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Gavin Schmidt
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{{short description|British climatologist and mathematician}} {{Infobox person | name = Gavin Schmidt | image = Gavin_Schmidt.jpg | image_size = | alt = | caption = Gavin A. Schmidt | birth_date = <!-- {{birth date|YYYY|MM|DD}} --> | birth_place = | nationality = British<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/blog/2009/jul/06/gavin-schmidt-climate-change|title=Gavin Schmidt: a climatologist trying to give out the right signals amid the noise|work=[[The Guardian]]|date=6 July 2009}}</ref> | education = BA (Oxon); PhD (London), both in mathematics | alma_mater = [[Jesus College, Oxford]]<br /> [[University College London]]. | employer = [[Goddard Institute for Space Studies]] | occupation = Climate modeller, Climatologist | spouse = | partner = | children = | parents = | relations = | awards = | website = [http://www.giss.nasa.gov/staff/gschmidt/ Schmidt's homepage] }} '''Gavin A. Schmidt''' is a British [[climatologist]], climate modeler and Director of the [[NASA]] [[Goddard Institute for Space Studies]] (GISS) in New York, and co-founder of the climate science blog [[RealClimate]].<ref name=NASAGISS>{{cite web|url=http://www.giss.nasa.gov/staff/gschmidt/|title=Dr. Gavin A. Schmidt|publisher=NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies|access-date=12 May 2015}}</ref> ==Work== He was educated at [[The Corsham School]], earned a BA (Hons) in mathematics at [[Jesus College, Oxford]], and a PhD in applied mathematics at [[University College London]].<ref name=RCAbout> {{cite web |url=http://www.realclimate.org/index.php?p=46 |title=Contributor's Biography page |work=RealClimate |date=6 December 2004 |access-date=2008-03-20 }}</ref> Schmidt worked on the variability of the ocean circulation and [[climate]], using [[climate model|general circulation models]] (GCMs). He has also worked on ways to reconcile [[paleoclimatology|paleo-data]] with models. He helped develop the GISS [[ocean]] and coupled [[Global climate model|GCM]]s to improve the representation of the present day climate, while investigating their response to [[climate forcing]].<ref>{{cite journal |author=Hansen, J. |display-authors=etal |date=2007 |title=Dangerous human-made interference with climate: A GISS modelE study. |journal=Atmos. Chem. Phys. |volume=7 |issue=9 |pages=2287–2312 |doi=10.5194/acp-7-2287-2007 |arxiv=physics/0610115 |bibcode=2007ACP.....7.2287H |s2cid=14992639 |doi-access=free }}<br /> {{cite journal |author=Koch, D., G.A. Schmidt, C.V. Field |date=2006 |title=Sulfur, sea salt and radionuclide aerosols in GISS ModelE. |journal=J. Geophys. Res. |volume=111 |issue=D06206 |pages=D06206 |doi=10.1029/2004JD005550 |bibcode=2006JGRD..111.6206K |doi-access=free }}<br /> {{cite journal |author=Schmidt, G.A. |display-authors=etal |date=2006 |title=Present day atmospheric simulations using GISS ModelE: Comparison to in-situ, satellite and reanalysis data |journal=J. Climate |volume=19 |issue=2 |pages=153–192 |doi=10.1175/JCLI3612.1 |bibcode=2006JCli...19..153S |doi-access=free }}</ref> As of 2024, Schmidt heads NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Freedman |first=Andrew |date=2024-03-21 |title=Scientist: 2023 heat may put world in "uncharted territory" |url=https://www.axios.com/2024/03/21/climate-extreme-heat-2023 |access-date=2025-01-12 |website=[[Axios (website)|Axios]] |language=en}}</ref> He was named for the director position in June 2014 as its then deputy director, becoming to the third person to hold this post, which had been vacant after the retirement of [[James E. Hansen]].<ref>{{cite web |date=June 9, 2014 |title=NASA Names Schmidt Director of the Goddard Institute for Space Studies |url=http://www.nasa.gov/press/2014/june/nasa-names-schmidt-director-of-the-goddard-institute-for-space-studies/#.U5dRIPlnVJJ |access-date=2024-03-22 |website=www.nasa.gov |publisher=NASA}}</ref> In an interview with Science News, Schmidt said that he wanted to continue the institute's work on climate modeling and to expand its work on climate impacts and astrobiology.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Kintisch|first1=Eli|title='Unflappable' Science 'Warrior' Chosen to Lead Key NASA Climate Lab|url=https://www.science.org/content/article/unflappable-science-warrior-chosen-lead-key-nasa-climate-lab|website=news.sciencemag.org/|access-date=2014-06-10|date=June 9, 2014}}</ref> ===Research=== His main research interest is climate variability, both its internal and the response to [[climate forcing]], investigated via ocean-atmosphere [[general circulation model]]s. He also uses these to study [[temperature record of the past 1000 years|palaeoclimate]] by working on methods to compare palaeo-data with model output. Schmidt helps to develop the [[GISS]] ocean and coupled GCMs (ModelE). This model has been "isotopically enabled" to carry [[oxygen-18]] tracers, allowing the model to simulate the pattern of δ<sup>18</sup>O observed in [[ice core]]s, cave records and ocean sediments.<ref name=NASAGISS /> == Media and outreach == Schmidt has appeared on various occasions in the media, often he is asked about his expertise on climate related study findings, current events or gives lectures.<ref name=NASAGISS /> Schmidt worked with the [[American Museum of Natural History]], the [[College de France]], and the [[New York Academy of Sciences]] for education and outreach.<ref name=RCAbout /> Schmidt and eight other colleagues founded in 2004 the [[RealClimate]] blog. The blog provides critical commentary on climate science with the scope on outreach to the public and for journalists.<ref name=NASAGISS /><ref> {{cite web |url=http://www.realclimate.org/index.php/archives/2004/12/about/ |title=RealClimate: About |date=1 December 2004 |access-date=2009-10-31 }}</ref> Additionally, the blog features frequent guest posts by experts in their field. Articles and commentary have defended scientific research against allegations made about the [[hockey stick graph (global temperature)|hockey stick graph]].<ref name=SchmidtAmman2005> {{cite web |url=http://www.realclimate.org/index.php/archives/2005/02/dummies-guide-to-the-latest-hockey-stick-controversy/ |title=Dummies guide to the latest "Hockey Stick" controversy |date=18 February 2005 |first1=Gavin |last1=Schmidt |first2=Caspar |last2=Amman |publisher=realclimate.org |access-date=12 April 2013 }}</ref> During the 2009-2010 [[Climatic Research Unit email controversy]], he strongly defended the scientists involved, including [[Michael E. Mann]] and [[Phil Jones (climatologist)|Phil Jones]]. Journalist [[Fred Pearce]] noted, "''Schmidt wrote that the emails merely showed how scientists interact in private''", and that "''Gravity isn't a useful theory because Newton was a nice man.''"<ref>[[Fred Pearce|Pearce, Fred]], ''The Climate Files: The Battle for the Truth about Global Warming'', (2010) [[Guardian Books]], {{ISBN|978-0-85265-229-9}}, p. XII, pp. 181–182.</ref> Schmidt was ''EarthSky Science Communicator of the Year'' in 2011.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://earthsky.org/press/gavin-schmidt-is-the-earthsky-science-communicator-of-the-the-year|title=Gavin Schmidt is the EarthSky Science Communicator of the Year|publisher=EarthSky|date=15 January 2012}}</ref> ==Awards== In 2011, the [[American Geophysical Union]] awarded Schmidt the inaugural ''Climate Communications Prize'', for his work on communicating climate-change issues to the public. The award news release noted his outreach work including co-founding and contributing to the [[RealClimate]] blog.<ref name="agu prize"> {{Cite web | title = Inaugural Climate Communications Prize Winner Announced | url =http://news.agu.org/press-release/inaugural-climate-communications-prize-winner-announced/ | publisher = [[American Geophysical Union]] | date = 18 October 2011 | access-date = 2 December 2011 }}</ref><ref name="blogs.ei.columbia.edu"> {{Cite web | last = Krajick | first =Kevin | title = New Public Outreach Prize Goes to Earth Institute Climatologist | url = http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2011/10/18/new-public-outreach-prize-goes-to-earth-institute-climatologist/ | publisher =State of the Planet blog, [[The Earth Institute]], [[Columbia University]] | date =18 October 2011 | access-date = 2 December 2011 }}</ref> He was a contributing author<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ipcc.ch/publications_and_data/ar4/wg1/en/annexessannex-ii.html|title=Annex II: Contributors to the IPCC WGI Fourth Assessment Report|author=IPCC AR4|year=2007|access-date=2015-05-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518092728/http://www.ipcc.ch/publications_and_data/ar4/wg1/en/annexessannex-ii.html|archive-date=2015-05-18|url-status=dead}}</ref> of the [[IPCC Fourth Assessment Report|Fourth Assessment Report]] of the [[Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change|Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)]]; the work of the IPCC, including the contributions of many scientists, was recognised by the joint award of the [[2007 Nobel Peace Prize]]. Schmidt was named as one of [[Scientific American]]'s "Top 50 Research Leaders" of the year 2004.<ref> {{cite web |url=http://www.giss.nasa.gov/research/news/20041109/ |author=Goddard Institute of Space Studies |title=NASA Climatologists Named in Scientific American Top 50 Scientists |date=9 November 2004 |access-date=2004-11-09 }}</ref> ==Publications== Schmidt has published over 100 studies in [[peer-reviewed]] journals such as ''[[Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences]]'', ''[[Science (journal)|Science]]'', and ''[[Nature (journal)|Nature]]'', on various climate related topics.<ref name=RCAbout /><ref> {{cite web |url=http://pubs.giss.nasa.gov/authors/gschmidt.html |title=GISS Publications, Gavin A.Schmidt web page |access-date=2008-04-11 }}</ref> He is the co-author, with Joshua Wolfe, of ''Climate Change: Picturing the Science'' (2009), which has a foreword by [[Jeffrey D. Sachs]]. The book combines images of the [[effects of climate change]] with scientific explanations.<ref name=PicturingScience2009> {{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wv3DNJ4YI7YC&q=Climate+Change:+Picturing+the+Science |last1=Schmidt |first1=G.A. |first2=J. |last2=Wolfe |title=Climate Change: Picturing the Science |publisher=[[W.W. Norton]] |date=2009 |isbn=978-0-393-33125-7 |pages=305 }}</ref> His [[Erdős number]] is four.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://zbmath.org/collaboration-distance/?a=erdos.pal&b=schmidt.gavin-a | title=Collaboration Distance - zbMATH Open }}</ref> ===Selected publications=== * Lenssen, Nathan J. L., [[Gavin A. Schmidt]], [[James E. Hansen]], Matthew J. Menne, Avraham Persin, Reto Ruedy, and Daniel Zyss (2019). [https://csas.earth.columbia.edu/sites/default/files/content/Lenssen_et_al-2019-Journal_of_Geophysical_Research__Atmospheres.pdf "Improvements in the GISTEMP Uncertainty Model,"] ''Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres'', 214(12), pp. 6307-6326. *{{cite journal |author = Schmidt, G. |title = Does science progress? Glibert Plass redux |journal = [[American Scientist]] |volume = 98 |issue = 1 |pages = 64–5 |date = 2010 |doi = 10.1511/2010.82.58 |url = http://pubs.giss.nasa.gov/docs/2010/2010_Schmidt_2.pdf |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20111022112511/http://pubs.giss.nasa.gov/docs/2010/2010_Schmidt_2.pdf |archive-date = 2011-10-22 }} *{{cite book |author1=Schmidt, G.A. |author2=J. Wolfe |title=Climate Change: Picturing the Science |publisher=W.W. Norton |date=2009 |isbn=978-0-393-33125-7 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=wv3DNJ4YI7YC&q=Climate+Change:+Picturing+the+Science}} *{{cite journal |author1=Benestad, R.E. |author2=G.A. Schmidt |title=Solar trends and global warming |journal=J. Geophys. Res. |volume=114 |pages=D14101 |date=2009 |issue=D14 |doi=10.1029/2008JD011639 |bibcode=2009JGRD..11414101B |doi-access=free }} *{{cite journal |author=Jones, P.D., K.R. Briffa, T.J. Osborn, J.M. Lough, T.D. van Ommen, B.M. Vinther, J. Luterbacher, E.R. Wahl, F.W. Zwiers, M.E. Mann, G.A. Schmidt, C.M. Ammann, B.M. Buckley, K.M. Cobb, J. Esper, H. Goosse, N. Graham, E. Jansen, T. Kiefer, C. Kull, M. Küttel, E. Mosley-Thompson, J.T. Overpeck, N. Riedwyl, M. Schulz, A.W. Tudhope, R. Villalba, H. Wanner, E. Wolff, and E. Xoplaki |title=High-resolution palaeoclimatology of the last millennium: A review of current status and future prospects |journal=[[The Holocene]] |volume=19 |pages=3–49 |date=2009 |issue=1 |doi=10.1177/0959683608098952 |url=http://pubs.giss.nasa.gov/docs/2009/2009_Jones_etal_2.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111021025239/http://pubs.giss.nasa.gov/docs/2009/2009_Jones_etal_2.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=2011-10-21 |bibcode=2009Holoc..19....3J |s2cid=129606908 }} *{{cite journal |author=Santer, B.D., [[Peter Thorne (climatologist)|P.W. Thorne]], L. Haimberger, K.E. Taylor, T.M.L. Wigley, J.R. Lanzante, S. Solomon, M. Free, P.J. Gleckler, P.D. Jones, T.R. Karl, S.A. Klein, C. Mears, D. Nychka, G.A. Schmidt, S.C. Sherwood, and F.J. Wentz |title=Consistency of modelled and observed temperature trends in the tropical troposphere |journal=Int. J. Climatol. |volume=28 |pages=1703–22 |date=2008 |issue=13 |doi=10.1002/joc.1756 |url=http://pubs.giss.nasa.gov/docs/2008/2008_Santer_etal.pdf |bibcode=2008IJCli..28.1703S |s2cid=14941858 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111022061359/http://pubs.giss.nasa.gov/docs/2008/2008_Santer_etal.pdf |archive-date=2011-10-22 }} *{{cite journal |author=Schmidt, G.A., R. Ruedy, J.E. Hansen, I. Aleinov, N. Bell, M. Bauer, S. Bauer, B. Cairns, V. Canuto, Y. Cheng, A. Del Genio, G. Faluvegi, A.D. Friend, T.M. Hall, Y. Hu, M. Kelley, N.Y. Kiang, D. Koch, A.A. Lacis, J. Lerner, K.K. Lo, R.L. Miller, L. Nazarenko, V. Oinas, Ja. Perlwitz, Ju. Perlwitz, D. Rind, A. Romanou, G.L. Russell, Mki. Sato, D.T. Shindell, P.H. Stone, S. Sun, N. Tausnev, D. Thresher, and M.-S. Yao |title=Present day atmospheric simulations using GISS ModelE: Comparison to in-situ, satellite and reanalysis data |journal=J. Climate |volume=19 |pages=153–192 |date=2006 |issue=2 |doi=10.1175/JCLI3612.1 |url=http://pubs.giss.nasa.gov/docs/2006/2006_Schmidt_etal_1.pdf |bibcode=2006JCli...19..153S |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111015003555/http://pubs.giss.nasa.gov/docs/2006/2006_Schmidt_etal_1.pdf |archive-date=2011-10-15 }} ==References== {{reflist|2}} == External links == *[http://www.giss.nasa.gov/staff/gschmidt/ Gavin Schmidt's homepage at NASA GISS] *[https://www.realclimate.org/index.php/archives/author/gavin/ Contributions at RealClimate] * {{TED speaker}} {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Schmidt, Gavin}} [[Category:British climatologists]] [[Category:Alumni of Jesus College, Oxford]] [[Category:Alumni of University College London]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Environmental bloggers]] [[Category:Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change contributing authors]] [[Category:NASA people]] [[Category:British expatriate academics in the United States]] [[Category:Science bloggers]] [[Category:21st-century science writers]] [[Category:Atmospheric physicists]] [[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]] [[Category:Climate communication]]
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