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He championed the meteorology program more than 40 years
ago. Today his legendary name continues to guide one of SUNY Oswego’s signature
studies.
A group of faculty, family and friends gathered Nov. 9 to dedicate
a state-of-the-art weather station to Dr. Eugene Chermack.
"We are all truly touched by this,” said Marian Chermack on
behalf of her four children. She said her late husband “would be
thrilled” with the station.
Eugene Chermack, who taught at Oswego from 1967 until 2000 and passed away
in 2006, firmly believed in the value of research in an undergraduate setting,
Marian said.
“We probably wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for Gene,” said
Professor Scott Steiger ’99, who
studied under Chermack. He remembered a mentor who was tough, but always
willing to help his students.
The lakeside station along Rudolph Road north of Seneca Hall was
funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation. “This [station] is
truly a dream come true for those of us in the meteorology program,” said
Steiger, who donated
funds to name the weather tower in memory of Chermack.
The station will directly sample lake-modified air to help with
lake effect storm research. Installed on a 30-foot tower 30 feet from the
shore, it can measure temperature at two meters and 10 meters above ground,
humidity at both levels, wind direction and speed at 10 meters high and can
gauge visibility in a storm.
“It’s nice to be able to compare the data to the weather
we’re actually experiencing,” meteorology major Ron Harris ’10 said. Currently data is collected at points in the
city of Oswego or Fulton, while this will draw samples from the
campus’ unique location, he said.
-- Shane M. Liebler
PHOTO CAPTION:
Meteorology faculty members join Marian Chermack
at the dedication of Oswego’s
weather station to her late husband, Eugene Chermack, Nov. 9. From left are: Professor
Robert Ballentine, Jack Gelfand of the Office of Research and Sponsored
Programs, Professor Al Stamm, Marian Chermack, Professor Scott Steiger ’99 and Professor Steve Skubis.
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