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LINCOLN, Neb.--In his 15 years of farming full time, Quentin Connealy has weathered his share of storms — literally.

The first major flood hit in 2011. Three more came in 2019. The waters rose again in 2024 and ruined about 20% of his crops. This past summer, he dealt with at least three hail and wind events that damaged his corn and soybeans.

To Connealy, whose family has been farming for 131 years, the weather has grown more extreme, posing a greater threat to his family’s farmland, which extends across thousands of acres in Burt County about an hour north of Omaha. He tries to plan as much as possible and relies on multiple information sources to do so.

“The weather's so unpredictable, we need as many resources around as possible … I think the more resources we have, the better off our data gets, whether it be upcoming weather or even just past weather patterns,” Connealy said.

But one of the resources, which produces research of state and national interest, is going away.

On Dec. 5, the University of Nebraska Board of Regents voted to eliminate the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences and three other programs at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. 

The move means the university system's flagship campus will no longer be able to produce homegrown meteorologists and geologists — professions that monitor for severe weather and study groundwater, both of which are critical in a state where agriculture remains the economic backbone. The cuts have raised alarm both in and out of the soon-to-be shuttered department. 

"The (department) … is a nationally recognized program," wrote nine professors from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in a letter of support. "Particularly for a state in the center of 'Tornado Alley,' there is a need for trained meteorologists and climatologists which contribute to Nebraska residents’ safety. More nationally, the need for geologists to secure domestic sources of critical minerals is a stated National security concern. Closing this program disrupts a crucial pipeline of qualified professionals for all of these fields."

While acknowledging the pain inflicted by the cuts, regents and university leadership said action was needed. UNL, the largest of the University of Nebraska System’s four campuses, faces a $21 million structural budget deficit. Eliminating the Earth and Atmospheric Sciences Department, estimated to save $1.85 million, was part of a larger effort to erase the deficit.

“My family, we’ve got 26 degrees from this institution, so to say that this decision comes lightly is as far from the truth as it can be,” Regent Tim Clare said at the Dec. 5 meeting. “We’re confronting a serious budget challenge that threatens the long-term stability of our university system.” 

But proponents of the Earth and Atmospheric Sciences Department say its elimination will do  long-term harm to Nebraska.

“Outside of cutting agronomy, animal science or plant pathology, I don't think you could have another department at the university that was more important to agriculture, because that’s your groundwater, that’s your weather,” said Eric Hunt, assistant extension educator of agricultural meteorology at the University of Nebraska Extension. “We just cut something that is vital to the long-term viability of agriculture in the state.” 

Losing local knowledge and expertise

Adam Houston is blunt about the importance of his students’ work when they leave UNL, particularly those who become forecasters at the National Weather Service, the federal agency responsible for issuing extreme weather warnings.

“And so I can say, yes, the work that we're doing is training these students to go out and save lives,” said Houston, a professor of atmospheric sciences in the soon-to-be eliminated department.

Other Nebraska universities offer courses similar to those in the department, but the earth and atmospheric sciences degree program is the only one of its kind in the state, according to regents meeting documents.

While weather forecasts are easily accessible these days, there is a human element to that data and forecast, said Martha Durr, a faculty member at the Nebraska Indian Community College and former state climatologist.

"There is still a human at the forecast desk, and they are using their local knowledge and expertise to nudge that forecast model output in a certain way, or to issue a watch and a warning," Durr said.

Nebraska is no stranger to extreme weather. The past few years alone have brought flash flooding, drought, outbreaks of tornadoes and strong thunderstorms. These types of weather events are expected to become more frequent due to climate change — making homegrown local expertise all the more valuable. 

"What further sets our (Earth and Atmospheric Sciences) alumni apart is their deep familiarity with Nebraska's regional climate and weather patterns," wrote KLKN-TV Chief Meteorologist Rusty Dawkins in a letter of support for the department. "Their localized knowledge enables them to offer context-sensitive forecasts and risk assessments that out-of-state professionals may miss."

This need for local expertise also translates to other subjects taught by the department, including geology, Hunt said.

Geologists from the department have worked with local natural resources districts monitoring groundwater — the primary source of drinking water in Nebraska and an essential resource for the state’s ag economy.

At a press conference earlier this year, Gov. Jim Pillen referred to water as the state’s lifeblood and referred to the Ogallala Aquifer, the largest aquifer in North America, as “our pot of gold,” the Nebraska Examiner reported.

Asked specifically about the cuts to the Earth and Atmospheric Sciences Department, spokesperson Laura Strimple said the governor applauded “university leadership for having the courage to make tough decisions in eliminating bloated and duplicative programs to achieve cost savings. More is still needed.”

The department does work on similar topics as other UNL programs, specifically the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources. But State Climatologist Deborah Bathke, who has worked in both departments, said the focus in each department varies greatly. “I can say without any doubt that they are not the same thing.”

The department’s alumni have gone on to serve critical roles within the state — the current heads of the Nebraska State Climate Office, the National Drought Mitigation Center, the Conservation and Survey Division and the Nebraska Water Center all graduated from the department, according to department documents.

Others have gone on to work for local natural resource districts, the Air Force, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the National Weather Service and TV stations across the state. 

“We are losing the ability to train the next generation of scientists that want to serve Nebraska the way that we all do and serve the country, the way that we all do with our scientific expertise,” said Bathke, an Earth and Atmospheric Sciences Department alum.

Far-reaching research 

There are about 17 faculty in the Earth and Atmospheric Sciences Department, Houston said. Their research carries benefits locally, nationally and internationally.

Department chair Clinton Rowe highlighted faculty's research in carbon sequestration location opportunities underneath the state. This subject is of national interest.

"Those kinds of things are important for the economic future of Nebraska," Rowe said.

And the department has received national renown. Professor Sherilyn Fritz was elected this past April to the National Academy of Sciences for her research reconstructing “the history of the environment.”

Fritz is also a lead investigator for the Trans-Amazon Drilling Project, an international research project looking at the evolution of the Amazon rainforest over geologic time.

Similarly, Professor David Harwood is a leader for the Antarctic Drilling Program called ANDRILL, another international research effort.

And then there's the climate and weather research. Houston led the TORUS project, where his team chased storms to understand their internal structures through drones, mobile mesonets and radars. Houston's and the department's work in meteorology is recognized nationally and internationally, Fritz said. Houston even consulted on the movie "Twisters." 

Research from the department also informs work coming out of other parts of UNL, including the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Associate Professor Andrea Basche is among the ag institute researchers who have used Earth and Atmospheric Sciences Department research in the past.

“Getting rid of this department degrades the state's capacity to predict and adapt to weather and weather extremes that dictate our agricultural success,” Basche said.

Some faculty say they have been offered alternate positions at the university. It is unclear how many will take them or stay in Nebraska. 

In her role as state climatologist, Bathke was the lead author on the recent 2024 Climate Change Impact Assessment Report. Earth and Atmospheric Sciences Department members served as advisers on the report, and one faculty member was also a lead author. 

There were plans for follow-ups, such as using regional climate modeling with crop modeling to determine specific impacts to agriculture and natural resources in Nebraska. Now, Bathke is unsure if those follow-up studies will happen.

"We would have to contract that out to someone who does not have the local expertise of Nebraska,” Bathke said. “Anytime you contract something out, it's more expensive than if you do it in house."

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