I. Introduction to the Discipline

Atmospheric Science is a discipline that studies various phenomena in the atmosphere, their evolution laws, and how to utilize these laws to serve humanity. It is an integral part of Earth Science, primarily focusing on the Earth's atmospheric envelope, especially the lower atmosphere near the surface, and its interactions with the hydrosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere, which constitute the primary environment for human survival. Atmospheric Science encompasses disciplines such as Climatology, Synoptic Meteorology, Dynamic Meteorology, Atmospheric Physics, Atmospheric Sounding, Atmospheric Chemistry, Weather Modification, Applied Meteorology, etc.

The graduate program in Atmospheric Science is hosted by the School of Atmospheric Science, which originated from the Meteorological Officer Training Corps of the Southwestern Military Region of the Chinese People's Liberation Army established in 1951. The undergraduate program in Atmospheric Science began enrolling students in 1978, and the master's degree program in Meteorology was authorized in 2003. In 2006, the school obtained the authorization to grant master's degrees in Atmospheric Science as a first-level discipline. The undergraduate program in Applied Meteorology was established in 2008, and the Atmospheric Science undergraduate program was approved as a national特色专业(distinctive major) in 2010. In 2020, the Atmospheric Science undergraduate program was designated as a national first-class professional construction site and a provincial "Ideological and Political Education in Courses" demonstration major in Sichuan. In the same year, the Applied Meteorology undergraduate program was approved as a first-class professional construction site in Sichuan. The degree-granting unit is a member of the Teaching Guidance Committee for Atmospheric Science Majors under the Ministry of Education, a standing director unit of the Chinese Meteorological Society, and the vice chairman unit of the Sichuan Meteorological Society. It is also one of the training bases for meteorological talent cultivation and training in cooperation between the China Meteorological Administration and universities, and has long been cultivating meteorological national defense students for the Rocket Force. The degree-granting unit currently has 83 fixed researchers, including 25 professors, 22 associate professors, and 36 lecturers, with a doctoral degree ratio of 85% and an overseas experience ratio of 50%. Among the mentor team, there are 3 experts enjoying government allowances from the State Council, 4 academic and technical leaders in Sichuan, 8 candidates for academic and technical leaders in Sichuan, 2 outstanding young academic leaders in Sichuan, 4 outstanding experts with prominent contributions in Sichuan, and 1 teaching master in Sichuan.

The graduate education in this degree-granting unit aims at the needs of national strategies and local economic and social development, closely follows the trends in the discipline and industry, leverages the meteorological industry and the platform for joint construction by the administration and provinces as well as cooperation between the administration and universities, and takes advantage of the geographical proximity to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Focusing on major scientific issues and key technologies in meteorology, climatology, and atmospheric physics and atmospheric environment related to the impact of complex terrain in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and Sichuan Basin on severe weather, climate, and resource environment, it emphasizes research in disciplines such as synoptic dynamics over the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, land surface processes in complex terrain, climate and climate change on the plateau, regional environmental meteorology and health, as well as monitoring, early warning, and services for meteorological disasters, covering the entire process of atmospheric observation, theoretical research, and operational services.

II. Training Objectives

The objective is to cultivate comprehensively developed individuals with moral, intellectual, and physical qualities, who adapt to the latest development requirements of Atmospheric Science and modern meteorological operational systems, possess rigorous scientific attitudes and excellent academic ethics, demonstrate strong teamwork and innovation spirits, actively serve socialist modernization, and are capable of independently conducting scientific research in this discipline and interdisciplinary research with Environmental Science, Marine Science, etc., as well as applying new technologies, thereby becoming high-level professionals in Atmospheric Science.