NOAA names Colorado State University to host cooperative institute for atmospheric research

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration today announced it has selected Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado, to host NOAA’s cooperative institute focused on developing new satellite products and models designed to improve weather and climate prediction.

The Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere (CIRA) will conduct and coordinate with other academic partners on innovative research focusing on five major areas that directly align with scientific research and priorities of NOAA Research’s Earth Systems Research Laboratory, NOAA’s National Environmental Satellite, Data and Information Service, and NOAA’s National Weather Service. These priorities include:

— Satellite algorithm development, training and education;

— Regional to global scale modeling systems;

— Improved data assimilation;

— Climate-weather processes to improve models;

— New systems for improved data distribution

Revolutionizing the way we view weather

The Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere led algorithm development enabling this vivid, true color imagery from NOAA's GOES-17 satellite which is used by media outlets around the world to show weather. Credit: NOAA

The selection comes with an award of $128.7 million over the course of the five-year award, with the potential for renewal for another five years based on successful performance. NOAA made the selection after an open, competitive evaluation. CIRA  was first created as a NOAA cooperative institute in 1980.

"NOAA’s cooperative institutes are on the front lines of training the next generation of scientists to meet the scientific challenges of the future,” said Craig McLean, assistant NOAA administrator for Oceanic and Atmospheric Research. “We look to the Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere to advance satellite tools and models that forecasters and the public depend on for weather and climate prediction vital to a strong national economy.”

NOAA supports 16 Cooperative Institutes consisting of 43 universities and research institutions in 20 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands. These research institutions provide strong educational programs that promote student and postdoctoral scientist involvement in NOAA-funded research.

For more information, please contact Monica Allen, director of public affairs at NOAA Research, at monica.allen@noaa.gov