Certification Program for Consulting Meteorologists
In an age of expanded environmental technology, the scope and detail of
meteorological applications within agriculture, business, industry, and various
sectors of government operations have brought increasing demand for specialized
services by meteorologists. These services extend beyond the traditional public
service functions and statutory responsibilities of the National Weather
Service, and the private practice of consulting meteorology has developed in
answer to some of the needs that have arisen. In meteorology, as in other
technical professions such as engineering and medicine, individuals form and
maintain close contact with the public, and in doing so are representatives of
their profession. The AMS recognized a need for a professional certification
program for the advancement of professional ideals within meteorology and within
the other spheres of activity in which meteorologists participate.
Professional certification, as part of a national program of the AMS, to be
administered by a Board of Certified Consulting
Meteorologists (CCMs), was proposed in a report submitted to the Council by
the AMS Committee on Industrial Meteorology in the fall of 1956. The
recommendation was approved with slight modifications by the Council, which
appointed a board and also certified those first few members. The original
announcement was made in the November 1957
Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society. In a continuing
effort to improve the program, the Board constantly assesses its procedures in
order to provide the AMS membership and the public with improved knowledge and
understanding of the program, and to ensure the objectivity and fairness of the
procedures. To date, the Society has issued over 600 certificates. A high
percentage of the qualified persons whose principal endeavor is the private
practice of meteorology have applied for and earned the certification.
Recent years have shown increased interest in certification from salaried
meteorologists employed in industry, universities, research institutions,
federal laboratories, and state agencies. This evolution is a realistic
reflection of the growth of applied meteorology as a profession; of the
increasing number of professional, specialized services acknowledged as aspects
of jobs in industry and government; and of broadening recognition by
meteorologists that a certification program strengthens meteorology and the
Society in ways that transcend types of employment and the previous narrow
implications of private consulting for a fee. Certification is gaining the same
significance in meteorology that it has had in other technical professions for
many years. In contrast with the limited view of consulting meteorology of only
a decade ago, certification now applies to many branches of professional
meteorology.
Fundamentally, the consulting meteorologist is a professional meteorologist
whose practice is founded upon an understanding of the atmosphere and its
behavior, and upon the beneficial application of his or her abilities to the
affairs of humankind. Moreover, these qualities are accompanied by knowledge of
a more general nature that enables the consulting meteorologist to address a
broader spectrum of related activities. Meteorological consulting may entail
providing services individually to many on a fee basis, or serving a company or
government agency where such work comprises part or all of the meteorologist's
functions. In any case, the essential attributes of the certified meteorologist
are a specialized knowledge combined with a broad background, an ingrained
concept of service, and a clear and unwavering adherence to the rules of
professional conduct.
The CCM program is a service for the general public by the AMS. The Society
has established high standards of technical competence, character, and
experience for certified consultants who provide advice in meteorology to the
public. The CCM program was established to ensure that certain individuals have
been tested and found to meet or exceed those standards. The certification
enables users of meteorological services to select consultants or employees with
greater confidence in the quality and reliability of the products or services
they will receive. It is also a formal recognition on the part of his or her
colleagues, acting through the Society, that an applicant is considered well
qualified to carry on the work of a consulting meteorologist. The purpose of
certification in the CCM program is fourfold:
- To foster the establishment and maintenance of a high level of professional
competency and mature and ethical counsel in the field of consulting
meteorology;
- To provide a basis on which a client seeking assistance on problems of a
meteorological nature may be assured of mature, competent, and ethical
professional counsel;
- To provide incentive for the continued professional growth of the
meteorologist after completion of his or her academic training;
- To enhance the prestige, authority, success, and emoluments of consulting
meteorology specifically, and of professional meteorology generally, by ensuring
such a consistently high order of professional activity that unqualified
practitioners will either labor to achieve this recognition or retire from the
field.
The qualifications are centered around the fundamental characteristics of 1)
knowledge, 2) experience, and 3) character. No one attribute can be considered
sufficient unto itself, nor can excellence in any two compensate for a
deficiency in the third; the three qualifications comprise a standard to which
an individual seeking this recognition should aspire.
Knowledge. To attain this recognition, an
individual should have a comprehensive, although not necessarily a detailed,
understanding of the main aspects of meteorological knowledge. The role of
specialization is recognized, but the dangers of all depth and no breadth need
to be clearly recognized. The work of a consulting meteorologist is to some
extent in the nature of applied research. Thus, an understanding of research and
the principles of scientific method, as well as demonstrated competence in
applying these principles, is a desirable characteristic. The role of formal
education in acquiring knowledge is quite obvious but, also quite obviously, the
two cannot be equated. Qualification on the basis of knowledge is, in first
measure, indicated by college education, including successful completion of
courses in meteorology, meeting national standards for professional employment.
As a minimum, applicants must meet the educational criteria currently required
for AMS membership. Lack of a college degree is not a bar to certification, and
the doctoral degree does not command automatic certification, in the sense that
degrees are incomplete measures of knowledge and of other attributes for
certification. Applicants may expect a written examination on various aspects of
science and the profession of meteorology.
Experience.The mature judgment and
unostentatious self-confidence that come from successful experience in applying
knowledge to a useful end are recognized as requirements for maintaining proper
stature in time-honored professions. They apply here. Qualification on the basis
of experience requires a minimum of five years of work at the professional
level. Substitution of a postgraduate degree below the doctorate is permitted
for one year of experience, and substitution of the doctorate degree in
meteorology for up to two years is allowable. The nature of the work experience
is an aspect considered.
Character. The character of the consultant must
be of the finest and be manifest in devotion to the highest professional ideals.
Relations with fellow meteorologists, and with clients or employers, should be
conducted in a spirit conforming in full to the Society's Guidelines for
Professional Conduct (Article XII of the Constitution).
In the matter of qualification on basis of character, the application
requires the naming of at least three professional references, preferably
including one Certified Consulting Meteorologist. The applicant's record of
professional work should clearly indicate that he or she maintains those traits
for conduct complying fully with the Society's Guidelines for Professional
Conduct and applying generally in public contacts.
One of the purposes of the CCM program is to provide an incentive for the
continued professional growth of the meteorologist. Consistent with this
purpose, the Board of Certified Consulting Meteorologists has adopted guidelines
for continuing professional development. Currently there is no mandatory
requirement for maintaining the CCM certification and the following is
voluntary.
The Board recommends that each CCM endeavor to complete one or more of the
following continuing professional development activities within each two-year
period following certification:
- Complete eight or more contact hours of college-level instruction
(classroom or individual study) in atmospheric or related sciences offered by an
academic institution, federal or state government, or professional society.
- Attend a multiday speciality conference on atmospheric or related science.
- Present a paper at a speciality conference on atmospheric or related
science on an applied or basic research topic.
- Publish a scientific paper on an atmospheric or related science research
topic in a peer-reviewed publication.
- Subscribe to and regularly read a peer-reviewed journal in the CCM's
speciality area.
This Board is a standing committee of
the Society under the Commission on Professional Affairs. It is responsible for
considering applications and making recommendations in regard to certification.
The Board consists of seven certified members who do not hold elective office in
the Society and who contribute their time and interest to the program. An
attempt should be made to ensure that no more than one member may be
professionally employed by the same organization during tenure on the Board.
Members are appointed by Council action for terms of four years. Actions of the
Board are by majority vote and are reported to the Commissioner of Professional
Affairs for review and final action.
In order to ensure the fairness of the examination procedures, the Board has
adopted the policy that its members will avoid conflicts of interest in the
evaluation process. Members will continue to avoid such conflicts by
disqualifying themselves from evaluating competitors or business associates when
such relationships would interfere with their impartiality.
Application for designation as a Certified Consulting Meteorologist is made
through the Headquarters office of the Society. The application materials are
then forwarded by that office to the Board for its consideration. The
requirements are expressed in the application form. Only those individuals with
the necessary qualifications and dedication to the ideals of the program will be
approved for certification. Certification is applicable to individuals only and
not to organizations. The procedures followed by the CCM Board are as follows.
- An application form, with the appropriate nonrefundable fee, is submitted
to the American Meteorological Society. The AMS retains the original application
and sends copies to the Chairperson of the CCM Board. Headquarters staff
requests letters of reference from the three names given by the applicant, one
of whom will preferably be a CCM and one of whom will preferably be a former
employer. The Chairperson, at his or her discretion, may also request additional
letters of reference. As additional materials such as transcripts or letters of
reference are received at AMS Headquarters, staff will send all these materials
to the Chairperson on the first of each calendar month. It is then Headquarters'
responsibility to follow up on missing items. Any unfavorable letters are
immediately sent to AMS counsel for review.
- Headquarters reviews and screens the application to ensure that the basic
qualifications have been met. He or she then assigns a written examination. This
usually consists of several standard questions intended to test the applicant's
general meteorological background and several questions intended to probe more
deeply his or her own area of specialty or expertise. In order to improve the
inventory of question-and-answer sets, highly qualified applicants (usually
those who hold a Ph.D.) are asked to revise sets of questions previously
submitted or to develop new ones. A report or published paper representing the
applicant's professional work is always required as part of the written
assignment. This paper cannot be one that has been submitted for academic degree
requirements. Additionally, applicants may be asked to prepare a short paper or
essay on the CCM Program, which may be considered for publication in the
Bulletin. Such essays, however, are voluntary and are not graded
formally. A period of 90 days is normally suggested as sufficient to complete
the written part of the examination. In practice, one or more time extensions
may be given if an applicant has a need to request extra time.
- On receipt of the completed written assignment, the Chairperson removes
from it any direct information that would identify the candidate. The exam and
paper (and essay when requested) are then sent to four members of the Board
without comment or other documentation. They are identified only by number.
- Board members are instructed to assign a numerical score to each answer
based upon their evaluation of the knowledge and methodology demonstrated by the
candidate. Board members then determine an overall score in the range of 0–100
for the written examination. The technical paper or report is similarly graded
and given a numerical score between 0 and 100. Papers are evaluated on the basis
of the following criteria: identification of the (client's or research) problem,
writing skill, technical knowledge, and objectivity and clarity of the writer's
conclusion or recommendation.
- Board members send the scores awarded the written exam and the technical
paper to the Chairperson, who determines the average score given on both the
exam and the report. He or she then combines these scores, giving twice as much
weight to the written exam as to the technical report; that is, combined score S
= [2S(exam) + S(paper)]/3. A combined score below 70 is deemed a failure, and no
oral review will be conducted for that applicant. The failed applicant's
identity will remain confidential, and the matter will be referred to the
Commissioner on Professional Affairs for further consideration. Following
successful completion of the written examination, the Chairperson forwards the
following to each Board member, who shall vote on the candidate's application:
- composite score on the examination and paper, together with the identity of
the candidate;
- copies of the application;
- all favorable letters of reference;
- all favorable comments from any source;
- all negative letters or comments previously approved by AMS counsel (those
not sent to the Board members will be retained in the permanent AMS files); and
- any other documents deemed relevant by the Chairperson.
- Board members then make recommendations with respect to oral reviews for
each applicant based upon all the materials at hand, namely, the academic
records, work experience, composite scores, and letters of reference. If the
applicant has been responsive to the instructions from the Chairperson and has
done a creditable job on his or her written assignment, and his or her written
examination is consistent with his or her transcripts and letters of reference,
the Board may recommend that he or she meet with a "Regional Panel"
for an oral examination. If, on the other hand, one or more Board members find
cause for concern in the written materials, they can request a "Board-members-only"
oral review. The purpose of the Board members' review is to provide a more
thorough evaluation of the applicant in question by the Board as a whole.
The Chairperson makes a final determination as to the type of oral review,
based upon the Board's recommendations and all other materials in hand. All
applicants must undergo an oral examination. A regional panel consists of at
least one current or recent (within the past three years) Board member and at
least two other Certified Consulting Meteorologists. A Board-members-only
examining panel consists of the Chairperson and at least two current Board
members.
- Scheduling of oral examinations sometimes causes a significant delay in the
certification process. Regional Panel exams are given at the mutual convenience
of the applicant and the Board member who chairs the panel. The Board as a whole
normally meets each year at the Annual Meeting of the AMS and on one other
occasion. At these meetings, oral reviews as well as other Board business are
conducted. All applicants are advised in advance of the names of the members of
the Board or Panel who will administer the oral exam. Any applicant may request
that any member be disqualified for reasons of conflict of interest. The
Chairperson or senior Board member of the Panel, however, reserves the final
decision on all such requests. Immediately preceding the oral review, each
candidate is given a written quiz drawn from modern meteorological disciplines.
This quiz serves to screen the candidate for understanding of present-day
meteorological knowledge. All oral reviews consist of a discussion of the
applicant's written examination materials, his or her technical report, and any
other topics deemed appropriate by the Panel. The reviews always include
discussion of hypothetical situations that arise in consulting activities.
Following each Board review or circulation of a brief report from a Regional
Panel, the Board votes on its recommendation for each candidate. The ballot
contains a statement that "To the best of his or her knowledge, the voting
Board member has no conflict of interest with this applicant." Results of
the Board's vote are communicated to the Commissioner on Professional Affairs.
- With the Commissioner's concurrence, names of applicants for whom the Board
recommends certification are published in the Bulletin. The applicant
is notified by the AMS that he or she has been certified and is sent his or her
certificate, along with a press release from Society Headquarters for possible
use.
- The master file on each applicant, upon completion of the Board's actions,
is returned to the AMS for retention, and all other copies are destroyed.
- All unsuccessful candidates are allowed to reapply for certification two
years from the date of denial of their application. Applicants not approved by
the Board may appeal in writing within 90 days from the receipt of notice to the
Executive Committee (see Organizational Procedures of the AMS). The fee for an
appeal is $100; however, the Executive Committee reserves the right to waive the
fee in cases of financial hardship.
- All CCM certificates shall be renewed upon application and payment of
appropriate fees every year, provided the applicant certifies that he or she has
been actively engaged in the atmospheric, hydrospheric, or related sciences for
at least three of the preceding five years.
The application fee for certification is $300 for members and $600 for
nonmembers, which includes $80 for subscription to the
Bulletin.
Certification is for a period of one year and can be renewed annually for a
fee of $30. Renewals are billed by the AMS in conjunction with annual membership
and subscription notices. If an individual has been inactive in atmospheric,
hydrospheric, or related sciences for three or more years, or fails to renew
certification by the expiration date, complete reapplication for certification
may be necessary.
A. The American Meteorological Society reserves the right to suspend or
revoke the right to hold this certification if the Certified Consulting
Meteorologist, in the conduct of his or her profession, clearly fails to conduct
himself or herself in a manner that reflects the dignity and honor of the
profession, or if a holder of this designation fails repeatedly to adhere to the
criteria set out for the award of the CCM certification.
B. Any complaint that may be grounds for suspension or revocation under
Paragraph A shall be sent to the Secretary–Treasurer of the Society. The
Secretary–Treasurer may summarily dismiss a frivolous complaint with notice
and a statement of reasons to the complainant. Otherwise, the Secretary–Treasurer
shall send a copy of the complaint to the Chairperson of the Commission on
Professional Affairs, the CCM Board, and the holder of the certification.
C. The Chairperson of the CCM Board may resolve any complaint by any
appropriate informal means, which may include contacting the holder in question
in an effort to resolve by mutual agreement the subject of the complaint.
D. Any complaint not disposed of by informal means shall be processed as
follows.
- With the concurrence of the Chairperson of the Commission on Professional
Affairs, a copy of the complaint shall be sent to the holder of the
certification in question by the Chairpersons, together with a copy of this
procedure for suspension or revocation of the CCM and the names and brief
descriptions of the members of a Fact-Finding Panel appointed under Subparagraph
2.
- The Board Chairperson shall select three members of the Board who will
constitute a Fact-Finding Panel to determine the issues raised in the complaint.
Each member of the Fact-Finding Panel shall certify to the Chairperson that he
or she is aware of no conflict of interest in accepting the appointment of the
Fact-Finding Panel. The CCM in question shall have the opportunity within 15
days of the date of notification to object to any member of the Fact-Finding
Panel. The CCM in question shall be required to state in writing the reasons for
any objection to a member of the panel. The Chairperson may either accept the
objection from the CCM or refer the question to the Chairperson of the
Commission on Professional Affairs for the final decision.
- The CCM shall cooperate fully with the Fact-Finding Panel and produce any
tangible information relevant to the issues raised in the complaint. The CCM may
submit to the Fact-Finding Panel any other information he or she deems relevant,
and a written answer to the complaint.
- If, after the submission of the tangible evidence to the Fact-Finding
Panel, any facts remain in dispute, and upon the written request of the CCM, a
hearing shall be held by the Fact-Finding Panel upon adequate notification to
the CCM and at a time and place convenient to the members of the panel and the
CCM. The hearing shall be conducted according to fundamental concepts of due
process recognized as fair and followed by administrative agencies in the
conduct adjudicatory hearings, which shall include the right of counsel,
presentations of witnesses, right to cross-examination, and the right to record
the proceeding by either stenographic or tape-recording means. Strict rules of
evidence shall not apply, but the panel shall accept information or evidence
that is customarily relied upon by reasonable people in the conduct of serious
affairs.
- The Fact-Finding Panel shall make written findings of fact and shall
determine if the CCM has, in the conduct of his or her profession, clearly
failed to conduct himself or herself in a manner that reflects the dignity and
honor of the profession, or if the CCM has failed repeatedly to adhere to the
criteria for the award of the CCM certification as set out previously. If the
Fact-Finding Panel determines that the CCM has failed in his or her conduct or
adherence to the criteria as aforesaid, the Fact-Finding Panel shall include in
its written decision its findings on the degree of the severity of the matter
and a recommendation for the imposition of sanctions, which may include
- a written, informal admonition by the Chairperson of the Commission on
Professional Affairs, a copy of which shall be retained in the CCM's personal
file; or
- a suspension of the CCM's right to represent himself or herself as a holder
of a CCM certification for a period of time; or
- a revocation of the CCM's certification.
- The written decision of the Fact-Finding Panel shall be sent with
recommendation to the Chairperson of the CCM Board, the Chairperson of the
Commission on Professional Affairs, and the CCM. The Chairperson of the CCM
Board and the Chairperson of the Commission on Professional Affairs, after a
review of the decision, shall jointly determine in their judgment the
appropriate sanction and administer the same.
E. A CCM against whom action has been taken may, within 30 days of
notification of the action, appeal the action in writing to the Executive
Committee of the Society (see Organizational Procedures of the AMS).
© 2000 American Meteorological Society