The weather looks bright for students in the Cook College Meteorology Club- recently named the student chapter of the year by the American Meteorological Society.
The club's executive board applied for the award in February 2003. The process entailed an application and a statement from the club detailing its activities over the past year. There are 48 student chapters nationwide, making the applicant pool fairly large.
Senior Megan Linkin, a club member, said the club has recently been busy. "The chapter hosted various lectures by different members of the meteorological community, such as Paul Kocin, the winter weather specialist from The Weather Channel, and Bryan Norcross, the CBS meteorologist who remained on the air during Hurricane Andrew in Miami," she said.
Linkin partially credits the success of the club - consisting of 50 members - to its small size, but said it is slowly growing every year. It is open to graduate and undergraduates in the major as well as "anyone interested in the weather," Linkin said. "Since the program is small, the current undergraduates do much to foster relationships with the incoming [first-year students]."
The club's mentoring program, which began in summer 2001, assigns an incoming first-year student to a current undergraduate who then becomes a source of support. The pair is encouraged to correspond over the summer via email so that they can discuss any questions about the club or the college.
Current students may have heard or seen the club in action, as members attend all the open houses and orientations held throughout the year.
Weather map discussions are also held if severe weather is imminent or impending. Linkin and other club members addressed the Cook College Council when Hurricane Isabel threatened the University. Group members are also involved in a project with RUTV's "Weather Watcher," that issues forecasts for the New Brunswick/Piscataway area seven days a week.
In an e-mail message to members, Chair of the AMS Local Chapter Affairs Committee Kenneth Carey, who selected the chapter for the award, said the club deserved "a tremendous amount of credit for its initiative and service, both within your student body, but also for the great work in its community. [The] outstanding student chapter excelled in every area."
Club President Brian Frugis, a senior, said without the hard work of others the job would not get done. "The leadership of our faculty ... led us in the right direction. Their dedication to our club should set a precedent for the role of all club advisors to the many organizations here at Cook College," he said.
"The Meteorology Club certainly deserves this award. They provide service to the community in many ways. The enthusiasm they show for the weather and the camaraderie they developed have enhanced their experience at Rutgers," said Professor Alan Robock, who advises the club.
Seventeen group members, including the executive board, will attend the AMS meeting in Seattle, Washington to receive their award.
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