March 23 marks the 65th World Meteorological Day. The 2025 World Meteorological Day open event, themed "Join Hands to Narrow the Early Warning Gap," was held at the Gansu Provincial Meteorological Bureau. The College of Atmospheric Sciences organized young students to participate in the event. Yang Xingguo, Party Secretary and Director of the Gansu Provincial Meteorological Bureau, Wang Bolin, Deputy Director of the Gansu Provincial Meteorological Bureau, Zhang Qiang, Chairman of the Gansu Meteorological Society, Huang Yu, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of the College of Atmospheric Sciences at Lanzhou University, and Yang Min, Party Secretary and Director of the Lanzhou Meteorological Bureau, attended the opening ceremony.
Deepen the collaboration between universities and schools —— talk about the mission and responsibility of meteorology
Yang Xingguo stated in his speech that meteorology is closely related to human life. The Gansu Provincial Meteorological Bureau accurately understands the positioning of meteorological work as a science-based, foundational, and pioneering social public welfare cause. With the goals of precise monitoring, accurate forecasting, and meticulous service, it aims to weave a dense network for disaster prevention and mitigation. In the next step, it will deepen meteorological research and science popularization education, promote the transformation of research results into social applications, and contribute to enhancing the scientific literacy of all citizens. Huang Yu indicated that the College of Atmospheric Sciences will continue to focus on national strategic needs and the high-quality development of meteorology, strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration and industry-academia-research cooperation, cultivate more compound innovative talents, and contribute youthful energy and solid support to accelerating the construction of a strong meteorological nation and advancing the modernization of China.
On March 20th, the College of Atmospheric Sciences invited Zhang Qiang, former Chief Engineer and First-Class Inspector of the Gansu Provincial Meteorological Bureau, Second-Class Researcher, Chairman of the Gansu Meteorological Society, Director of the Drought Meteorology Committee of the Chinese Meteorological Society, and Director of the Key Laboratory of Drought Climate Change and Disaster Reduction at the China Meteorological Administration, to visit the "Cloud Observation Forum." He delivered a lecture titled "New Trends in the Study of Warming and Humidification in Northwest China and Scientific Countermeasures." This event showcased the charm of atmospheric science research and instilled early warning concepts and disaster prevention awareness in the minds of students, which is beneficial for enhancing the academic research capabilities and professional competence of undergraduate students in the school.
Meteorological science popularization practice —— students of this research and study are divided into different fields
To align with this year's World Meteorological Day theme, on March 23, the College of Atmospheric Sciences held "Winds Rise at Landa, Meteorology Reborn" themed activities at both the Chengguan and Yuzhong campuses. At the Chengguan campus, three main sections were set up: a photography exhibition titled "The Wonders of Weather in Pictures," a knowledge quiz called "How Much Do You Know About Weather," and an interactive game called "Puzzle Together." Through unique perspectives, participants captured natural phenomena such as changing weather patterns, rain, snow, and rainbows, reinforcing their learning through puzzle competitions. The event's experience area was packed with visitors. At the Yuzhong campus, the college organized meteorological interactive workshops, simulating typhoons and DIY projects like making wind speed meters, which attracted many participants. This activity deeply integrated scientific knowledge with hands-on fun, and students expressed that it was "both informative and down-to-earth," enhancing their understanding of meteorological concepts through practical experience.
Explore the professional password —— unlock high-tech equipment on site
To better help students understand meteorological work, on the morning of March 23, the College of Atmospheric Sciences organized over 100 students to visit and learn at the Gansu Provincial Meteorological Bureau. Guided by staff members, everyone toured the Lanzhou Central Meteorological Observatory, the Gansu Earth System Big Data Platform, meteorological observation stations, and weather forecasting platforms, gaining insights into meteorological science knowledge such as forecast and warning information, and warning signals.
The Gansu Provincial Meteorological Bureau has set up a large number of science popularization exhibition boards within its premises, covering everything from interpreting meteorological disaster warning signals to practical knowledge on meteorological disaster prevention and mitigation. Staff members at the site distributed promotional booklets and science-related items to the students, patiently answering their questions and helping them deeply understand the significance of meteorological warnings.
The College of Atmospheric Sciences has been hosting World Meteorological Day events for several consecutive years, encouraging over a thousand students to delve into communities and primary and secondary schools to promote knowledge on meteorological disaster prevention and mitigation. In the future, the college will continue to organize a series of diverse meteorological science popularization activities, including the Meteorology Expert Challenge, campus meteorology education, meteorological photography contests, meteorology science explanation competitions, and weather health blind box challenges. These efforts aim to further intensify meteorological science communication, build a joint science popularization community between the bureau and the school, and collectively fortify the "first line of defense" against meteorological disasters.
