What exactly does it take to become a meteorologist today...and a successful one? As a rising Junior at Mississippi State University, I am beginning to learn the process. The geoscience major at MSU is titled a Broadcast Meteorology concentration. What a challenge! Not only must I become competent in the science of weather, but I must also communicate well. Fortunately, I love both subjects! Nonetheless, this career demands much time in and out of the classroom.
First, there is the broadcast component. For some of my fellow students, this comes naturally. I have always enjoyed public speaking and welcome every opportunity to do so. However, there are still many areas for improvement and learning. At State, the weather students take classes in news writing, television production, broadcast performance, mass media, and voice and articulation. We not only learn to communicate weather but also learn to broadcast news or perform live shots and stand-ups. For this area, students probably will not improve without much practice at home. When a resume tape determines job placement, broadcasting becomes an important element. The ability to adequately inform viewers and to help the public gives this study even more purpose.
Secondly, the subject of weather, and passion of many, is crucial for continuous study by meteorologists. The junior and senior years at State are packed with science classes. At this point in my academic career, I have only had a handful of meteorology classes, but those that I have taken greatly intrigued me. The significant classes are in geography, thermodynamics, synoptic, and practicum. The responsibility that a meteorologist has to know at least a little about many other sciences is even more challenging. When a natural disaster occurs, who do television stations turn to? This expectation leads to classes like natural disasters, water resources, and others. Science is continually advancing and always complex, requiring myself and others to study hard in class and in the field.
Overall, this intense and intriguing major keeps me busy, exactly the way I like to be. The more meteorologists work at the science, the more comfortable they become at communicating the complex areas of weather. The two subjects go hand in hand for on-air meteorologists. So, if your interested in this career, get ready for challenging classes, personal work, internships, and a really awesome job!
First, there is the broadcast component. For some of my fellow students, this comes naturally. I have always enjoyed public speaking and welcome every opportunity to do so. However, there are still many areas for improvement and learning. At State, the weather students take classes in news writing, television production, broadcast performance, mass media, and voice and articulation. We not only learn to communicate weather but also learn to broadcast news or perform live shots and stand-ups. For this area, students probably will not improve without much practice at home. When a resume tape determines job placement, broadcasting becomes an important element. The ability to adequately inform viewers and to help the public gives this study even more purpose.
Secondly, the subject of weather, and passion of many, is crucial for continuous study by meteorologists. The junior and senior years at State are packed with science classes. At this point in my academic career, I have only had a handful of meteorology classes, but those that I have taken greatly intrigued me. The significant classes are in geography, thermodynamics, synoptic, and practicum. The responsibility that a meteorologist has to know at least a little about many other sciences is even more challenging. When a natural disaster occurs, who do television stations turn to? This expectation leads to classes like natural disasters, water resources, and others. Science is continually advancing and always complex, requiring myself and others to study hard in class and in the field.
Overall, this intense and intriguing major keeps me busy, exactly the way I like to be. The more meteorologists work at the science, the more comfortable they become at communicating the complex areas of weather. The two subjects go hand in hand for on-air meteorologists. So, if your interested in this career, get ready for challenging classes, personal work, internships, and a really awesome job!
I wish that I have time to go back to school, I would do something with weather. I have always been a hurricane fan (not the school, the storm). I was born and raised in Destin, FL and lived there for 35 years. We (husband, daughter & myself) moved here 7 years ago....miss the hurricanes, but have exciting thunderstorms, ice storms and sometimes snow! As JB says..."Life goes on" in our tiny corner we call the flat woods
on June 1, 2005, 5:24 pm
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