Below is a list of the AOSC Department Committees. Click the title to expand for more information. 

A. Jones (Chair), A. Ruiz-Barradas, Grad and UG Students

Charge:

• Discuss and evaluate ideas for making AOSC a more welcoming place for all— Undergraduate and graduate students, Staff, and Faculty
• Implement community-driven initiatives, working with the Chair and the department
• Advance diversity, opportunity, and inclusivity in the department

CMNS APT: D. Zhang (AOSC Representative)

AOSC APT: D. Zhang (Chair), G. Cooper

Charge: 

• Evaluate requests for Advancement, Promotion, and Tenure (including emeritus)
• Create APT Subcommittees and oversee the promotion process
• Organize/supervise the AOSC APT votes
• Create Faculty Search Committees, in consultation with the Chair 

Charge to the APT subcommittee:

• Propose a list of appropriate external evaluators, with feedback from CMNS
• Draft objective report—Summary of Professional Achievements—in collaboration with the candidate.
• Draft Department APT report and related documents
• Compile the dossier following CMNS and UMD guidelines
• Ensure the dossier has all necessary elements

Charge to the Faculty Search Committee: 

• Advertise for and recruit outstanding candidates for faculty and staff positions
• Draft search advertisement addressing Chair and Department priorities
• Seek candidates who can enhance the AOSC community and its national profile
• Solicit feedback on candidates from all—Faculty, Students, and Staff
• Recommend candidates who will advance AOSC’s academic and research standing
• Present findings and recommendations to the AOSC faculty and Chair

APT: CMNS

R. Pinker (Chair)

• Represent the Department on the CMNS APT committee.

Z. Li (Chair), J. Carton

Charge: 

• Discuss target awards and potential nominees, meeting at least once a semester Page 3 of 5
• Organize submission of faculty nominations for college, university, national, and international awards

K. Ide (Chair)

Charge:  

• Help the Burgers Program advance geophysical applications of fluid dynamics
• Help recruit new faculty and students with interests and expertise in these areas

Computer

J. Henrikson (Chair), W. Tribett, Grad Student

Charge:

• Evaluate AOSC computational facilities and recommend enhancements
• Interface with the HPC Committee Chair to develop HPC recommendations
• Develop equitable allocation policies for computer resources among faculty, staff, and students, and across AOSC’s physical premises
• Refine algorithms for legal and equitable allocation of computer use charges

High Performance Computing (HPC)       

K. Ide

Charge: 

• Manage AOSC’s DT2 allocation, with speedy approval of new users and projects
• Help develop instruction in multi-processing techniques with faculty input
• Make recommendations for improvement in AOSC’s HPC capabilities

C. LaPadula (Chair)

Charge: 

• Track maintenance and renovation work of AOSC facilities, keeping all apprised
• Evaluate current allocation of office space, lab space, and other facilities and reassign as necessary, consistent with the AOSC space policy and needs
• Collaborate with the graduate student association on student office assignments
• Coordinate with the corresponding ESSIC committee on dual-use space
• Pursue UMD and external resources to enhance/beautify AOSC space and facilities

N. Zeng

Role

• Represent AOSC in the Faculty Senate
• Attend Senate meetings and report back relevant information/updates 

S. Nigam, J. Poterjoy

Role

• Inform university colleagues about UCAR activities and updates
• Serve on UCAR governance committees, which involve participating in decisionmaking processes
• Represent university perspectives and positions to UCAR and NSF NCAR
• Elect trustees and members of UCAR governance and advisory committees at the Annual Members Meeting
• Participate in scientific planning sessions and discuss matters affecting the scientific enterprise

Below is a list of the AOSC Acedemic Committees. Click the title to expand for more information. 

Grad Program: J. Poterjoy (Director), T. Hendershot (Asst. Director), V. Bonhomme (program specialist)

UG Program: A. Jones (Director), T. Canty (Advisor), L. Uccellini, G. Cooper (Manager) 

Charge:

• Direct the academic program
• Implement policy decisions made by the faculty
• Act on student petitions and resolve concerns/disputes
• Ensure that degree requirements are fulfilled in a timely fashion
• Represent the program on College and University committees
• Survey and maintain student databases
• Respond to prospective student queries about the academic program
• Meet with the students once a semester/year to review the academic program, including course syllabi, recruitment, teaching evaluations, etc.
• Meet yearly with the chair to review the program
• Observe as many thesis defenses as possible to ensure uniformity of standards 

A. Jones (Chair), J. Poterjoy, J. Wenegrat, T. Canty, G. Cooper; UG Student

Charge:

• Review/update the content and catalog description of all undergraduate courses
• Advise on course textbook choices as needed
• Review the undergraduate curriculum and delivery of course materials
• Consult with faculty as new courses are formulated to ensure the content and delivery follow College and UMD guidelines and satisfy curriculum gaps/needs
• Schedule classroom visits: 1 visit per course by 1-2 committee members; alternate visits to the course should be unannounced. A report for AOSC files and constructive feedback to the instructor should follow. Priority should be given to classes taught by new instructors and faculty up for promotion
• Encourage development of new courses addressing topical/emergent issues

J. Poterjoy (Chair), J. Carton, J. Wenegrat, T. Canty, G. Cooper; Grad Student 

Charge:

• Review/update the content and catalog description of all graduate courses
• Review/recommend CORE courses and their content
• Advise on course textbook choices as needed
• Schedule classroom visits: 1 visit per course by 1-2 committee members; alternate visits to the course should be unannounced. A report for AOSC files and constructive feedback to the instructor should follow. Priority should be given to classes taught by new instructors and faculty up for promotion
• Meet with graduate students once a year to solicit feedback on teaching and course content
• Recommend ways to boost course enrollment, including restructuring/renaming of electives and their cross-listing with other departments, etc.

J. Wenegrat (Chair), J. Poterjoy, T. Hendershot

Charge: 

• Respond to queries and requests for information about the graduate program
• Screen graduate applicants and recommend the top-tier ones for admission
• Use fellowships, TAs, and AOSC-controlled funds to recruit an outstanding class based on academic excellence, research potential, and community contributions
• Assign academic and research advisors based on research interests and funding

X. Liang (Chair), M. Youngs, R. Salawitch, J. Carton, T. Hendershot

Charge: 

• Solicit questions/discussion topics from faculty, sub-select and refine them (as needed), and coordinate with the Graduate Office to facilitate timely distribution
• Establish 5-person committees comprising 4 faculty and the advisor for each student taking the oral comprehensive exam
• Device strategies to advance uniformity in exam protocol and difficulty
• Organize a faculty meeting to evaluate results, if needed
• Periodically review exam policy to make oral exams more evaluative and uniform

Graduate Committee: Graduate Director, Admissions Chair, AOSC Chair; T. Hendershot

UG Committee: UG Program Director, AOSC Chair; G. Cooper

M. Molina (co-Chair), Z. Li (co-Chair), M. Youngs, R. Dickerson, S. Nigam, Grad Student

Charge: 

• • Recruit speakers for the AOSC weekly seminar, focusing on exceptional research findings, communication skills, national standing, and community engagement
• Advertise AOSC seminars via email to students, faculty, alumni, and academic and research institutions in the Washington/Baltimore area
• Arrange travel and lunch for speakers, as needed; the seminar committee has a department-approved annual budget
• Maintain the seminar website, keeping all seminar information up to date

A. Ring (Chair), W. Tribett

Charge:

• Track alumni and maintain an up-to-date directory
• Foster alumni engagement via events, seminars, Facebook pages, newsletters, etc.
• Help organize AOSC alumni events at the AMS and AGU annual meetings