|
About Us
TAMSCAMS, the Texas A&M Student Chapter of the American
Meteorological Society, is a student organization bringing
together anyone interested in meteorology and the atmospheric
sciences.
The objectives of TAMSCAMS are to provide educational and
social meetings for all students of Texas A&M University who
are interested in meteorology in any of its phases or
applications, to provide a forum for discussions of
meteorology or other related topics of general interest, and
to develop and disseminate knowledge of the atmospheric and
related oceanic and hydrologic sciences and the advancement of
their applications at the college level. The organization
strives to promote the ideals of Texas A&M University and
acquaint the student body and the public with the science and
applications of meteorology.
Generally held the first Tuesday of each month, TAMSCAMS
meetings feature guest speakers from the meteorology and
atmospheric sciences fields, weather discussions, plus
announcements about upcoming events and job opportunities.
Other activities throughout the school year include field
trips to television stations and weather facilities, social
events, and community service projects such as Big Event and
Adopt-A-Beach.
Membership is open to any student of Texas A&M with an
interest in meteorology. The only requirement for membership
is the payment of dues. Members must have paid dues for the
current semester in order to participate in field trips or
other activities requiring funding.
Two branches of the TAMSCAMS organization provide valuable
experience and learning opportunities. Members of TASC, the
Texas Aggie Storm Chasers, learn first hand how severe weather
acts and enjoy the awesome and diverse displays of significant
weather events. Chasers make every effort to report severe
weather to the National Weather Service. Members must attend a
mandatory safety seminar before being eligible to participate
in a chase. For more information, visit the
TASC website.
Those interested in broadcasting should look into Texas A&M
Weather Broadcasting. This branch of TAMSCAMS provides
students with essential forecasting and actual on-air
experience for landing an internship or job. Students
volunteer as forecasters and announcers for 90.9 FM KAMU and
The Battalion. For more information, visit
www.tamuweather.org.
To download a PDF version of our constitution, please
click here.
History of the Department
On September 1, 1965 when the Department of Meteorology became
a separate entity, it had a faculty of only nine (Moyer,
Brundidge, Clark, Clayton, Franceschini, Griffiths, Henry,
Huebner, and Thompson). The department was housed in Goodwin
Hall, an old dormitory, which had few air-conditioned rooms.
In February 1968, the TAMU Board of Directors approved the
construction of a new high-rise Oceanography-Meteorology
complex. The radar was installed in January 1972 and the new
building was available for occupation in the spring of 1973.
For the first few years, the department had adequate space,
but soon the Sea Grant, Copy Center, Dean of Geosciences and
others moved into the building. The faculty was involved in
many projects during the 1970s including a mobile lab for
meteorological research and conducting mesoscale research
using soundings and surface observations for an extensive
weather modification research program. The mid 1980s began a
decade of the biggest changes in faculty, when nine members
departed and nine were appointed. At the 40th anniversary of
the Department of Oceanography in 1989, the building was
renamed the David G. Eller Building for Oceanography and
Meteorology.
Even as the Department of Meteorology made its debut, plans
were underway to design a building that would house the
College of Geosciences. The construction of the Oceanography
and Meteorology (O&M) building began in August 1970 and was
completed in 1973. The architectural designers for the
building were the father and son team of Preston M. Geren Sr.
and Jr. of Fort Worth. Both the Gerens were Aggies. The
building was built by the Houston-based Manhattan Construction
Company. It cost $7.6 million to build and is constructed of
reinforced concrete and steel, with limestone exterior walls.
In 1973, newspapers circulated rumors that the building had a
3 degree lean and that there was a crack in the foundation.
University officials denied both rumors. In reality, the O&M
building has no foundation. It is built on piers sunk 60 feet
into the ground.
A
symposium to celebrate the official opening of the building
was held on November 10, 1973. The building was, at the time,
and may yet remain, the tallest between Houston and Dallas. On
the roof are a weather observatory that extends to the 15th
floor, a radar pedestal atop the observatory, and a range of
other observing instruments.
In 1989, the building was renamed the David G. Eller Building
for Oceanography and Meteorology after David G. Eller, the
former Chairman of the University Board of Regents. The
building currently houses the Departments of Oceanography,
Meteorology, and Geography, along with the offices of the Dean
of the College of Geosciences.
Goodwin Hall, the original home of the Department of
Meteorology and its radars, was located between the Coke
Building and Bizzell Hall. After the O&M Building was
completed, Goodwin Hall was in bad condition and was scheduled
for demolition. An explosion in enrollment at the university
delayed this, and the eight-decade-old building was razed in
1989.
The radar on top of the Eller O&M Building may be the most
conspicuous weather instrument on campus today, but it isn't
the first Aggie radar. In the early 1950s, the department
received a 3-cm weather radar, AN/CPS-9, from the U.S. Air
Force. Using this radar, researchers studied mid-latitude
mesoscale systems, severe storms, and land-falling cyclones.
In 1962, a longer 10-cm wavelength radar was constructed and
designated WSR/TAMU-1. The TAMU-1 was updated in 1966 to allow
dual wavelength operations.
After several modifications, the radar was placed on top of
the newly completed Eller O&M Building in 1973. Several
modifications were made in 1989 in anticipation of adding
Doppler capability.
The integration of a Lassen Research PSP-32 processor in 1992
enabled Doppler capability. The new system was renamed the
TAMU Aggie Doppler Radar (TAMU-ADRAD). This system was updated
in 1993. A final upgrade to the pedestal, removal of the side
dishes, and installation of a new processor and work station
occurred in 1997.
|
