Robert E. Munn
American Meteorological Society Oral History Project
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On September 28, 1983, David W. Phillips interviewed Dr. Robert E. Munn for the Canadian Meteorological Service Oral History Project at the University of Toronto. The interview traces Munn's career in meteorology, beginning with his graduation from McMaster University in 1941 and early roles in Canada’s Meteorological Service. Munn reflects on his experiences during World War II, including his work at Gander and Halifax, and how these shaped his interest in research. He discusses his contributions to the Windsor-Detroit air pollution study and his doctoral research at the University of Michigan, completed in 1962, which focused on vertical diffusion in the atmosphere. Munn details his leadership in micrometeorology and air quality research at the Atmospheric Environment Service (AES), highlighting his role in field studies, international collaborations, and foundational contributions to air pollution meteorology. The interview covers Munn’s participation in global initiatives, such as his work with the World Meteorological Organization and his influential research on acid rain and long-range transport of air pollutants during his sabbatical in Sweden. Munn reflects on his tenure as Chief Scientist of AES's Air Quality Research Branch and his transition to academia in 1977, where he joined the University of Toronto’s Institute for Environmental Studies. Notable topics include the development of the Boundary-Layer Meteorology journal, his books such as Descriptive Micrometeorology, and his views on interdisciplinary research, environmental monitoring, and the future of meteorological science.
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