Featured on WSOC-TV: UNC Charlotte meteorology program expands with new course, state-of-the-art technology and industry expertise

UNC Charlotte’s meteorology program was featured on WSOC-TV Channel 9 to celebrate a new partnership providing students with the technology and expertise they need to excel in a rapidly evolving field.

As part of the Department of Earth, Environmental and Geographical Sciences in the College of Humanities & Earth and Social Sciences, enrollment in the program has more than tripled in recent years. 

“When I first started here, the meteorology program had only about 20 or 30 students in it, and now we have over 90 students as meteorology majors,” Terry Shirley, associate chair of the department, told WSOC-TV.

Thanks to a generous equipment donation from WSOC-TV and the leadership of retired chief meteorologist Steve Udelson, now an adjunct professor at UNC Charlotte, students are gaining access to the same state-of-the-art weather graphics systems used in professional broadcast environments.

New industry-grade technology and expertise

Udelson, who spent 40 years in broadcast meteorology, is teaching the new course, METR 4000, “Selected Topics in Meteorology: Broadcast Meteorology.” Designed to bridge scientific knowledge with public communication, students learn not only how to interpret weather data, but how to translate it into meaningful, accessible stories for the public.

“It’s all about getting a leg up,” Udelson said. “And these students will come out of this class and out of this school with the knowledge of how to put graphics together, how to put weather stories together and just how to do the job.”

The new computers provided by WSOC allow students to develop skills that give them a competitive edge before graduation, including real-time forecasting, building graphics and delivering on-camera presentations.

The course is the only one of its kind in the region, offering students the opportunity to work in front of a green screen with professional-grade graphics systems, just as they would in a newsroom.

“There are a number of meteorology programs in the east, as close as N.C. State in Raleigh,” Udelson said. “But no one has a class like this where they’re getting in front of a green screen with real graphics computers, learning how to do the weather day in and day out, with time pressure.”

Alumni connections

The partnership with WSOC-TV not only enhances student learning but also strengthens ties with alumni. The reporter who covered the story, Danielle Miller ’19, is a graduate of UNC Charlotte’s meteorology program and now serves as a meteorologist at WSOC.

“Having a space to practice delivering a weather forecast is vital to any up and coming meteorologist,” Miller said in the broadcast. “And now, thanks in part to a donation from Channel 9, they have state-of-the-art equipment to do just that.”

Preparing students for varied careers

While the course is ideal for aspiring broadcast meteorologists, its impact reaches far beyond television. Senior meteorology major Joseph Swain also joined WSOC-TV to discuss how he is applying the skills toward his goal of becoming a pilot.

“In order to be a pilot, you need to understand meteorology pretty well,” Swain told WSOC-TV. “So, that’s why I’m interested in this program.”

Shirley emphasized that the new course and technology are transforming the program’s ability to prepare students for the workforce.

“We can then send out the best, most prepared students into the field going forward,” Shirley said. “Something we weren’t able to do before this interaction with Steve.”

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