Christopher to chair atmospheric science

Dr. Sundar Christopher, professor of atmospheric Science and associate director of UAHuntsville Earth System Science Center (ESSC), has been named chair of the Atmospheric Science Department beginning May 24.

“Dr. Christopher is clearly a national and international figure in satellite remote sensing,” said Dr. John Christy, ESSC director and the interim department chair. “We are extremely fortunate to have someone of his caliber heading up our academic program.”

Christopher’s research interests include satellite remote sensing of clouds and aerosols, and using that data to study their effects on global and regional climate, air quality, health and the environment.

He joined the UAHuntsville atmospheric science faculty in 1997 and has won several millions of dollars in research contracts and grants during his tenure here. He has received a NASA “New Investigator” award, and won a UAHuntsville Foundation Research and Creative Achievement Award in 2006.

Christopher received his Ph.D. in atmospheric sciences from Colorado State University in 1995. He also has an M.S. in atmospheric science from the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, a B.E. from the P.S.G. College of Technology in India, and an M.A. in industrial and organizational psychology from UAHuntsville.

UAHuntsville’s Atmospheric Science Department offers doctoral and master’s degrees in atmospheric science, as well as a new B.S. degree in earth system science. The department was recognized in 2009 by The Chronicle of Higher Education as one of the top 10 atmospheric science programs in the U.S., in terms of scholarly production.