On May 29, 2001, Gene Bierly interviewed Robert C. Cowen in Boston, Massachusetts, as part of the American Meteorological Society’s Tape Recorded Interview Project. Born in Concord, New Hampshire, in 1927, Cowen describes his upbringing in Boston and his educational journey, which led him to study meteorology at MIT. Cowen discusses his decision to switch from aeronautical engineering to meteorology, his experiences at MIT during and after World War II, and his relationships with influential figures in the meteorology department, such as Tom Malone, Henry Houghton, and Victor Starr.