Jane Lubchenco to Head NOAA

High 26, Partly cloudy

Apparently I have been too busy watching the juncos pecking at the seed scattered below my feeder because I missed the announcement on Dec. 18th that president-elect Barak Obama has appointed Jane Lubchenco to head the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.  My congratulations to Dr. Lubchenco!

Jane Lubchenco is a Distinguished Professor of Zoology at Oregon State University.  She is an inspiring teacher and advisor to graduate students (two brilliant friends of mine worked closely with her during their graduate studies), and she is a world-renowned environmental scientist and marine biologist.  Dr. Lubchenco's work focuses on sustainability issues regarding marine systems and the impact humans have on their surroundings, but her work is broad and interdisciplinary, which makes it more difficult and more valuable.

Dr. Lubchenco's work is well-known by ecologists and environmental scientists, and her honors are diverse and prestigious.  For a more thorough biography, please check out her page at OSU. 

What I think is the most important piece of Dr. Lubchenco's work is her advocacy for scientists to step out of the lab and into public discussions.  Many scientists become scientists because they are curious about parts of the world around them.  They love what they study, and many love talking about it with other people in their field.  But too few scientists get involved in the bigger discussions about climate change, alternative energy, public policy and other issues on "Main Street".  Many scientists either get so interested in their work that they ignore how their piece fits into the whole, or they just don't want to bother with the whole. 

If you've ever hung around Bomb's Away at 5pm on a Friday in Corvallis (Oregon, sorry New England), you know that scientists can be a social, lively, spirited bunch.  Gone are the days of the scientist sociopath!  We can certainly talk to eachother, so let's talk to others.  Some scientists I know already do that kind of thing.  One friend in Canada spoke about climate change at a gathering in his small town.  Another friend works to educate young people and the public about invasive species in Massachusetts.  That's kind of what this blog is about-documenting the natural world and sharing it with everyone.

As a tribute to Dr. Lubchenco, I will post a link to this blog in Facebook.  If you're reading this, you are getting involved.