CSU Department of Atmospheric Science

Teams working on NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s INCUS (Investigation of Convective Updrafts) mission, the first space-based survey of the dynamics of tropical convective storms, have completed assembly and tested two of the mission’s small satellites, or SmallSats. Testing continues on the third SmallSat and is scheduled for completion no earlier than September in advance of a 2027 launch.

Led by principal investigator Sue van den Heever of Colorado State University in Fort Collins, INCUS will use spaceborne radar instruments developed at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California to observe the vertical motion of air and water, known as convective mass flux, as storms develop and evolve.

The mission will also explore how environmental factors such as air temperature, humidity, pressure, wind speed, and wind direction correlate with that movement.

Read more: https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/smallsatellites/2026/06/05/nasas-incus-mission-on-road-to-launch-study-storms-from-space/

CSU will be observing Juneteenth as an official state holiday next week on Friday, June 19, 2026. Juneteenth provides our community an opportunity to mark this important date in United States history by acknowledging our country’s painful past of American slavery and reflecting upon and honoring the countless ways our diverse students, faculty and staff bring a rich heritage and vital perspective to our university, community, and country.

Events will take place in Fort Collins this weekend (Friday-Saturday) to celebrate Juneteenth and bring awareness to the history of this important day.

We will be commemorating Juneteenth from June 19-20 in Fort Collins at the Foothills Mall; with special performances from FoCo Motown R***e, Sol Pride, and more! Activities include a teen night, health and wellness events, live entertainment, art, and education. It will be a celebration with educational opportunities, dance, music, art, theatre, wellness, food, and business vendors.

The celebration kicks off at 6 p.m. on Friday, June 19 at Foothills mall, with an opening summer concert on the lawn featuring live performances from talented artists, including The Reminders.

You can find more information about the Fort Collins celebrations at

FoCo Juneteenth Community Celebration | Fort Collins, Colorado FoCo Juneteenth Community Celebration takes place the weekend of June 19-20 at Foothills Mall. Celebrate Black Culture in Northern Colorado

The Colorado Climate Center supports the state through alarming drought conditions. With three-quarters of Colorado in severe drought, Colorado’s Drought Task Force is leaning on Professor Russ Schumacher for regular updates on statewide conditions.

Colorado Climate Center supports state through alarming drought conditions Colorado’s Drought Task Force is leaning on Russ Schumacher, atmospheric science professor at Colorado State University, for regular updates on statewide conditions.

Read about Anastasia Tomanek, current graduate student in our department ⬇️

What's it like to put yourself in the path of a tornado 🌪️?

Jen Walton and Anastasia Tomanek are part of both Girls Who Chase and the Doppler on Wheels team, pursuing up-close scientific measurements of severe storms.

Read about their experiences: https://bit.ly/3QyrbVU

Four current CSU students and an alumnus received NSF Graduate Research Fellowships, and 11 earned honorable mentions. The program supports outstanding students pursuing research-based master’s and doctoral degrees and is designed to help ensure the quality, vitality and diversity of the scientific and engineering workforce.

This year’s fellowship recipients include atmospheric science student Justin Hassel and incoming student Alyssa Vivienne Shih, joining Professor Russ Schumacher’s lab.

The five-year fellowship provides three years of financial support, including an annual stipend and a cost-of-education allowance to the institution. Fellows have opportunities to pursue innovative research and professional development throughout their graduate studies.

Justin Hassel is a master’s student in Associate Professor Kristen Rasmussen’s lab, and his research centers on understanding deep convective storms, severe weather and their impacts on society in current and future climates. He is also studying how deep convective storms transport mass vertically through the atmosphere across different storm systems using high-resolution climate simulations in support of NASA’s Investigation of Convective Updrafts (INCUS) mission. After graduation, Hassel plans to continue studying deep convection and severe weather as a research scientist, using emerging modeling, observational and machine learning tools to better understand high-impact weather events in a changing climate.

Read about the other CSU recipients on SOURCE.

https://source.colostate.edu/csu-students-earn-prestigious-nsf-graduate-research-fellowships/

Catch the latest on NASA's INCUS mission led by principal investigator Sue van den Heever, one of our University Distinguished Professors. Two of the mission’s small satellites have been assembled and tested.

NASA’s INCUS Mission on Road to Launch, Study Storms From Space - NASA Teams working on NASA’s INCUS (Investigation of Convective Updrafts) mission, the first space-based survey of the dynamics of tropical convective storms, have