Professor Christopher Castro departing University of Arizona after nearly two decades in Hydrology & Atmospheric Sciences
Castro has been named the new director of the NSF NCAR Research Applications Laboratory.
After nearly two decades of service at the University of Arizona, including the past two years as interim head of the renowned Department of Hydrology & Atmospheric Sciences, professor Christopher Castro has been named Director of the Research Applications Laboratory (RAL) at the U.S. National Science Foundation National Center for Atmospheric Research (NSF NCAR). Castro will depart the university on July 1, 2024, and assume his new position with NSF NCAR on August 1, 2024.
Castro joined the University of Arizona as a faculty member in August 2006 and has made a profound impact on the Department of Hydrology & Atmospheric Sciences (HAS) during his time in southern Arizona. Castro was named associate head of HAS in 2019 and was appointed interim department head in 2022.
An expert in hydrometeorology, Castro's research has applied specialized modeling techniques to predict water resources and extreme weather in arid and semiarid environments. A particular focus of his research has been the North American monsoon, among many other research topics. His expertise spans short-term weather forecasts, sub-seasonal to seasonal forecasts, and climate projection. Through collaborations and outreach activities, Castro is also working to develop improved capacity for weather climate research in other parts of the world, especially Latin America.
"Chris Castro’s research at the intersection of weather, climate, and hydrology embodies why our Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences department is highly regarded," said Dr. Carmala Garzione, Dean of the College of Science. "Chris has led the department of Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences with integrity, compassion, and community engagement, enabling the department to navigate difficult challenges and develop opportunities for a strong and impactful future. We will miss Chris, but I know that his talents will be well-deployed as Director of NCAR’s Research Applications Laboratory."
Castro’s history with NSF NCAR dates back to the late 1990s, when he was one of the students in the first class of the Significant Opportunities in Atmospheric Research and Science (SOARS) program. He has collaborated extensively with NSF NCAR scientists since then. He also serves on the UCAR President’s Advisory Council on University Relations, which helps guide strategic priorities for the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR), a nonprofit consortium of 126 North American colleges and universities that manages NSF NCAR on behalf of NSF.
“UCAR and NSF NCAR hold a very special place for me in my life,” Castro said in an NSF NCAR announcement. “The RAL directorship position provides me an exciting, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to give back to an organization that has made such a profoundly positive impact on my life and is well aligned with my values.”