December 11, 2003                                                           Contact: Erin Rath/Jeff Turcotte

PLYMOUTH STATE UNIVERSITY DEDICATES “JUDD GREGG METEOROLOGY INSTITUTE” IN BOYD SCIENCE CENTER

       PLYMOUTH, N.H. -- Plymouth State University today dedicated the newly named “Judd Gregg Meteorology Institute” to recognize the dedication and commitment of U.S. Senator Judd Gregg (R-NH) to the undergraduate meteorology program located in the Boyd Hall science building. At a visit to the University in August, Senator Gregg announced a $500,000 federal award he secured for cutting-edge instrumentation and computers for the program, which follow three previous awards totaling $2.1 million for a teaching laboratory, computers and a weather forecasting system. Senator Gregg was able to include the funding over several years through his position as Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee that oversees funding for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

       Senator Gregg stated, “I am honored to be recognized by Plymouth State University and to be associated with such a tremendous program. It is often said that if you don’t like the weather in New Hampshire, be patient because it will soon change. Granite State residents knows that fast-moving weather patterns, certainly thunderstorms in the summer and blizzards in the winter, can dramatically affect the lives of everyone in the state. The program also continues to provide important research and analysis of air quality. This meteorology institute is working to provide highly accurate and timely forecasts for both of these issues, using ground breaking technology, and doing so in an undergraduate setting. Plymouth State University is providing an outstanding opportunity to its students and an invaluable service to the people of New Hampshire.”

       “Senator Judd Gregg has been the driving force behind the significant NOAA and AIRMAP funding for Plymouth State University,” said PSU President Don Wharton. “It has been Senator Gregg’s vision and efforts in securing funding that has pushed the state of New Hampshire to the forefront in the study of meteorology, air chemistry, and weather studies, benefiting Plymouth State, UNH and the Mt. Washington Observatory. The undergraduate research opportunities that Plymouth's Meteorology program offers students has made it one of the best programs in the country.”

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