Have you ever wondered what exactly is above us that reduces visibility and air quality or that makes clouds and why some clouds rain more than others? The atmosphere is incredibly complex with rapidly evolving clouds and literally thousands of different species either in the form of gases or particulate matter that collectively lead to the largest uncertainty in our understanding of how humans are altering the planet’s energy balance and climate. The NASA-sponsored EXCITE team is deploying and operating ground-based network instruments atop the Gould-Simpson Building on the UA campus to study these issues as part of a large effort to do so across the U.S. led by investigators at different minority serving institutions. The UA, as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI), has a rich history of research and education in the area of earth sciences. Our team is deploying network instruments focused on studying particulate matter (AERONET), trace gases (O₃, NO₂, CH₂O; Pandora), and precipitation (Rain Gauge system).

We seek to build an interdisciplinary and diverse team of motivated students interested in learning about these instruments, aiding in monitoring their operation and assessing data quality, in addition to analyzing data to learn about atmospheric sciences and hydrology over Tucson, Arizona. This team of students will be involved with working with a group of graduate students and faculty to help educate a broader audience, with the help of online storytelling (“Science in Motion”) and outreach events, about earth sciences and how NASA data are helping to advance our understanding of some of the most pressing physical science challenges we face globally.