NCAR

The National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) is a United States federally funded research and development center dedicated to advancing understanding of weather, climate, and related earth-system processes. It operates as part of the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR), a nonprofit consortium that provides research facilities and support to universities. NCAR is headquartered in Boulder, Colorado, with additional facilities and staff contributing to national and international scientific activities.

NCAR was established in 1960 by the National Science Foundation to advance fundamental and applied atmospheric science and to provide resources for researchers. It conducts a broad program of basic research, field observations, and computational science, and it supports both long-term investigations and targeted campaigns. The center links scientific discovery with tools and services that help translate findings into practical applications for weather prediction, climate assessment, and environmental policy.

Research at NCAR spans areas such as atmospheric dynamics, climate science, atmospheric chemistry, cloud and precipitation physics, remote sensing, and environmental data systems. The center houses several major facilities and programs, including the Earth Observing Laboratory, which supports field campaigns and observational data, and the Computational and Information Systems Laboratory, which provides high-performance computing and data management. NCAR also collaborates with universities, government agencies, international partners, and industry to advance scientific understanding and to inform decision-making.

Funding for NCAR comes primarily from the National Science Foundation through UCAR, with additional support from other federal and international sponsors. NCAR emphasizes open science, data availability, and education outreach to the broader scientific community.