Shifting of Atmospheric Sciences dept. to main Cusat campus opposed

A section of the faculty, students, and alumni of the Department of Atmospheric Sciences at Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat) has opposed the move to shift the department from the Lakeside (Marine) campus in the city to the university’s main campus in Thrikkakara.

They said the strength of the programme lies in its natural and necessary integration with other Earth Science disciplines such as Physical Oceanography and Geology, which were housed on the Marine campus. The university authorities revealed the decision was taken because the lab and radar facilities required for the course were located on the main campus.

Former students had urged the authorities not to shift the department, stating that Meteorology was not a stand-alone subject. Its strength lay in its integration with allied Earth Science fields. Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences were inherently interconnected, particularly in understanding large-scale systems such as climate change, monsoons, and weather prediction. They said separating these disciplines across campuses would fragment the curriculum and weaken research collaborations.

The authorities pointed out that the decision to shift the department from the lakeside campus to the main campus had been taken on the basis of a recommendation by a subcommittee of the Syndicate. They said a major research facility like the Advanced Centre for Atmospheric Radar Research (ACARR) was located on the main campus. The shifting had been suggested to ease the woes that arose from carrying out various departmental functions from two campuses. The integration would resolve the problem, they added.

Those opposing the relocation pointed out that the radar centre primarily served as a data collection centre and that the analysis of atmospheric data could be done remotely from anywhere in the world.