News Archive

Dust may be one of the biggest environmental hazards routinely swept under the rug. Luckily our Kevin Perry is on the job.

Kevin Perry's adventures and research in the Great Salt Lake.

UofU atmos present a unique analysis of one of the longest-running datasets of methane observations our Utah’s Uinta Basin.

Daniel Mendoza Featured Utah Air Quality Documentary premiers tonight Sep 29.

Kyle Fitch creates a new snowflake Zooniverse project. Learn more about how to help identify snowflakes.

Derek Mallia took part in a panel discussion with PBS Utah on wildfires and the concerning outlook for the state.

Data collected from newly installed air quality sensors in Park City shows surprising results on how air pollution changed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kevin Perry talks with AP News about the dangers that come as the Great Salt Lake nears a 170-year low.

Dr. Zhaoxia Pu has been selected by NOAA to join their Science Advisory Board. Learn more about this prestigious selection.

Learn more about a rare event that strengthened the 2019 Australian fires and why it is unlikely to reoccur.

The Department of Atmospheric Sciences congratulates all of our 2020 & 2021 graduates!

Dr. Ching-Yen Tsay has been selected to receive the 2020 Distinguished Alumni Award. Read more about Dr. Tsay's impressive career.

Heber Valley was selected as the location for a new NSF funded study on fog. Read more about why it was chosen and what they hope to learn.

Research shows that the increase in wildfires throughout the West will continue to make air quality worse. Find out how much and how soon.

A long-term study shows that indoor air quality is affected by the levels and type of outdoor pollution.

Professor John Lin has been named to the newest class of fellows for the Earth Leadership Program.

The National Science Foundation highlights Jim Steenburgh and his unique experiences chasing snowstorms across the globe.

The TRAX air quality sensors are very effective at mapping out valley-wide pollution levels. Read here to find out how.

The MOU for Storm Peak Laboratory was just signed! Click here to learn more about the research done at Storm Peak.

Check out how community members have helped in evaluating wildfire smoke forecasts during recent wildfires.

Three of our undergrads braved the harsh winds of the Sept. 8th windstorm to launch a weather balloon and study this extreme event.

ATMOS researchers have found that atmospheric dust levels are increasing in the Great Plains region. Read here to find out what that could mean.

Derek Mallia and Logan Mitchell spoke with the local news about their computer model that can help forecast fire and smoke behavior.

Leaders of the College of Mines & Earth Sciences share a message with its community members in these unprecedented times.

The College of Mines & Earth Sciences recently signed a dual degree agreement with the National Taiwan University. Read here to learn more.

Curious about the man behind the Fujita scale? Check out this PBS documentary about Ted Fujita and his tornado research.

Three of our grad students were hiking in Little Wild Horse Canyon when a flash flood roared down the canyon. Hear about their experience here.

As part of our virtual Graduation celebration, the department created a video to highlight research achievements from the past year. Watch it here.

As part of our virtual Graduation celebration, the department created a video to celebrate each graduate. Watch the video here.

Utah's spring air quality is normally good, but COVID-19 measures have made it better than usual. Read here to find out how much.

President Watkins and SVP Reed announced that the new Applied Science Building was approved by Utah lawmakers.

Prof. Court Strong coauthored an invited review of methods for research at the climate-biosphere interface. Click here to learn more.

Kevin Perry talks with FOX 13 about the effects the dry lakebed of the Great Salt Lake has on Utah. Read here to learn more.

Do cracks in Arctic sea ice help create or dissipate clouds? Multiple members of our department gave the answer in a new study.

Kevin Perry's research on the lakebed dust from the Great Salt Lake was highlighted by UNews.

At The Air We Breathe Symposium, Logan Mitchell suggested how citizens can take action to protect our local environment.

Ben McAdams, working with Daniel Mendoza, wants to know why ozone levels are increasing despite air cleanup efforts.

Learn about "The Air We Breathe" Symposium and why it's not too late to clean Utah's air.

Students in ATMOS 3000 toured Utah Department of Environmental Quality's new building devoted to air quality study.

How many miles did Kevin Perry bike around the Great Salt Lake? And why? Read here to find out.

Adam Kochanski and other researchers explain how fires create inversions and trap smoke in valleys.

New rider data shows how effective public transit is at reducing emissions and highlights possible improvements.

Arctic research underway led by Court Strong and others at the University of Utah

Brian Blaylock defended his Ph.D. dissertation research on August 12

Kevin Perry Dust Doctor

Google Street View Cars equipped to measure air pollutants have started to drive the neighborhoods of Salt Lake City.

A new collaborative study has shown that traditional methods of reducing air pollution may not have the expected effects.

Some of our graduate students spent time on a field campaign in Argentina. Check out who went and what they did!

Here is a quick reference sheet for multiple social media outlets where the Department of Atmospheric Sciences actively posts and gives updates.

The U of U Atmospheric Sciences Department was named as one of two recipients nationwide to receive the IMAGINE Grant from Campbell Scientific.

Can you spot your friends in the first department photo that any of us who are currently here can remember taking?

Dr. Daniel Mendoza is a key contributor to the U's new Dark Sky Studies minor. Read more to find out how he is adding to this one-of-a-kind field of study.

Erik Crosman visited with students at a local school after retrieving a weather station set up there. See what he had to say about his visit.

Professor Strong will be recognized as a Top Researcher at this year’s Celebrate U event, held on April 3rd.

Dr. Daniel Mendoza has been selected to receive an award from the University of Utah's Sustainability Program. Read here to find out what he won.

The Department of Atmospheric Sciences is active on various social media accounts. Click here for links to our profiles and other accounts of interest.

Department Alumnus Dr. Jeffrey Massey recently received a new position at Amazon. Click here to read a little bit about what he does.

A collaboration with U of U Geography seeks to study the effects of dust on snowmelt in the Wasatch Mountains.

Professor Powder discusses Utah's "Greatest Snow on Earth" in Continuum magazine.

Have you brushed up on your Spanish skills? Check out this news story from Argentina about Proyecto RELAMPAGO and Tom Gowan's involvement.

A method developed by Professor Court Strong is being used to help better understand an important global issue.

Professor Jim Steenburgh was elected to the American Meteorological Society's Council and will begin his term this coming January.

Utah Alumnus Quentin Coopman recently published a study about the effects of pollution on Arctic cloud lifetime in an AGU journal.

The Utah Climate Action Network's "Utah Climate Week" has events and activities throughout Utah during the first week of October.

Watching 110 mph winds knock down trees, watching clouds form, and bailing buckets of water out of his backyard. Read about how this and more led Professor Varble to pursue a career in Atmospheric Sciences.

The Departments of Atmospheric Sciences and Geology are hosting an Open House on September 28th from 6 to 9 pm.

Dr. Zhaoxia Pu was recently recognized by AMS and also traveled to Indonesia to present her research.

Dr. Hallar was featured in a profile article for the ARM Research Facility through the U.S. Department of Energy as a member of the User Executive Committee.

Sensors on TRAX trains are showing the impacts of Western wildfires on Salt Lake's air quality.

Clouds are complex and hard to predict, but researchers at the U may have found an easier way to simulate cloud cover.

The TRAX air quality data is recognized for its one-of-a-kind mobile sensor network.

The 2018 Dell Vaughn & Harriet Rae McDonald Awards Banquet took place on May 3rd at the Officer’s Club at Fort Douglas.

ATMOS Graduates received their degrees at the CMES Convocation Ceremony on May 4th, 2018.

Trey Alvey, a Ph.D student, won a Poster Presentation Award at the 33rd Conference on Hurricanes and Tropical Meteorology.

Research done by Prof. Tim Garrett on pollution and the effects of human activity in the Arctic was highlighted by the U's magazine Continuum.

The U's research on CO2 emissions in the Salt Lake Valley through its network of sensors was featured by UNews, The Washington Post, and The Daily Utah Chronicle.

Brian Blaylock, one of our Ph.D students, visited a 6th grade class in American Fork to present information about the weather.

The Career & Professional Development Center awarded Dr. Kevin Perry the Faculty Recognition Award for 2018.

ESPN announcer Bill Walton visited the UATAQ Lab and talked about his visit during the Utah vs UCLA basketball game.

Research concerning the impact of air pollution on arctic clouds and climate was recently published.

Fox 13 News interviewed Ryan Bares about the research being conducted by the Utah Atmospheric Trace Gas and Air Quality (UATAQ) Lab.

Dr. Garrett's research on snowflakes was on GeoSpace.

The Doppler on Wheels (DOW) will be on campus during the month of November.

Dr. Pu has received a grant from the NOAA Climate Program to study processes of atmospheric convection in the “maritime continent” region.

A mathematical technique that is normally used in Arctic climate research is applied to research on phytoplankton.

The results of research done by Professor Pu's research group was featured on the front page of JCSDA Quarterly

Recent alum Matt Horan (MS 2017) just had a paper accepted into the Journal of Climate.

Professor Pu featured in @theU about the use of weather models in hurricane forecasting.

An article was recently published in Geophysical Research Letters by Professor Steve Krueger and PhD Candidate Ian Glenn.

Professor Jim Steenburgh and PhD Candidate Peter Veals recently contributed to a new exhibit at the Alf Engen Ski Museum.

Researchers from Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Utah are collecting unprecedented information about air quality as it relates to wildfires with the help of KSL's Chopper 5.

PhD Candidate Derek Mallia's research on dust and its impact on air quality was in the Ogden Standard-Examiner.

Dr. Court Strong published a paper concerning frost timing in Nature Communications.

The Multi-Angle Snowflake Camera developed in the Department of Atmospheric Sciences is now being used for research around the world.

Research conducted by multiple faculty in Atmospheric Sciences was recently featured in Environmental Science & Technology.

Dr. Strong's research on sea ice was recently featured in Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics News.

A PELIcam has been installed on Gunnison Island to study the American White Pelican colony that lives on the island.

Scientists, including Drs. Hallar & Mace from the University of Utah, are continuing to learn many new things about mountainous winter terrain and its impact on precipitation and cloud patterns thanks to the Storm Peak Lab Cloud Property Validation Experiment (STORMVEX).

Professor Jim Steenburgh was selected as the 2017 recipient of the Charles L. Hosler Alumni Scholar Medal from Penn State's College of Earth and Mineral Sciences.

Two of Dr. Jim Steenburgh's students won first place awards at the 2017 AMS Annual Meeting.

Atmospheric Sciences students, faculty, and staff visited the NOAA Twin Otter Aircraft last week.

Researchers are compiling and analyzing air quality data measured from a TRAX train traveling throughout the Salt Lake Valley over the last 3 and a half years.

Several researchers from the Department of Atmospheric Sciences are collecting and evaluating air quality measurements from locations in the Salt Lake Valley.

Dr. John Lin discussed new air quality research that he is participating in with Fox News.

Our newest faculty member, Dr. Gannet Hallar, and her team, have discovered a link between drought & air quality in the western U.S.

Distinguished Alumnus Dell Vaughn McDonald won the 2016 Jack Gallivan Legacy Award from the Utah Housing Coalition.

PhD Candidate Shixuan Zhang won the best poster presentation award at a recent AMS conference. Congratulations, Shixuan!

Dr. Court Strong, Dr. Adam Kochanski, and Jason Scalzitti's study on spring snowpack was recently featured in Geophysical Research Letters.

Dr. Kevin Perry's research at the Great Salt Lake was recently featured in The Salt Lake Tribune.

PhD Candidate Derek Mallia's research was featured in Physics Today.

Undergraduates from all over campus presented their research at this year's Undergraduate Research Symposium.

Professor Tim Garrett's MASC featured in a recent Chronicle article.

Quentin Coopman won a paper award!

MS Candidate Ben Fasoli won the 2016 Alta Sustainability Leadership Campus Living Lab Award!

Brian Blaylock won second place for his oral presentation at the 19th Conference on Air Pollution Meteorology.

AMS recently talked to a hurricane hunter about what he does and how he does it.

Dr. Sebastian Hoch was featured on RadioActive on KRCL to discuss current research on air quality.

Students in Atmospheric Sciences are learning about how instrumentation plays a role in air quality research.

Dr. Thomas Reichler's research on the tropopause was in a February edition of Nature.

PhD Candidate Alex Jacques won 1st place in an AMS poster competition.

The Department participated in many aspects of the 2016 AMS Annual Meeting.