U.S. University to set up weather station at Makhanlal Chaturvedi National University of Journalism and Communication (MCU), Bhopal Campus

U.S. University to set up weather station at Makhanlal Chaturvedi National University of Journalism and Communication (MCU), Bhopal Campus

VC Prof Suresh to ink Statement of Shared Interest (SSI) with City University of New York (CUNY)

Bhopal, 26th October 2023: The Bronx Community College (BCC) of the City University of New York (CUNY) will install a solar powered weather station for climate change monitoring at MCU campus during a two-day event at the University campus scheduled on 30th and 31st October, 2023. The BCC’s initiative is funded by a grant from the U.S. Consulate General. The station will monitor air quality and weather on a micro-scale in Bhopal, making it the first in Central India.  “BCC/CUNY and MCU will sign a Statement of Shared Interest (SSI) on the occasion which includes academic collaboration, sStudent & Faculty exchange, Research Collaboration & Joint Seminars & Workshops,” Vice Chancellor Prof. Suresh said. He also shared that as climate change is a serious challenge to the world, the installation of this equipment will allow local stakeholders to access up to the minute weather data to help make informed weather-related decisions about their everyday lives. He emphasized that a mission to understand and address the various challenges arising from global climatic change should be taken up for various research, planning for control and to other awareness platforms.

According to Prof. Paramita Sen, Lecturer, Department of Chemistry, Earth, Sciences of CUNY, the weather station at MCU will help measure accurately and access from anywhere the temperature, air quality, humidity levels, solar radiation, ultraviolet rays, and carbon dioxide levels in Bhopal

The weather station runs on solar energy during daylight hours. The solar energy also charges a lithium battery for continuous operation at night or during cloudy days. The weather data will be linked to the ‘Weather Underground’ network and will bring Bhopal on the world map of climate monitoring. Institutions collaborating with this agenda  also plan to incorporate the weather/air quality in the curriculum for study. For this collaboration a Students Poster Presentation – Competition was held at the university on 18th October,2023, wherein students designed posters on the topic “Climate Change and Monsoon”. The results of the same will be announced during the launch event on 31st October 2023.

The U.S. Consulate General, Mumbai’s grant to BCC/CUNY has also led weather monitoring station installations at seven higher education institutions in Western India, including one at IIT-Goa.