Many students interested in climate and weather dream about working in the public sector. But recent job cuts to the federal workforce have atmospheric science students scared that those dreams will be more difficult to realize.
An estimated 800 employees were fired from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on Feb. 27. University of Missouri atmospheric science professor Eric Aldrich had a class the next morning with upper-level students.
“The mood was very grim,” he said. “There were a lot of students that were like, ‘Well, why should I even continue down this road? What am I going to do now?’”
One of those students is Maggie Slutter, a junior studying meteorology.
“I'm heartbroken,” Slutter said. “These people have put in a lot of service, and to see them just being thrown out like this is devastating.”
Slutter’s dream is – or was – working with the National Weather Service, the part of NOAA that provides weather data, forecasts and warnings. But now, the Trump administration’s cuts, coupled with uncertainty of what the agency will look like after more changes, make her unsure if that will be possible.
“I'm not really certain what I'm supposed to do now,” she said. “But I know I'll figure it out.”
Also in the meteorology class was MU School of Natural Resources Director Patrick Market. He’s worked in weather for more than 35 years, with most of that time spent in academia.
“I have to be honest; I've not seen things this bad before,” Market said.
One topic he discussed was contingencies: minors and certificates students might consider to make themselves more marketable. His main message: ‘there’s always reason for hope.”
“There are other industries,” he said, referring to careers in broadcasting, the military and the private sector. “Ultimately, all of the data and all of the forecast models, with few exceptions, ultimately, everything flows from the weather service. Either that's going to be preserved or there's going to have to be a private entity that takes that on and employs many of the same people.”
Students can also wait out industry shifts while pursuing more education or a career in academia.
‘“I think my plan as of right now is to just stay in school,’ said sophomore Tyler Brucker. “I planned on getting my master’s anyways and have been thinking about a PhD after that.”
“Initially I was going to – if I could – go into the National Weather Service after my master's,” he added.
For now, the learning continues.
On Monday, Aldrich took his students to the MU’s CAVE – Computer Assisted Virtual Environment – for a virtual and augmented reality simulation of weather systems. The hands-on approach was well-received by students, who said it brought to life the 2D models they’ve been working with in the classroom.
Still, it’s been tough to stay focused.
“You kind of feel like your life gets upended because that's what you were planning to do since you were a kid,” said student Sarah Hayes. “You've been putting all of your energy towards something like this, and then all of a sudden – slap in the face on Friday. It's just, ‘Oh! No more jobs.’”
Correction: A previous version of this story misspelled the name of student Tyler Brucker.
