Current instructor

Ankur Desai

/5Adjusted rating
/5RMP difficulty
captured reviews
About this rating

Raw average: 4.62/5 from 8 quality ratings. The adjusted rating blends this with the UW review average (3.66/5), weighted as 20 additional ratings. Smaller samples stay closer to that average. Each captured review is counted once in the prior; this does not correct who chooses to leave a review.

RMP profile ↗ · All captured review dates; profile matched by name.

What students say

Original student reviews · all captured dates

ATM171 · course not matched
Quality 5/5Difficulty 2/5
Fantastic professor and probably one of my favorite. His lectures are clear, relatively easy to understand, and almost an easy A. There is a few papers but that's expected of a Comm B. There is a textbook but its not required (most readings are not required but you'll get the most out of the course that way). Group project (Fall 2021) but easy.
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ATM171 · course not matched
Quality 5/5Difficulty 2/5
Taken for Comm B/Phys Sci. Bi-weekly (noncumulative) quizzes and papers and no finals/midterms. Can use notes during quizzes. Lecture slides posted online. Not too "science-y" of a science class. Light on homework, apart from the … Read full reviewShow less
Taken for Comm B/Phys Sci. Bi-weekly (noncumulative) quizzes and papers and no finals/midterms. Can use notes during quizzes. Lecture slides posted online. Not too "science-y" of a science class. Light on homework, apart from the papers (all of which were pretty short). All in all, a great class for knocking out these requirements. Great professor.
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ATM171 · course not matched
Quality 5/5Difficulty 2/5
Professor Desai seems really knowledgeable in lectures, and really knows what he's talking about. He throws a lot of information at you, but just copy it down since the quizzes are open notes and come right off of his lectures. Just papers and quizzes, no final or midterm, pretty straightforward layout. Would recommend for Comm B.
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ATM171 · course not matched
Quality 5/5Difficulty 2/5
Professor Desai is very cool and very knowledgeable about the classes he teaches. He lays out very clear grading criteria and gives you plenty of time to work on the papers and such he assigns. If you show up to class you will get an A.
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ENVIR171 · course not matched
Quality 4/5Difficulty 3/5
Took to fulfill Comm B. Requirement. Boring voice. Not exciting. Not textbook heavy. Not too much reading. Recommend taking notes on a computer. Bi-weekly papers, Bi-weekly quizzes. No midterms or final. Papers are time consuming, but content is easy, not complicated. Lowest quiz grade dropped. 2 Long Papers. Must take notes, PPTs not helpful
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ATM171 · course not matched
Quality 5/5Difficulty 1/5
I needed to fulfill a physical science breadth requirement, and I am glad that I had taken this class by Professor Desai. There is either a short paper or open-note quiz every week; attendance matters; and two longer papers. It may seem like a lot of work, but it isn't at all. Plus, there is no final. I would recommend.
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Personal experiences, not a representative survey. Profile matching and captured coverage are shown in the source details.

Classes with Ankur Desai

ATMOCN 404

Meteorological Measurements

3 credits

ATMOCN 404: METEOROLOGICAL MEASUREMENTS provides practical experience in planning experiments, performing instrument quality control, conducting computational data analysis, and presenting observations in a team setting.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

Recent recorded grades — Spring 2020: 4.00 GPA, 100.0% A/AB (n=11 letter grades); Spring 2024: 4.00 GPA, 100.0% A/AB (n=11 letter grades); Fall 2024: 4.00 GPA, 100.0% A/AB (n=14 letter grades). Includes jointly taught sections.

Ankur Desai

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2022–Spring 2025 · limited sample
ATMOCN 691

Senior Thesis

2–3 credits

ATMOCN 691 is a senior thesis course providing individual mentored study for students completing their theses.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

Jonathan MartinAndrea Lang+17 more

No recorded grade history

ATMOCN 692

Senior Thesis

2–3 credits

ATMOCN 692 is a senior thesis course involving individual mentored study arranged with a faculty member.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

Andrea LangAnkur Desai+12 more

No recorded grade history

ATMOCN 698

Directed Study

1–5 credits

ATMOCN 698 is a directed study course allowing students to conduct independent research or study arranged with a faculty member.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

Jonathan MartinAndrea Lang+18 more

No recorded grade history

ATMOCN 699

Directed Study

1–5 credits

ATMOCN 699 is a directed study course allowing students to conduct independent research or study under faculty supervision.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

Jonathan MartinAndrea Lang+18 more

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2022–Spring 2024 · limited sample
ATMOCN 903

Research Advances in the Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences

1 credits

ATMOCN 903 prepares graduate students for their Ph.D. preliminary exam through philosophy of science discussions, literature reviews, and proposal writing training.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

Recent recorded grades — Fall 2024: 3.92 GPA, 91.7% A/AB (n=12 letter grades).

Ankur Desai

historical GPA · grades

Fall 2024–Fall 2024 · limited sample
ATMOCN 990

Research

1–12 credits

ATMOCN 990 is a research course where students work with atmospheric and oceanic science faculty advisors.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

Jonathan MartinAndrea Lang+18 more

No recorded grade history

ATMOCN 999

Advanced Independent Study

1–6 credits

ATMOCN 999 is an advanced independent study course arranged with a faculty member.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

Recent recorded grades — Fall 2021: 4.00 GPA, 100.0% A/AB (n=12 letter grades); Spring 2022: 4.00 GPA, 100.0% A/AB (n=1 letter grades).

Jonathan MartinAnkur Desai+6 more

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2022–Spring 2026 · limited sample
CIVENGR 699

Independent Study

1–9 credits

CIVENGR 699 is an independent study course conducted under faculty supervision.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

Sue AhnDante Fratta+43 more

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2022–Spring 2026 · limited sample
CIVENGR 990

Thesis

1–12 credits

CIVENGR 990 is a thesis course conducted under faculty supervision.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

Sue AhnDante Fratta+40 more

No recorded grade history

CIVENGR 999

Advanced Independent Study

1–9 credits

An advanced independent study course in civil engineering conducted under faculty supervision.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

Sue AhnDante Fratta+39 more

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2022–Spring 2023 · limited sample

Recorded teaching history

Explore courses taught by this instructor →
Browse recorded courses
TermCourseTitle
Fall 2026ATMOCN 404Meteorological Measurements
Fall 2026ATMOCN 681Senior Honors Thesis
Fall 2026ATMOCN 691Senior Thesis
Fall 2026ATMOCN 692Senior Thesis
Fall 2026ATMOCN 698Directed Study
Fall 2026ATMOCN 699Directed Study
Fall 2026ATMOCN 903Research Advances in the Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences
Fall 2026ATMOCN 990Research
Fall 2026ATMOCN 999Advanced Independent Study
Fall 2026CIVENGR 699Independent Study
Fall 2026CIVENGR 790Master's Research or Thesis
Fall 2026CIVENGR 890Pre-dissertator's Research
Fall 2026CIVENGR 990Thesis
Fall 2026CIVENGR 999Advanced Independent Study

Teaching history may be incomplete. Course pages contain course-specific feedback and citations.

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