Graduate School

Atmospheric Sciences—PhD

Improve your understanding of atmospheric processes and impacts related to climate change, emissions, transport, and transformation of air pollution. Learn new fundamental physical and chemical processes that govern the behavior of the atmosphere and its interactions with human activities, solar radiation, and the natural world. Are you ready?

Program Overview

With our doctorate in atmospheric sciences program, students take a series of core courses and have access to a variety of elective courses in other areas. Core courses share the physical, chemical, and biological processes affecting the atmosphere and specific atmospheric systems. Faculty provide the fundamentals of atmospheric processes and properties, so you can grow with this exciting field. From field measurements to computer modeling to studies of air pollution transport and chemistry.

  • Delivery Options

    • On-Campus: PhD

Atmospheric Sciences Program Details

Learn more about the program at Michigan Tech. For international students, Atmospheric Sciences is a designated STEM program.

On-Campus Programs

Additional Program Information

Want to learn more about atmospheric sciences at Michigan Tech? Visit the department for more information:

Collaborative, Open-Minded Approach

"Being part of the cloud chamber group, I experienced the synergy between theory, experiments, and numerical simulations first hand." 

Subin Thomas
Subin Thomas, PhD
Atmospheric Sciences, MTU

Contact

Graduate Director

Claudio Mazzoleni

Graduate Coordinator

Megan Johnson

 

Sample Areas of Interest

Select areas of interest to help customize your atmospheric sciences PhD. Sample areas include:

  • Aerosols and Clouds
  • Atmospheric-Surfact Exchange
  • Atmospheric Chemistry
  • Atmospheric Modeling

View full listing for this program

Application Process and Admissions Requirements

Applications are reviewed on an individual basis using a holistic approach. Fill out our free graduate application online to apply to any of our programs. Official transcripts and scores are not required for the initial application, although you will need to upload them later.

Accredited by HLC

Michigan Tech has been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) since 1928. Our Graduate School offers over 125 certificates, master's, and PhD programs to provide our students and the world with what tomorrow needs.

Who You'll Work With

Our faculty provides breadth and depth in multiple areas of atmospheric research. Their expertise reflects the field’s interdisciplinary nature and societal relevance. Their research is sponsored by the National Science Foundation, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Department of Energy, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Where You'll Work

Researchers and students work in the Applied Chemical and Morphological Analysis Laboratory and the Great Lakes Research Center, with the PI Cloud Chamber. High-performance computing facilities are available. Highly instrumented laboratories across campus include top-of-the-line technologies like mass spectrometers, optical spectrometers, differential absorption spectrometers, holographic cloud particle systems, and several specific aerosol and gases analysis and monitoring instrumentation systems are also available.

Faculty Spotlight

Pengfei Xue

Pengfei Xue
Associate Professor,
Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering

"Integrated Regional Earth System Models: the future direction."

Until now, regional modeling in the six spheres of the Earth system was largely separated or only loosely linked. Yet, interactions between them are critical to its regulation. It requires advanced techniques to assemble modeling components and broad knowledge to develop such systems. It’s something we are at the early stages of, but it’s the future, and presents great opportunities.

Program Faculty