Science - Gavin Schmidt To Take Over Leadership Of NASA Goddard Institute

NASA today named Gavin Schmidt, 46, to lead the Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS), one of the world’s top climate research institutions. Schmidt, a climate modeler and current deputy director of the lab, follows in the footsteps of prominent climatologist James Hansen, who retired from the agency last year. Although Schmidt does not have quite the public name recognition of Hansen, he is known as one of the nation’s most visible communicators of climate science.

With more than 120 scientific publications to his name, Schmidt has earned the respect of his peers for his work as a climate modeler at GISS, with particular interests in paleoclimate and various drivers of modern climate. But he’s developed a much broader audience as an energetic spokesman for climate science, a role that seems destined to grow as he assumes his new job. He has been a voluminous contributor to RealClimate, for instance, a climate science blog that has garnered more than 15 million views since Schmidt and several colleagues founded it in 2004.

“Schmidt has readily embraced the role of brash culture warrior, not only mixing it up with ‘deniers’ in the blogosphere and on Twitter, but also with other scientists and experts with whom he disagrees,” says communications expert Matthew Nisbet of American University in Washington, D.C. “What will be interesting to watch as he assumes the role of GISS director will be how he balances or merges his media persona with his role as institutional leader and spokesperson.”

On RealClimate, Schmidt has not only sought to debunk papers or news stories he found problematic—like this attack on a report by an Argentinian nonprofit on food production—but also to publish primers on complex science topics, like this post on the role of water vapor. He’s also found regularly in the comments on the blog, where he answers technical questions from readers or battles commenters whose points he disagrees with or finds misleading.

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http://news.sciencemag.org/climate/2014/06/unflappable-science-warrior-chosen-lead-key-nasa-climate-lab