Science communication plays a critical role in the atmospheric sciences, where the stakes of miscommunication can be high, for example, in severe weather communication and climate change. While science communication has been studied across many disciplines, little is known about how it is incorporated into undergraduate atmospheric science education. Given the societal importance of atmospheric phenomena, there is a need to understand how students—as future scientists, forecasters, and communicators—are being trained to share scientific information.

This mixed-methods project investigates how atmospheric science communication is valued and taught within undergraduate programs in the United States. A key feature of the study is its comparison across subtopics within atmospheric science, particularly weather compared to climate and climate change, to explore where communication training may differ in emphasis or perceived importance. We conducted semi-structured interviews with undergraduate atmospheric science students and faculty. Emergent themes from participants' open-ended interview responses will be shared. These findings will inform the development of national surveys that will be administered to students and faculty.