"Sharp Observations from a Keen Observer." an interview with Susan Loizer

We won’t say how long Susan Lozier has been shaping young minds at Duke University (she may let it slip), but she talks about amazing changes that have happened during her tenure. She grew up wondering how rivers get polluted,...

"It’s Always Sunny in Climate Science." an interview with Phil Mote

Is it a good time to be a climate scientist? Yes, says Phil Mote, Director Oregon Climate Change Research Institute at Oregon State University. Predictions over the past 40 years are coming true and while some look at that with...

"When I was young, I always wanted to play pro baseball, soccer, or basketball" an interview Paul Newman

Paul Newman, Chief Scientist for Earth Science at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and the co-chair to the Montreal Protocol, is one of the planet’s top ozone watchdogs – a self-described detective who looks for any chemicals which may deplete...

"If I can be welcomed in this group, doing this work, maybe they can too." an interview with David Crisp

David Crisp, senior research scientist at NASA, recounted his adventures, from going from a physics education major who had a paper on Venus winds published by Carl Sagan to a doctoral student at Princeton to helping fix Hubble. He described...

"Pollution is not a local issue, it's a global issue." an interview with Mei Zheng

Mei Zheng studies and teaches atmospheric science at Peking University. She’s passionate about training the next generation of scientists, and ensuring that everyone has access to clean air. “A teacher’s job is to encourage, inspire, and challenge students to do...

"It's not just about the ocean, it's about the intersection of the ocean with other earth systems." an interview with Paula Bontempi

After being drawn to the oceans at an early age, Paula continues to examine many factors that influence changes in the oceans. As a program manager for NASA, she enjoys the opportunity to work with dedicated researchers and learn how...

"AGU is interdisciplinary, [it] helps breaks down the disciplinary stovepipe we often get into." an interview with Jim Irons

Jim Irons grew up in the 1960s and 1970s in Cleveland when environmental conservation was becoming more important for society, but it wasn’t until the Cuyahoga River in his hometown of Cleveland caught on fire in 1969 that his desire...

"I believe the future of humanity lies beyond Earth's surface and I want to help make this possible." A conversation with Diana Gentry.

Dr. Diana Gentry, a research scientist at NASA Ames Research Center, studies aerobiology (microbes in clouds), biodiversity, biomaterials, and biological systems. Diana describes herself as at the nexus of both science and engineering where she speaks both languages and translates...

"The most important tool for an aspiring snow scientist is being able to use a shovel." Jeff Dozier talks with Ph.D. student, Mikey Johnson

Distinguished Professor of Environmental Science & Management at UC Santa Barbara speaks with Ph.D. candidate in the Hydrogeology program at the University of Nevada, Reno.

“How far you go [in your science career] depends on how big your curiosity is." A conversation with David Moore.

David Moore is a first-year graduate student at UCLA. He is studying tropical cyclones, also known as typhoons or hurricanes, on Earth. In his graduate research work, David is researching how to bridge the gap between planetary atmospheres and meteorology...

“Scientists are just humans. If you feel somebody is too famous to reach out to, don’t.” An Interview with Aaron Piña

Aaron Piña is the National Program Lead for Atmospheric Sciences and Fire Weather Research at the United States Forest Service where he runs a research program that helps transition knowledge into the hands of decision makers around the world. Initially...

"Dealing with science, it's like having a detective job." An interview with Meloe Kacenelenbogen.

In this interview, Dr. Meloe S. Kacenelenbogen discusses her expertise in ‘aerosols,’ suspended particles in the atmosphere. These small particulates can affect air quality and human health and can also impact the Earth’s radiation balance. We also discuss why she...

"We're really just scratching the surface about how the earth works." an interview with Daniel Minguez

Daniel Minguez, a geophysicist for Chevron, helps create new geologic models of the earth’s layers, trying “to build geologic stories for how different geologic elements got there.” Daniel discusses his work which focuses on boring techniques and navigating plate tectonics....

"When I was a child I always loved nature — I [knew] I wanted to become a scientist." A conversation with Stephanie Marie Ortiz Rosario.

Stephanie Marie Ortiz Rosario is an undergraduate student and Physics major from the University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez. Over the summer, Stephanie will be participating at SaSa, the Student Airborne Science Activation, summer program. SaSa is hosting 25 early-career undergraduates (first-...

"The whole community came together.” an interview with Richard Stolarski

Richard Stolarski, research professor shares the journey of his involvement with the movement to address ozone depletion. He discusses how a multi-disciplinary team of scientists came together to heal the ozone layer, and how the world came together with the...

"It's through the science that I came to that "ah ha" moment. Climate change will affect virtually everything" an interview with Alice Hill

Alice Hill talks about her work at Stanford University's Hoover Institute on mitigating risk from natural hazards. She discusses her work in the Obama Administration running climate change programs for the Department of Homeland Security. She also worked at the...

"We are on a planet that is changing." an interview Steven Platnick

Cloud scientist Steven Platnick is trying to learn how clouds may magnify—or minimize—the effects of climate change. He first got excited about clouds when his Ph.D. advisor, who "treated us like equals," started asking questions about clouds. "He asked questions...

"Persistence is necessary to have a career in the sciences." An interview with Laura Iraci.

Dr. Laura Iraci is a research scientist in the Earth Sciences Division at NASA Ames, where she leads a group focusing on air and where human pollution goes. In this interview, we discuss her early interest in high school chemistry...

“It’s been interesting and rewarding to see science taken seriously and have some action being taken.” An interview with Steve Montzka

Steve Montzka has been at NOAA for 28 years, working on atmospheric science, atmosphere chemistry, and trace gases in the atmosphere. He started there as a post-doc, drawn by the work he saw NOAA scientists doing on the hole in...

“For really big problems we use really creative solutions.” an interview with Daniel Irwin

Daniel Irwin’s first direct connection with NASA started in the small town of Flores in Guatemala. Amidst work dodging snakes and spiders in the jungle, he had a chance encounter with a researcher who handed him satellite mapping images of...

"The best way to get ahead is to plant seeds of ideas in other people & watch them take off & run with it." an interview with Bruce Wielicki

Bruce Wielicki, a NASA Langley climate scientist, discusses his collaboration with economists to help non-scientists understand how climate change will hit them in the wallet, and how they could reduce that risk with modest investments in improved climate science. He...

"SaSa became the culmination of all of my past and present interests." A conversation with Kennedi White.

Kennedi White is one of 25 students starting in the new Student Airborne Science Activation (SaSa) program at the NASA Ames Research Center. Students at SaSa are undergraduates from minority-serving institutions, competitively selected across the United States. Over the course...

“It’s been interesting and rewarding to see science taken seriously and have some action being taken.” An interview with Steve Montzka

Steve Montzka has been at NOAA for 28 years, working on atmospheric science, atmosphere chemistry, and trace gases in the atmosphere. He started there as a post-doc, drawn by the work he saw NOAA scientists doing on the hole in...

"At that moment, I realize the benefit of what science can do around us." an interview with Atanas Dommo

Atanas Dommo shares his experiences as a Ph.D. student from Cameroon Africa. He discusses how his desire to learn more inspired him to pursue a career in the sciences. His speaks of his passion and motivation for understanding our changing...