Jane Lubchenco to Head NOAA

That's the word from the Washington Post. Like, wow. Lubchenco is yet another distinguished scientist and ScienceDebate2008 supporter. We are racking them up in this administration. Here's Lubchenco's video:

Chu, Holdren, Lubchenco....we've got a hell of a science administration shaping up here.

P.S.: Joe Romm has huge praise for the John Holdren pick, and says Holdren is even better than Chu in some ways in terms of dealing with the climate issue...but I would ask, why then wasn't he rolled out as part of the energy and environment team? It's not clear to me how much Holdren will focus on his area of expertise, climate change and energy, given how many people the administration has already named to lead in these areas. As Eli Kintisch puts it over at Science Insider:

A top adviser to the Obama campaign and international expert on energy and climate, Holdren would bolster Obama's team in those areas. Both are crowded portfolios. Obama has already created a new position to coordinate energy issues in the White House staffed by well-connected Carole Browner, former head of the Environmental Protection Agency, and nominated a Nobel-prize winning physicist, Steve Chu, to head the Department of Energy. That could complicate how the Office of Science and Technology Policy, which Holdren will run, will manage energy and environmental policy. "OSTP will have to be redefined in relation to these other centers of formulating policy," says current White House science adviser Jack Marburger.

Remains to be determined, then, precisely how all of these distinguished people will fit into the White House....

More like this

That's what my friend Eli Kintisch is reporting over at Science's new blog, Science Insider. It's also something I suggested in a column for Seed last year, where I wrote, "In science policy circles, one also sometimes hears mention of Harvard's John Holdren, former American Association for the…
ScienceDebate2008 are reporting that John Holdren is going to be nominated as Presidential Science Adivsor, and Jane Lubchenco for head of NOAA. This is good news. John Holdren is a physicist (plasma/fusion physics) with expertise in energy policy, environmental issues and security. Good combo, and…
Folks: Here's another old article I wrote that wasn't online. You could say this is the article that started it all...my 2001 report on how John Marburger had been marginalized in the Bush administration. We're talking old school....but at the same time, this kind of writing ultimately led to The…
In his weekly address, President-elect Obama says: the truth is that promoting science isn't just about providing resources – it's about protecting free and open inquiry. It's about ensuring that facts and evidence are never twisted or obscured by politics or ideology. It's about listening to what…

Folks, this is HUGE. I cannot imagine a better choice for NOAA. Congratulations to Jane and to all of us who care so much about oceans.

Whew! She's not an alumnus of Liberty University!

I feel better already!

Holdren is also an expert in nuclear proliferation. A perfect choice for OSTP and science advisor. We can all sleep a bit better with these choices.

By astounded (not verified) on 18 Dec 2008 #permalink

Jonathan,
President elect-Obama has already pledged that his science adviser will receive the title of "assistant to the president for science and technology," which is what John Marburger lacked.

See here.

This former NOAA biologist is thrilled! I still think NOAA is the coolest agency in government, and I look forward to seeing it run by a real scientist (a West Coast marine ecologist, no less) rather than a retired Navy admiral...

By Mike Kelly (not verified) on 20 Dec 2008 #permalink