Predicting the weather can be a tedious process.

Jon Nese, associate professor of meteorology, is researching a way for meteorologists to identify which weather situations are the easiest to predict.

But Nese doesn't do his research from University Park's Walker Building -- he does it at the Beaver Campus.

Contrary to what many people think, University Park isn't the only place where research is conducted, said Robert Arbuckle, chief executive officer of the New Kensington Campus.

All faculty members on the tenure track, whether at University Park or at a Commonwealth Campus, are required to do research along with teaching classes, he said.

Although Nese likes teaching, he said it's difficult at times to research and teach classes.

"It wouldn't hurt to have a little more time to do research," said Nese, who teaches three classes.

Researching at a Commonwealth Campus is different than researching at University Park, he said. The primary function of the Commonwealth Campuses is to teach, and it is impossible for professors to do as much research as University Park professors, he said.

But a large percentage of Commonwealth Campus faculty members are on the tenure track, said Leslie Brown, director of academic affairs at the Beaver Campus, adding that success on tenure track requires a great deal of research.

And funding for research at Commonwealth Campuses comes from various places, Brown said. Some research is funded independently, while other research projects are funded by Research Development Grants through the University, she added.

Some projects also receive funding locally or from individual departments, Arbuckle said. The liberal arts department funds some research projects at the New Kensington Campus, he said.

But research funds are often hard to come by, Brown said.

"Competition is keener for fewer funds," she said.

Nese receives minimal funding that includes a Research Development Grant and a grant from the Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center.

Nese added that since Commonwealth Campuses do not have graduate students, he does not have to pay stipends or buy computers for them. Therefore, he does not need as much research money as a University Park professor.

Some research at the Commonwealth Campuses is done jointly with research at University Park, said Gary Mullen, associate dean of Commonwealth Education for the Eberly College of Science.

Commonwealth Campus professors work at their respective campuses, rather than researching at University Park, because they teach classes at the campuses, Mullen said.