# Presentation: 350892

## Data Assimilation Education ForumPart II: Education Capabilities Panel

- Developing the Data Assimilation Skills to Meet Research, Development and Operational Needs

*January 21, 2008*
*presented by**Richard D. Clark**Chair, Department of Earth Sciences*
*Professor of Meteorology**Millersville University, Millersville, PA *

## Data Assimilation: What’s the problem?

- The potential advantages of data assimilation science cannot be attained because currently there is a serious scarcity of young professionals and scientists with understanding and experience in data assimilation. (Vukicevic et al., 2004)
- The lack of formal education in the field typically results in significant time spent learning on the job, both in research and operations
- Students spend 70% of the time learning the DAS and the model and 30% using it to address the research question
- How can we excite students about the 70%, which is often seen as drudgery?

## How is data assimilation being taught in university meteorology programs and should a separate course be designed?

- Several graduate schools offer courses from those that directly target DA, to those with a  spattering of DA topics (e.g. objective analysis). The current practice is typically not going to entice students toward DA research – it’s a path toward another end
- At undergraduate level, many schools offer courses in NWP with a DA component. Some schools connect courses in measurement and observing systems with NWP/DA – this is where the excitement must begin!
- COMET® Program has developed a module specifically to address DA

## In the future, will there be an adequate supply of trained data assimilation scientists in both a national and an international arena?

- ...we can instill in students/research mentors that research in DA systems has intrinsic merit because it is vitally important for optimally determining the state of the atmos/ocean, and ever more so as increasing types and volumes of data from new satellite platforms (e.g. COSMIC), ACARS, phased-array radars and CI architectures become available.
- ...we can entrain students from a wide range of disciplines to engage in this research – doubtful that atmospheric sciences alone will be successful in achieving the disciplinary diversity
- ...we captivate the undergraduate atmospheric sciences major who is earning a second degree in mathematics and a minor in computer science – a combination that is more common today
- ...it emerges out a national DA education program or a less formal effort driven by need to address this looming problem

***NO!   Unless...***

## In terms of data availability, is the data you require for providing teaching tools easily available?

- Data is available via Unidata IDD/LDM: Surface; upper air; radar level II, satellite, ACARS, COSMIC, and various mesonets upon request
- Many schools are running WRF operationally and for research
- CI/Meteorology research (e.g. LEAD) is creating service oriented architectures and user-driven workflows where students can select from data types, DAS, models, and other configuration elements
- Future DAS will have to handle streaming observations and steerable observing systems (e.g. CASA), and data mining services acting on observations and model output

## Alternative Approach:  Data Assimilation

- NEXRAD, TDWR,
- FAA, NETRAD Radars

- Alternative Approach:  Data Assimilation

## Action is Needed

- The emphasis on DA should be commensurate with the resources given to the operational and research DA enterprise
- Internships/fellowships/post-docs can be tailored to research in DAS
- Expand educational resources for DA using authentic instances as case studies
- Propose a curriculum grounded in: optimal control theory from applied mathematics and statistics programs; observing technology used in the atmospheric, ocean, and land system state assessment; and modeling principles of the Earth systems, as recommended by Vukicevic et al.