DSOC · Facilities
Where meteorology meets emergency management
DSOC is the hub that brings together Meteorology, Emergency Management, Technology, Communications, Broadcasting, and Response agencies, across five locations, two mobile units, and a top-floor weather observatory.
EST Hall · Main campus
The floor plan
Environmental Science & Technology Hall, 1500 State Street, Bowling Green, KY 42101
Intelligence Operations Unit
The ops floor: multi-monitor forecast and monitoring workstations for live operations and situational awareness.
Co-Lab
A collaborative think-tank space for idea sharing and outreach and education development for emerging initiatives.
DSOC Classroom
A modular training, learning, and weather briefing space backed by a visual wall for interactive learning.
AI Research Lab (AIR Lab)
Advanced computing, big data, and AI tools for novel research development and disaster decision support.
CHAOS Lab & Observatory
The College Heights Atmospheric Observatory for Students, a dedicated forecast facility with a sky-deck viewing area.
Meteorology Laboratory
25 custom-imaged computers with professional weather analysis software, for students learning modern meteorology.
CHAOS
The observatory on the roof
The College Heights Atmospheric Observatory for Students (CHAOS Lab) is a student-centered interactive atmospheric monitoring, prediction, and research facility. The CHAOS Lab is adjoined to the Meteorology Lab which hosts hundreds of students, most of them non-majors, every year.
It is staffed by the University Meteorologist for weather support, outreach, and education, with a panoramic sky-deck view of the WKU campus and the Bowling Green area.
- Instruments
- Custom automated weather stations · Portable weather stations · weather-tracking hardware and software
- Cameras
- 360-degree horizon-view HD video camera atop Van Meter Hall · HD-capable quad-copter
- Computing
- 30 custom-imaged computers with the latest professional weather analysis software (Meteorology Laboratory)
- Museum
- The College Heights Weather Instrument Museum, a close look at the history of meteorological instrumentation
Mobile assets
Operations that travel
Mobile Weather Operations Unit: an upgraded field operations center for event weather monitoring and outreach, housing a weather station and atmospheric software: an agile base of operations for hyperlocal weather and operations support.
DSOC Topper Horn: Signaled by a train horn, the Topper Horn can be heard across town with the celebration of every home game touchdown by the Hilltopper football team!
Locations
Five points on the map
- WKU Main Campus
- Environmental Science & Technology Hall, 1500 State Street, Bowling Green, KY 42101 · DSOC facility operations · CHAOS Lab · Meteorology Laboratory
- WKU Innovation Campus
- 2413 Nashville Road, Bowling Green, KY 42101 · home of DSOC Professional Services (DSOC Pro)
- Warren County EOC
- 1007 State Street, Bowling Green · DSOC Regional Operations Center
- WKU Glasgow
- 500 Hilltopper Way, Glasgow, KY 42141, Room 213
- WKU Owensboro
- 4821 New Hartford Road, Owensboro, KY 42303, Room 109H
Funds from partnership programs go directly toward equipment, field deployment costs, and student scholarships. Become a partner