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NASA Names Gavin Schmidt Director of the Goddard Institute For Space Studies

Posted by samzenpus on from the new-boss dept.

First time accepted submitter Graculus (3653645) writes "NASA has named Gavin A. Schmidt to head the agency's Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) in New York, a leading Earth climate research laboratory. Currently deputy director of the institute, Schmidt steps into the position left vacant after the retirement of long-time director James E. Hansen and becomes only the third person to hold the post."

9 of 41 comments (clear)

  1. National Atmospheric Science Administration by Tailhook · · Score: 2

    Climate modelers belong in NOAA.

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    1. Re:National Atmospheric Science Administration by starless · · Score: 2

      Before even debating which agency should be involved, why is the "Goddard Institute for Space Studies" a climate research facility? With a name like that, shouldn't it be studying, well, space?

      It's "space studies" because the studies are done (in many cases) from space.

      We don't study "space" at NASA - we study stars, planets, galaxies, the universe as a whole, the Sun, and, yes, the Earth - all from space.

      That's why the Hubble Space Telescope is a "space" telescope. Not because it looks at "space" but because the telescope itself is in space.

  2. Re:Why are taxpayers funding this? by oodaloop · · Score: 3, Insightful

    If climate science is really worthwhile

    You mean our atmosphere, the thing that keeps us alive and will hopefully continue to do so in the future as long as we don't fuck it up? That thing? Yeah, totally not worth the sliver of NASA's small budget.

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  3. Re:funding shortages by KeensMustard · · Score: 2

    Yes, how dare they report facts that you don't like.

  4. Here is his TED talk by Layzej · · Score: 3, Informative

    Here is the man himself giving a TED talk on the limitations and capabilities of climate models: http://www.ted.com/talks/gavin...

    1. Re:Here is his TED talk by Layzej · · Score: 2

      Best line: "Models are not right or wrong. They are always wrong. They are always approximations. The question you have to ask is whether a model tells more information than you would have had otherwise. If it does, it is skillful."

    2. Re:Here is his TED talk by Layzej · · Score: 2

      Or perhaps "If we had observations of the future, we obviously would trust them more than models, but unfortunately observations of the future are not available at this time."

  5. Re:Why are taxpayers funding this? by riverat1 · · Score: 2

    Good luck, Gavin Schmidt is one of the primary architects of the GISS Model-E, one of the preeminent climate models in the world.

  6. Re:Why are taxpayers funding this? by Eunuchswear · · Score: 2

    Ah, so we're not to use models any more.

    That'll make getting into an airplane more exciting in the future.

    As for being "correct", Schmidt himself said: "Models are not right or wrong. They are always wrong. They are always approximations. The question you have to ask is whether a model tells more information than you would have had otherwise. If it does, it is skillful."

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