Neil F Laird

Neil F Laird is a Professor of Geoscience at Hobart and William Smith Colleges (HWS), where he has been a faculty member since 2004. He is based in the Department of Geoscience and specializes in atmospheric science, particularly meteorology and climatology. His research is highly collaborative, involving extensive undergraduate engagement and supported by funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

• Ph.D., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• M.S., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• B.S., State University of New York at Oswego (magna cum laude)

Neil Laird's research focuses on lake-effect precipitation, severe weather systems, climate dynamics, and environmental meteorology. He has supervised nearly 80 undergraduate students through the HWS summer research program and led the establishment of the NEPARS REU site in 2018, a collaborative initiative with Plymouth State University to promote undergraduate research in atmospheric sciences.

His published works span topics such as lake-effect snow, wind chill climatology, and weather impacts on bird migration. These studies often involve detailed climatological analyses and field observations, emphasizing the interaction between lakes and regional weather patterns across North America.

His notable scientific achievement includes receiving an NSF REU site grant in 2018 to launch the Northeast Partnership for Atmospheric and Related Sciences (NEPARS).

• Supervised nearly 80 undergraduate researchers
• Principal Investigator for NSF and NOAA-funded projects
• Established and directs the NEPARS REU site
• Active in field-based education, including storm-chasing and weather measurement courses

Neil Laird teaches a broad range of courses including Introduction to Meteorology, Climate Change Science, Weather Analysis, and Polar Meteorology, and emphasizes hands-on learning through data analysis and field studies.