iation . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 8 , ▁Ross by ▁joined ▁the ▁fac ulty ▁in ▁the ▁Aer onaut ics ▁Department ▁at ▁M IT , ▁later ▁becoming ▁the ▁found ing ▁head ▁of ▁the ▁M IT ▁Department ▁of ▁Meteor ology ▁( 1 9 4 1 ) ▁( the ▁first ▁in ▁the ▁U . S ., ▁it ▁is ▁now ▁merged ▁with ▁the ▁Department ▁of ▁Earth , ▁At mos pher ic , ▁and ▁Planet ary ▁Sciences ). ▁ ▁Reich ▁also ▁be fri ended ▁Harry ▁G ug gen heim , ▁who ▁fund ed ▁Ross by ▁to ▁develop ▁the ▁first ▁weather ▁observation ▁and ▁forec ast ▁system ▁for ▁av iation ▁in ▁California ▁in ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 2 0 s ; ▁Alexander ▁Mc Ad ie ▁of ▁Harvard ' s ▁Blue ▁Hill ▁Observ atory ; ▁and ▁Robert ▁Mill ikan , ▁president ▁of ▁California ▁Institute ▁of ▁Technology , ▁who ▁had ▁extensive ▁interactions ▁with ▁Reich ▁who , ▁in ▁turn , ▁had ▁been ▁sent ▁by ▁the ▁Navy ▁to ▁help ▁Ir ving ▁P . ▁Kr ick ▁establish ▁a ▁meteor ological ▁department ▁at ▁Cal tech . ▁▁ ▁Ross by , ▁Mc Ad ie , ▁G ug gen heim , ▁and ▁Mill ikan ▁would ▁later ▁be ▁instrument al ▁in ▁supporting ▁Reich ' s ▁appointment ▁as ▁Director ▁of ▁the ▁National ▁We ather ▁Bureau ▁( now ▁known ▁as ▁NO AA ). ▁ ▁In fl uen ced ▁by ▁his ▁friendship ▁with ▁Ross by ▁and ▁his ▁familiar ity ▁with ▁the ▁teach ings ▁of ▁The ▁Norwegian ▁Ber gen ▁School ▁of ▁Meteor ology , ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 1