“It’s almost a golden age of Earth observation because these many missions which are flying at the same time are all measuring different aspects of the system at the same time, and most with global extent. This is giving us, for the first time, the fodder for assembling an integrated view of the Earth.”
French geophysicist and GEO Secretariat Director Jose Achache discusses not only the vision, progress and achievements of GEO but also the challenges relating to resources and industry’s role in GEOSS with Earthzine contributor Peter Fairley.
An expert on the behavior of the upper atmosphere, Mahlman led the development of one of the first global climate models, for which he received the American Geophysical Union’s Carl-Gustav Rossby Medal, its highest honor. Mahlman chaired the Earth System Science and Applications Advisory Committee for NASA’s Mission to Planet Earth program in the 1990s and was involved in the founding of the IPCC; He created the so-called betting odds scheme used by IPCC to evaluate uncertainty and was a reviewer of the Working Group I report for IPCC’s 2007 assessment.
Following the creation of the ad hoc intergovernmental Group on Earth Observations in Washington in 2003, South Africa’s Rob Adam was selected as one of GEO’s four co-chairs, alongside colleagues from the U.S., Japan and the European Commission.
The business of standards within the developing GEOSS community requires the commitment, expertise, and networking capabilities of a host of individuals. Foremost among these is Siri Jodha Singh Khalsa of the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC), in Boulder, Colorado. Since receiving his B.A. in Physics from the University of California, Irvine, and his Ph.D. in Atmospheric Sciences from the University of Washington, Seattle, Khalsa has been a major contributor to a variety of data programs. His activity in leading the IEEE effort in standards and interoperability for GEOSS is a natural extension of his work in these programs, albeit on a global scale.
The hat collection overtaking his corner office two blocks from the White House says much of Conrad Lautenbacher’s interests. The caps are mementos of a decorated 40-year Navy career and also from his current job, where part of it is running oceanographic and fisheries vessels, including underwater robots.
Cindy Lee Van Dover is a pioneer: a submarine pilot and the first woman to direct the Duke University Marine Laboratory. This interview gives insite into the life, career and discoveries of an impressive woman.
The Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Al Gore and to a United Nations panel for their work on global warming.
Dr. Daniel Wildcat, a Euchee member of the Muscogee Nation of Oklahoma, is a faculty member in the School of American Indian Studies at the Haskell Indian Nations University where he has taught since 1986. His doctorate is in public administration and social science and provides basis for his keen interest in the social implications of climate change. Dr. Wildcat … Read More
