Horace R. Byers
Encyclopedia
Horace Robert Byers was an American meteorologist who pioneered in aviation meteorology
, synoptic weather analysis (weather forecasting
), severe convective storms, cloud physics
, and weather modification. Byers is most well known for his work as director of U.S. Weather Bureau's Thunderstorm Project in which, among other things, the modern cell morphology and life cycle of a thunderstorm
were established. He is also known for his professional involvement with Carl-Gustaf Arvid Rossby and Tetsuya Theodore Fujita.
During high school Byers developed a strong interest in journalism and worked as a reporter around the San Francisco Bay area, full-time for a year after graduation and then part time while at the University of California, Berkeley
. At university he became acquainted with science in the geography department and chose atmospheric sciences as his career. He graduated with an A.B. degree in geography in 1929, afterward studying meteorology under Rossby and Hurd C. Willett
at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
on a fellowship from the Daniel Guggenheim Fund, receiving his M.S. in 1932. In 1934 he earned an Alfred P. Sloan Fellowship to study meteorology, attaining his Sc. D. in 1935.
Byers joined the faculty of the University of Chicago
in 1940, eventually helping establish the Department of Meteorology. There he developed internationally renowned work during his 25 year tenure, about half of that as chairperson of the department. In 1965 he moved to Texas A&M University
and was the first dean of geosciences until his retirement in 1974.
He was a member of the National Academy of Sciences
, president of the American Meteorological Society
, and the International Association of Meteorology and Atmospheric Physics.
Meteorology
Meteorology is the interdisciplinary scientific study of the atmosphere. Studies in the field stretch back millennia, though significant progress in meteorology did not occur until the 18th century. The 19th century saw breakthroughs occur after observing networks developed across several countries...
, synoptic weather analysis (weather forecasting
Weather forecasting
Weather forecasting is the application of science and technology to predict the state of the atmosphere for a given location. Human beings have attempted to predict the weather informally for millennia, and formally since the nineteenth century...
), severe convective storms, cloud physics
Cloud physics
Cloud physics is the study of the physical processes that lead to the formation, growth and precipitation of clouds. Cloud formations are composed of microscopic droplets of liquid water , tiny crystals of ice , or both...
, and weather modification. Byers is most well known for his work as director of U.S. Weather Bureau's Thunderstorm Project in which, among other things, the modern cell morphology and life cycle of a thunderstorm
Thunderstorm
A thunderstorm, also known as an electrical storm, a lightning storm, thundershower or simply a storm is a form of weather characterized by the presence of lightning and its acoustic effect on the Earth's atmosphere known as thunder. The meteorologically assigned cloud type associated with the...
were established. He is also known for his professional involvement with Carl-Gustaf Arvid Rossby and Tetsuya Theodore Fujita.
During high school Byers developed a strong interest in journalism and worked as a reporter around the San Francisco Bay area, full-time for a year after graduation and then part time while at the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
. At university he became acquainted with science in the geography department and chose atmospheric sciences as his career. He graduated with an A.B. degree in geography in 1929, afterward studying meteorology under Rossby and Hurd C. Willett
Hurd Curtis Willett
Hurd Curtis Willett was an American meteorologist, known forhis role in developing five-day weather forecasting techniques and widely known for his attempts at very-long-range forecasting....
at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
on a fellowship from the Daniel Guggenheim Fund, receiving his M.S. in 1932. In 1934 he earned an Alfred P. Sloan Fellowship to study meteorology, attaining his Sc. D. in 1935.
Byers joined the faculty of the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
in 1940, eventually helping establish the Department of Meteorology. There he developed internationally renowned work during his 25 year tenure, about half of that as chairperson of the department. In 1965 he moved to Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
and was the first dean of geosciences until his retirement in 1974.
He was a member of the National Academy of Sciences
United States National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences is a corporation in the United States whose members serve pro bono as "advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine." As a national academy, new members of the organization are elected annually by current members, based on their distinguished and...
, president of the American Meteorological Society
American Meteorological Society
The American Meteorological Society promotes the development and dissemination of information and education on the atmospheric and related oceanic and hydrologic sciences and the advancement of their professional applications. Founded in 1919, the American Meteorological Society has a membership...
, and the International Association of Meteorology and Atmospheric Physics.