OU went beyond a national search to find its new School of Meteorology director.

David Parsons, who just completed his first week at OU, was hired from the World Meteorological Organization in Geneva.

''The WMO is a United Nations organization that oversees weather and climate, so yes, I came here from Geneva," he said.

Parsons is succeeding Fred Carr, who is returning this fall to full-time teaching at OU after leading the school for 14 years.

Parsons was a senior scientist at the National Research Center for Atmospheric Science in Boulder, Colo., where he worked for 27 years, before taking a leave of absence to be a U.S. delegate in Geneva.

As a research meteorologist, Parsons has worked on studies based from Asia to Antarctica and back to the United States on subjects ranging from typhoons to the ozone layer.

His favorite projects were those that directly benefited people, especially those in Third World countries, Parsons said.

Susan Postawko, associate professor of meteorology and member of the director search committee, said Parsons was the standout candidate because of his research experience, but he also connected.

''One thing we noticed during the process is he how he really listens to people," she said. ''He can deal with a diverse group of people and we are all very excited to have him."