AMS Preaching Doom & Gloom

As if the current economic outlook was not enough to dampen most people’s dreams, the June 2008 issue of the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society throws salt on our wounds. John A. Knox, a professor of engineering at the University of Georgia, warns the meteorological community about the "recent & future trends in the US undergraduate meteorology enrollment, degree recipients, and employment opportunities" (Knox 873). While Knox brings up many valid points, I do not believe that the prospects in the field of meteorology are as grim as many believe.

The article begins with a great list of the top 4 influences on today’s students entering meteorology. I believe that each item has played a role in many students decisions. While I feel that my passion for meteorology developed before those influences entered my life, each one has reinforced my passion for the subject.

1. The film Twister (1996)
2. The World Wide Web
3. The Mainstream Media
4. Weather & Climate topics [Sadly, Hurricane Andrew did not make the list] (Knox 873)
   

Enrollment Trends and Degree Recipients:

Where do I begin with this one? For one thing, by Knox’s own admission, the data used is incomplete. While the trend is obvious, both enrollment and degree recipients in undergraduate programs have increased. According to Knox’s data, meteorology has had the greatest increase of any major in the physical sciences. Meteorology degree recipients have increased a whopping 161% from 1968-2004 (Knox 874).

Employment Trends:

"During 1994-2004 the growth in demand for meteorologists was approximately 4 times slower than the growth in the supply of new meteorologists" (Knox 877). This statement applies to B.S. meteorologists and employment announcements that require no more than a B.S.

For 2006, only 167 postings in the private sector were for entry-level positions requiring little to no experience. The National Weather Service has only 53 new positions per year and the military has 65 new positions per year. After some basic math, that equals 285 positions available to graduates with a B.S. (Knox 878).

What this means:
Well, the field has become very competitive, but we can take advantage of the information in this article. I came up with several questions that up and coming meteorologists need to ask themselves.

• Should I go to grad school?
• Do I have a minor in a semi-related field?
• Am I going to or in a reputable program?
• What extracurricular activities am I involved in?
• Am I getting satisfactory grades?
• Am I planning to have more than one internship (aka experience)?
• Do I have good social & interviewing skills?
• Am I trying to enter a growing sector within the field of meteorology?

If you can answer yes to several of these questions, then I feel that you will have nothing to worry about.

Knox, John A. "Recent and Future Trends in U.S. Undergraduate Meteorology Enrollments, Degree Recipients, and Employment Opportunities." Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society June 2008: 873-883.