NATIONAL CENTER FOR ATMOSPHERIC RESEARCH (NCAR)
Eric Barron, Director, (303) 497-1111
www.ncar.ucar.edu

The National Center for Atmospheric Research, NCAR, was established in 1960 to serve as a focus for research on atmospheric and related science problems and is recognized for its scientific contributions to our understanding of the earth system, including climate change, changes in atmospheric composition, Earth-Sun interactions, weather formation and forecasting, and the impacts of all of these components on human societies.

With four major sites in the Boulder area, I.M. Pei's Mesa Laboratory the Foothills Laboratory, the Research Aviation Facility, and the Center Green Campus, NCAR provides the university science and teaching community with the tools, facilities, and support required to perform innovative research. Through NCAR, scientists gain access to high-performance computational and observational facilities, such as supercomputers, aircraft and radar - resources researchers need to improve human understanding of atmospheric and Earth system processes. NCAR and university scientists work together on research topics in atmospheric chemistry, climate, cloud physics and storms, weather hazards to aviation, and interactions between the sun and Earth. In all of these areas, scientists are looking closely at the role of humans in both creating climate change and responding to severe weather occurrences.

The Center is operated by UCAR under a cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation. The NSF has been NCAR's primary sponsor since its inception. In addition, the Center carries out research sponsored by other federal agencies, such as NASA, NOAA, DOE, EPA, and the FAA when such research enhances NCAR's NSF-supported research goals or facilities missions.

Further information regarding program content is provided in NCAR's annual scientific reports, which can be found at http://ncar.ucar.edu