Author Archives: William Hooke

Impact! Another NOAA vignette…

…following up from the previous LOTRW post, recalling an occasion from nearly forty years ago (stop me if you’ve heard this). The event? An annual NOAA/OAR management retreat sometime in the 1980’s. The NOAA Environmental Research Laboratory directors had gathered … Continue reading

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Boom! David Guston reflects on impact.

“Everybody talks about impact, but nobody does anything about it.[1]” Have admired David Guston and his political science/policy research from afar. You should too – but probably from way closer-up. By way of helping you decide whether you want to … Continue reading

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Science diplomacy. A forecast

Mention science diplomacy to a geoscientist or a social scientist focusing on Earthly matters, and you’ll likely bring to mind the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change or IPCC (consider, e.g., the reader’s comment with respect to the recent LOTRW post … Continue reading

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Science Diplomacy “…and furthermore…”

The previous LOTRW post reflecting on science diplomacy triggered two responses that prompt this brief postscript. The first came from a social-scientist/Facebook friend via Messenger. My colleague opined: The concept of what is valid academic scholarship and research must change … Continue reading

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A few reflections on science diplomacy.

Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” – Jesus (Matthew 9:37-38 NIV) Diplomacy frequently consists in soothingly saying “Nice doggie” … Continue reading

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Focus, people!

Whistler’s Arrangement in Grey and Black No.1 (you may know it by another name). File information A week ago a bout of insomnia found me web-browsing and coming across this challenge in the New York Times – Test Your Focus: … Continue reading

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GMU’s department of atmospheric, oceanic, and Earth sciences fixes the PhD qualifying exam.

Physics Today’s July 2024 issue provides the happy news, in an article authored by Timothy DelSole and Paul A. Dirmeyer. They begin in this (excerpted) vein: As senior scientists, we have navigated the challenging waters of the PhD qualifying exam—both … Continue reading

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AI impact on global energy demand. Further incentive to think like the Wright brothers.

On July 11 my InBox contained this contribution from a New York Times (subscription) service, a thoughtful piece by David Gelles entitled A.I.’s insatiable appetite for energy. He cited an interview that he and other reporters had held some weeks … Continue reading

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NASEM’s inaugural State of the Science Address

On June 26, Marcia McNutt, President of the National Academy of Sciences and Chair of the National Research Council, presented what NASEM billed as an inaugural State of the Science Address. A February press release had publicized the event this way: “Just … Continue reading

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When it comes to artificial intelligence and weather, think like the Wright brothers.

On May 13th  the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) Board on Atmospheric Sciences and Climate held a day of sessions entitled Enabling US Leadership in Artificial Intelligence for Weather. A webcast made the experience available to a … Continue reading

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