Content Administrator

PSU Weather Data Science Club (established spring 2021) is aimed at helping students develop coding skills for their future careers, whether that is in the private industry, academia, or government. They may also have the opportunity to contribute towards upgrading/maintaining the PSU E-Wall, a website with numerical weather prediction output. This club aims to foster a mentor-mentee relationship in computer programming skills between students of varying abilities.

Officers for 2022-23:

President: Christian Spallone (cps5892@psu.edu)
Secretary: Joey Hu (jqh6202@psu.edu)
Treasurer: Yuan-Chih Hsieh (yvh5398@psu.edu)
Graduate Student Advisors: Karl Schneider (kps5442@psu.edu)

Faculty Advisor:

Kevin Bowley (kab5083@psu.edu)

Welcome to the homepage of The Penn State Chapter of Chi Epsilon Pi. Chi Epsilon Pi is a national meteorology honors society. Here at the Penn State Chapter, we have various social events, including the fall picnic, spring banquet and hikes up good old Mount Nittany. Read more about our purpose and criteria for membership below.

Officers for 2022-2023

President: Selina Bolella  - sxb5940@psu.edu
Treasurer: Doug Toth - dtt5141@psu.edu
Secretary/Historian: Dana Osgood - dpo5134@psu.edu

Faculty Advisor:

Dr. Colin Zarzycki

Chi Epsilon Pi is the Pennsylvania State University chapter of the national meteorology honor society founded in 1951 at the University of California at Los Angeles.  Its members are graduate and undergraduate students, faculty, and staff. Induction into the society is an honor one holds for life.

The purpose of the society is twofold: to serve as a means for awarding distinction to students who have high scholastic ability and promise of achievement in meteorology and to promote student interest in advanced study of meteorology and related sciences.  In its role as an honor society, Chi Epsilon Pi inducts new members into the organization each fall and spring semester and holds a banquet each spring.  Chi Epsilon Pi also acts in a service capacity, organizing an informal "Brown Bag" series of seminars, cosponsoring with the department the fall picnic, managing a free tutoring service for courses in the undergraduate curriculum, and organizing a "buddy" system for incoming graduate students.

Members of the society are classified as voting (active) and nonvoting (associate).

There are two types of active membership: student and staff.  Graduate and undergraduate students who meet one of the criteria for membership given below become active student members of Chi Epsilon Pi.  Active student members who graduate and become affiliated with the Penn State Department of Meteorology may choose to have their status changed to active staff membership.  Faculty and staff members with advanced degrees in meteorology who are employed full-time by the Penn State Department of Meteorology are eligible for active staff membership.

There are three types of associate membership: alumni, honorary, and provisional.  Active student members who graduate and remain affiliated with the Penn State Department of Meteorology may choose to have their status changed to alumni membership.  Those active members no longer affiliated with the Penn State Department of Meteorology will have their status changed to alumni membership.  Anyone who has attained noteworthy distinction in the science of meteorology or closely kindred sciences is eligible for honorary membership.  Faculty of Penn State University may be chosen as honorary members.  Active or alumni members may recommend candidates for honorary membership.  All meteorology graduate students who do not meet the requirements for active student membership are provisional members until they either meet the requirements or are no longer students; they may participate in all Chi Epsilon Pi activities with the exception of voting and holding office.

The criteria for active student membership are as follows (Effective 2022-23):

Undergraduate students are eligible for active student membership after:

completing a minimum of 13 graded credit hours of meteorology courses if they have attained a 3.3 (or higher) grade point average in meteorology and an overall Penn State cumulative grade point average of 3.1 (or higher), on a 4.0 scale.

Graduate students are eligible for active student membership after:

attaining an undergraduate degree in meteorology or atmospheric sciences with a cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 or higher in meteorology courses and of 3.1 or higher overall, on a 4.0 scale, or 

completing nine credits of 400- or 500-level meteorology courses while in graduate status and attaining a grade-point average of 3.5 or higher in meteorology, on a 4.0 scale, or

completing fifteen credits of 400- or 500- level meteorology courses while in graduate status and attaining a grade-point average of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale, or

having attained an MS or PhD in meteorology or atmospheric sciences, or 

passing the PhD Candidacy Exam in meteorology. 

Past Officers

Officers for '21-'22

President - Baylee Sexton
Secretary/Historian - Kaitlin Kitch
Treasurer - Hunter Donahoe

Officers for '20-'21

President - Nick Guzzo
Secretary/Historian - Baylee Sexton
Treasurer - Jacob Matthews

Officers for '19-'20

President - Laura Shedd
Secretary/Historian - Karen Dedinsky
Treasurer - Zach Petey

Officers for '18 - '19

President - Brandon Smith
Secretary/Historian - Nicole June
Treasurer - Benjamin Yang

Officers for '17 - '18

President - Nathan Lis
Secretary/Historian - Shawn Murdzek
Treasurer - Brandon Smith
 

Program objectives are statements that describe the expected accomplishments of graduates during the first few years after graduation and program outcomes are statements that describe what students are expected to know and are able to do by the time of graduation.

Both the department and college strive to enrich the academic experiences of students who seek exceptional challenges and growth.  In recognition of superior academic accomplishments, we offer academic awards and prestigious scholarships along with other competitive research and writing competitions awards. 

Department of Meteorology and Atmospheric Science Awards

Student awards are selected in early Spring semester and are typically recognized at the Department's Annual Spring Banquet.  Most awards are based on academic merit or exceptional service.  You do not need to apply for any of the awards listed below.

Jerome N. Behrmann Scholarship in Meteorology

This award is presented annually to one of the top graduating seniors in the Department of Meteorology, based on scholarship, character, and personality. Special consideration is given to students intending to attend graduate school, preferably at Penn State. Funds for the award were donated in memory of Jerome N. Behrmann by his family. He was a Penn State meteorology student, class of 1948, who tragically died shortly after graduation. The recipient must write a brief autobiography, including a statement of his or her future plans, and submit it to the Head for Undergraduate Programs in Meteorology.

John C. Wyngaard Graduate Research Award

This award was established in the name of John C. Wyngaard, Professor Emeritus, in honor of his manifold contributions to the atmospheric sciences and particularly his mentorship of students in atmospheric turbulence and boundary layer meteorology.  John was involved in three national laboratories and served for two decades as a senior member of the faculty in Penn State's Department of Meteorology, where he opened new lines of inquiry, successfully addressed challenging problems in the field, and wisely counseled colleagues and students.

Physical Meteorology Award

This award was established in 2003 to recognize the greatest accomplishment by an undergraduate meteorology student in physical meteorology classes.

John A. Dutton Dynamics Award

This award is presented to recognize the greatest accomplishment by an undergraduate meteorology student in dynamics classes.

Hans Neuberger Award

This award is given to the top Teaching Assistant(s) for excellent teaching of meteorology at the elementary level. The fund was established in 1972 by the Penn State Meteorology faculty in honor of Professor Hans Neuberger, who guided the growth of the department over a period of 33 years from its embryonic beginnings to a position of world eminence. Professor Neuberger established excellence in teaching as a key element of that growth, and demonstrated that skill by his own example.

The Levenia Adom Memorial Graduate Award

This award will be given to provide assistance to a graduate student who has demonstrated excellence and a passion for weather and climate forecasting and communications. The award was established in memory of graduate student, Levenia Adom, who passed away from colon cancer just a few months from finishing her M.S. degree in January 2007. Through the efforts of many in the Department of Meteorology, her degree was awarded posthumously in May 2007, and the award was activated in January 2009 through the philanthropy of Levenia's family, friends, and colleagues.

Special Award for Teaching Support

Graduate students and advanced undergraduates have long played an important role in the education of other students in the Department of Meteorology. Every once in a while, a student, or group of students, provides exceptional service to the department's academic program. The Special Award for Teaching Support was created by the Department to recognize this outstanding teaching support. The award is given infrequently, since the service must be truly exceptional.

All NSF REU (research experiences for undergraduates) opportunities can be found through the National Science Foundation REU Opportunities website. 

The REU's listed below were sent to us from other institutions, but may also be found on the above linked NSF site.