals is a stated National security concern. Closing this program disrupts a crucial pipeline of qualified professionals for all of these fields.”

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Nebraska is no stranger to extreme weather. The past few years alone have brought flash flooding, drought, outbreaks of tornadoes, and strong thunderstorms. These types of weather events are expected to become more frequent due to climate change — making homegrown local expertise all the more valuable. Already, Nebraska is 2.3 degrees Fahrenheit warmer today than in 1970, and rain events now drop 24 percent more water. The state has also experienced 36 billion-dollar disasters since 2005 — up from four in the previous 20-year period. “What further sets our (Earth and Atmospheric Sciences) alumni apart is their deep familiarity with Nebraska’s regional climate and weather patterns,” wrote KLKN-TV Chief Meteorologist Rusty Dawkins in a letter of support for the department. “Their localized knowledge enables them to offer context-sensitive forecasts and risk assessments that out-of-state professionals may miss.”

This need for local expertise also translates to other subjects taught by the department, including geology, Hunt said. Geologists from the department have worked with local natural resources districts monitoring groundwater — the primary source of drinking water in Nebraska and an essential resource for the state’s ag economy. At a press conference earlier this year, Governor Jim Pillen referred to water as the state’s lifeblood and called the Ogallala Aquifer, the largest aquifer in North America, “our pot of gold,” the Nebraska Examiner reported.

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https://grist.org/extreme-weather/university-of-nebraska-is-eliminating-a-key-climate-research-department/