Introduction |
|
|
The year 1985 marked the 25th anniversary of the founding of the
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) and the National
Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). Several events were held during
the year to commemorate that event. As part of the anniversary
celebration, UCAR commissioned the writing and publication of this
document.
UCAR at 25 is an informal, retrospective look at the development of the atmospheric sciences over the past 25 years, coupled with some hints, suggestions, and hopes for the next 25 years. The document is not intended to be a scholarly, exhaustive history of the atmospheric sciences or even of UCAR and NCAR. The author's approach is anecdotal and somewhat selective; UCAR at 25 is a collection of narratives about some interesting and important aspects of recent and current research in the atmospheric sciences. Much of the content is drawn from interviews with scientists who were influential in the establishment of UCAR and NCAR and the growth of the atmospheric sciences over the last quarter-century, many of whom remain active in the field today, and with others who are planning and carrying out current research and facilities programs in the atmospheric sciences. Many other people who fill such roles were not interviewed, and we acknowledge the important contributions of those who are not quoted or named in this document.
We hope that UCAR at 25 will serve as a readable and informative memento of the past quarter-century of effort and accomplishment in the atmospheric sciences.
|