Teaching atmospheric modeling at the graduate level: 15 years of using mesoscale models as educational tools in an active learning environment

Numerical weather prediction models have become widespread tools that are accessible to a variety of communities, ranging from academia and the national meteorological services to commercial weather providers, wind and solar energy industries, and air quality modelers. Mesoscale meteorological models that are used to refine relatively coarse global weather forecasts to finer atmospheric scales have become mainstream. The wide use of mesoscale meteorological models also generates new requirements in undergraduate education concerning the knowledge and application of these models. In this paper, we present teaching strategies, course outcomes, student activities, impacts, and reflections on the possible future direction of the graduate-level atmospheric modeling course using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model at Wageningen University, the Netherlands. This information is based on 15 years of experience in teaching the course and the continuous implementation of new educational techniques to adapt to students’ needs and improve their chances in their academic careers and the atmospheric sciences job market.