In 1997, Sharanya (“Sharan”) Majumdar was fresh out of Cambridge University with bachelor’s and doctoral degrees in mathematics, eager to enter the atmospheric sciences.
After a few rejected applications, Majumdar was offered a postdoctoral position at Penn State, the result of a chance encounter—a “lucky break,” in his telling—with a Penn State professor at a train station in Australia. Later, he received a formal offer from that professor’s colleague, packed his bags, and moved to a new country to enter a new field.
“I grew up in the U.K., where the weather was boring,” Majumdar, professor of atmospheric sciences at the Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science, recalled. “I happened to go on a couple of summer internships in Australia, and that’s where I learned about weather and climate processes, and how their impacts affected society.”
“And throughout my education and career, I have been blessed with several instances of good fortune together with very supportive mentors,” he added.
Now, after nearly 25 years on the Rosenstiel faculty, many of them spent mentoring graduate and undergraduate students, Majumdar is making a planned gift to support high-achieving students pursuing doctoral degrees in any area of the atmospheric sciences.
“Sharan Majumdar exemplifies the highest ideals of scholarship, mentorship, and service to society,” Benjamin Kirtman, dean of the Rosenstiel School and William R. Middelthon III Endowed Chair of Earth Sciences, said. “His commitment to supporting Ph.D. students—the engine of discovery in our field—at the Rosenstiel School reflects a deep understanding of what it takes to sustain excellence in atmospheric sciences over the long term.”
“We are profoundly grateful for Dr. Majumdar’s leadership and generosity,” Kirtman added. “By investing in Ph.D. training, he is investing not only in scientific innovation, but in people. His commitment ensures that the next generation of atmospheric scientists has the support needed to pursue ambitious research and to translate knowledge into real‑world impact.”
For his part, Majumdar is grateful to the Rosenstiel School and the University “for giving us a system that puts faculty and students in a position to succeed. I’ve been very fortunate to have great colleagues and great students, and I really wanted to give back in some way.”
Although Majumdar admits that he did not know much about hurricanes when he arrived at Rosenstiel, he wanted to contribute to a then-fledgling academic program that would become a leader in hurricane science. “Slowly, I started to develop some research, build connections, and obtain some grants,” he said. “And I always had very supportive colleagues, within and outside the University. A few years later, things started to take off, and I have been able to sustain a large research group, including many Ph.D. students.”
Along the way, Majumdar has played a key role in developing the graduate and undergraduate programs in atmospheric sciences, tirelessly promoting the department and school during his frequent travels. He emphasized that “the Department of Atmospheric Sciences pursues research and education in several areas of importance to society, including atmospheric chemistry, climate dynamics and impacts, cloud and radiation physics, and hurricanes and tropical meteorology.”
Some of Majumdar’s own students pursue research on how disorganized clusters of thunderstorms (or “easterly waves”) from Africa sometimes develop into powerful hurricanes. Quinton Lawton, Ph.D. ’24, one of his doctoral graduates, recently mentored an undergraduate on a study that showed how El Niño and La Niña may affect the activity of these easterly waves. Will Downs, a current Ph.D. student, developed a novel AI-based tool that can track these waves across the Atlantic and even into the Pacific Ocean. This tool is now being used daily by the National Hurricane Center.
Majumdar has developed three unique courses: two succinctly titled graduate courses, “Hurricanes” and “Predictability,” and one undergraduate course called, “Tropical Weather and Forecasting,” which includes students’ evaluations of hurricane forecasts and impacts.
With Rodolphe el-Khoury, dean of the School of Architecture, Majumdar led the planning process and developed the interdisciplinary foundations for what became the University’s Climate Resilience Institute, of which he and el-Khoury were interim co-directors. In 2025, Majumdar was elected a fellow of the American Meteorological Society.
Majumdar also previously served as the director of two graduate programs and later as the Rosenstiel School’s associate dean of graduate studies. In those roles, he led the reform of the school’s master’s and doctoral programs to modernize the programs and attract top-class students.
He also learned from students about why they chose Miami and what mattered to them. “It’s about caring mentorship, a deep understanding from faculty of what the students’ goals are, what their needs are, and having that mutual respect,” he explained.
“The Department of Atmospheric Sciences is not large, but it’s very high on quality. Everyone there is a world leader in their field, and we have many top Ph.D. students as well,” he said. “We have established a strong collegial culture, and there’s first-class mentorship from the faculty.”
“Fun” or “great fun” peppers Majumdar’s descriptions of his work and career, especially when he talks about working with students. They are his central priority, and he feels strongly about the importance of attracting, supporting, and mentoring talented Ph.D. students. It’s how his own career evolved, and it strongly influenced his decision to make his planned gift: “I’ve been supported all through my career, and a lot of what I’ve enjoyed and achieved has revolved around Ph.D. students. I’d like to pay back in a way that helps support the next generation and contribute in a small way to help meet the future needs of society.”
