Cziczo Elected to Help Guide UCAR’s Future
11-10-2025
Atmospheric scientist Dan Cziczo, professor in Purdue University’s Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, has been elected as a trustee to the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) Board of Trustees. UCAR is a nonprofit consortium of 131 colleges and universities across North America focused on advancing Earth system science through research and education.
Cziczo will officially join the board in 2026, serving a three-year renewable term. He will help guide UCAR’s mission to promote understanding of the atmosphere and related systems, support the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), and connect university scientists with resources that further environmental research and education.
“I am incredibly honored to have been elected to this role by the member representatives from all the institutions that make up UCAR,” Cziczo said. “I look forward to the opportunity to represent all the universities in helping to advise UCAR.”
This appointment continues Purdue’s long tradition of leadership in atmospheric and planetary sciences. The only other Purdue faculty member to have previously served as a UCAR trustee was Professor Emeritus Ernie Agee. Cziczo joins fellow Purdue atmospheric scientist Robin Tanamachi, who currently serves as one of the university’s UCAR member representatives.
UCAR’s Board of Trustees carries the primary responsibility for setting UCAR’s overall direction. The 18-member board includes 12 trustees elected from UCAR’s member universities and six at-large trustees. Trustees are chosen to serve three-year terms by UCAR’s member institutions during the organization’s annual meeting. The board meets at least three times each year to discuss initiatives, partnerships, and long-range planning for the atmospheric science community.
Cziczo brings decades of experience in both academia and government service to the position. Before joining Purdue, he held appointments with NASA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the Department of Energy (DOE). His work focuses on the intersection of climate, clouds, and chemistry. Research that explores how particles in the atmosphere influence weather and long-term climate behavior.
“I take the responsibility of helping to set UCAR's direction as a member of the Board of Trustees extremely seriously,” Cziczo said. “We face a myriad of challenges in the coming years, from clearly communicating the importance of our science to the general public to ensuring that we have the fiscal resources to carry out our work.”
Cziczo holds a courtesy appointment in Purdue’s School of Aeronautics and Astronautics. His election to UCAR reflects not only his scientific expertise but also his commitment to building strong collaborations across institutions.
“I can draw from a breadth of experience, including both federal service—having spent parts of my career at NASA, NOAA and DOE—and academia, both domestically and abroad,” Cziczo said. “I believe this diversity of experience will help me understand our challenges and their potential solutions. I have served UCAR directly as a member representative at two universities and on the President’s Advisory Committee on University Relations. This has allowed me to speak to many of you, as member representatives, about how UCAR can best support the institutions and how we can help UCAR continue to offer the research and community programs for which it is world-renowned.”
For Cziczo, the appointment is more than a professional achievement; it’s a way to give back to the scientific community that has shaped his career. “I owe my career to the atmospheric measurement capabilities that NCAR enables,” he said.
Cziczo’s leadership at Purdue and his new role at UCAR highlight the university’s continued presence at the forefront of earth, atmospheric, and planetary science. Through efforts like this, Purdue researchers are helping guide the national and global conversation around climate, weather, and the systems that connect them.
As a new board trustee, Daniel Cziczo is joined by Gannet Hallar, the University of Utah.
You can learn more about UCAR in the video below.
About the Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences at Purdue University
The Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences (EAPS) combines four of Purdue’s most interdisciplinary programs: geology and geophysics, environmental sciences, atmospheric sciences, and planetary sciences. EAPS conducts world-class research; educates undergraduate and graduate students; and provides our college, university, state and country with the information necessary to understand the world and universe around us. Our research is globally recognized; our students are highly valued by graduate schools and employers; and our alumni continue to make significant contributions in academia, industry, and federal and state government.
Written by: David Siple, communications specialist, Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences at Purdue University
Contributors: Daniel Cziczo, professor in the Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences at Purdue University