Colorado State University researchers announced Monday that they had received a $19 million grant from the National Science Foundation to better predict weather and climate changes.
With the grant, CSU will begin construction on a 20,000-square-foot Science and Technology Center at its Foothills Campus west of the main campus in Fort Collins. The focus of the center will be to more accurately predict weather and climate patterns through the use of advanced computer climate models.
“The two most prestigious and competitive grants to receive are the Engineering Research Center grants – of which we have two – and the Science and Technology Center grant,” said Sandra Woods, dean for the College of Engineering at CSU.
Researchers at CSU applied for the grant in 2003 and competed against 164 other applicants for the Science and Technology Center grants. Administrators at the university found out Friday that theirs was one of six proposals that are to each receive $19 million over five years. CSU will be able to renew the grant for another five years and $20 million.
With the grant, climate scientists hope to have a better grasp on how the Earth’s weather patterns develop and act.
“We think the new model will be more accurate in predicting climate change,” said David Randall, professor of atmospheric science at CSU.
Once researchers are able to better predict the patterns of global warming and changes of season, they should be able to more accurately forecast the next day’s weather, Randall said.
“I think that with enough time, we will be able to predict weather change,” Randall said.
As a part of the CSU grant proposal, one-third of the money received has been earmarked for education outreach and funding. CSU will subcontract work to other schools and research institutions, including the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder and researchers from Canada, Japan, England and Australia.
“Teacher training, curriculum development and funding students so they can get through school have all been included with the grant,” Randall said. “I feel that being an educator is the most important job anyone can have, and I want American kids to get a great education.”
Staff writer JP Eichmiller can be reached at 303-820-1201 or at jeichmiller@denverpost.com.
