September 12, 2013
K-State climate program gains national recognition
An increased investment in climate research and climate and weather data management at Kansas State University has paid off with national recognition for the program.
The department of agronomy recently received recognized state climate office designation from the American Association of State Climatologists, said Gary Pierzynski, agronomy department head and professor. This represents an important milestone.
"The demand for climate-related research and education is increasing, and we are committed to providing the best possible information for the state of Kansas, the Central Plains region, and on a national and global scale," Pierzynski said.
One of the keys to attaining the designation was the recent hiring of Xiaomao Lin as state climatologist and assistant professor in the department of agronomy, Pierzynski said. Lin brings the research credentials needed for the program to achieve the status.
As the state climatologist, Lin will be involved in gathering, organizing and reporting agricultural climate data for Kansas. He will be working with others in the climate team in agronomy to set up a mesonet system in the state.
In addition to the hiring of Lin, the department of agronomy also hired Christopher Redmond as manager of the Weather Data Library; Brian Petersen as a web and database developer for the Weather Data Library website; and Fred Caldwell as a full-time technician for establishment and maintenance of weather monitoring equipment. Mary Knapp also serves in the Weather Data Library.