[Nsa] Qualifications for the NCAR Director and draft set of questions for candidates

[pouquet at ucar.edu]

Quoting Rick Anthes <anthes at ucar.edu>:

> Thanks B.C., for your thoughtful remarks.  I am sharing them with the
> full search committee.
>
> I agree strongly that we need science more than ever now to understand
> Earth and apply this understanding for the benefit of society.  There
> is a view out there that the science of climate change is done, the
> verdict is in, and we just need to get on with "fixing it."  I think
> this is very dangerous, and there is so much we don't know.  I have
> tried to make this point in various forums lately, including testimony
> this week at the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice
> and Science, where NSF, NASA and NOAA reside.  I thought I'd share my
> oral testimony with you.  Apparently it went over pretty well.
>
> Best wishes,
> Rick
>
> B.C. Low wrote:
>>
>> Dear Rick,
>>
>> I do resonate with the inputs from Beth Holland.  There are two   
>> aspects that seem very important to me.  What we lay down as   
>> criteria and who happen to have applied for the position can be   
>> quite separate. A search process can be very successful if the   
>> applicant pool is sufficiently rich for us to see the actual   
>> dimensions of these criteria through the real people who have   
>> applied.  From that perspective, I feel the following   
>> considerations are essential.
>>
>> I would like to see an NCAR Director who is foremost an   
>> accomplished scientist, having done first class scientific work and  
>>  being recognized for it.  The single central criterion for being a  
>>  Senior Scientist at NCAR is scientific excellence, and the NCAR   
>> Director should meet that criterion at the highest level among us.   
>>  Such a Director will bring the scientific best out of us.
>>
>> Beth's concern about scientific integrity is worth watching out   
>> for. Integrity is harder to practice than people are willing to   
>> admit and in the complexity of our evolved scientific community, we  
>>  are actually easily challenged on it by the things we run into  
>> each  day.  Having the talents and opportunity to have done first  
>> class  scientific work is the base upon which an individual sees  
>> directly  the value and motivation to practice integrity.  An NCAR  
>> Director  of well known integrity can bring the best out of us on  
>> this count.
>>
>> We of course want more than an excellent scientist for a Director.   
>>  He or she must have a broad vision of what our scientific  
>> institute  is about; an understanding of how that vision might be  
>> realistic in  the way things are; and, an outstanding set of  
>> demonstrable  leadership and administrative abilities the job  
>> demands.  We cannot  compromise on either counts, (a) scientific  
>> accomplishment and (b)  community and administrative leadership.
>>
>> Global Change is now accepted to be real by the world community.    
>> There is a lot of hard core science to do and a lot of interaction   
>> with policy bodies and the public to conduct.  If we think all that  
>>  is important, neither of the two counts can be compromised.  We   
>> also want someone young, in my opinion, so that our future is all   
>> wrapped up with the Director who too has a future to think about.    
>> I would rather count on a demonstrable promise of a great leader.    
>> I hope the Search Committee will have the good fortune of making a   
>> careful but bold recommendation, and you as UCAR President will   
>> have the privilege of making a bold but well calculated decision.
>>
>> I recently sat down with a Director of an NCAR sized Institute and   
>> he happily spent 45 minutes talking about an MHD problem, coming   
>> into it cold but nevertheless giving it undivided attention.  That   
>> day, he was going to deal with a theoretical exercise about what he  
>>  would do if his budget was to be cut by a sizable proportion.    
>> Maybe he was dreading the rest of that day!  We want a Director who  
>>  has not lost the scientific passion that brought most of us into   
>> this profession?
>>
>> Regards and good luck to our search,
>> BC
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>> Rick Anthes wrote:
>>> Thanks Beth,
>>> We will be sure to include the questions you ask, though they are   
>>> certainly part of Q3 which I sent around:
>>>
>>> 3. The NCAR program comprises a broad range of research areas and   
>>> a number of different community facilities. The research areas   
>>> include atmospheric sciences broadly defined, weather prediction,   
>>> climate, atmospheric chemistry, oceanography, solar physics and   
>>> others, and the facilities range from the development, provision,   
>>> and maintenance of observing and computing facilities, to   
>>> developing community models.  What do you think are the   
>>> appropriate balances among the various research areas and among   
>>> the community facilities? As NCAR Director, how would you go about  
>>>  evaluating the appropriate balances, and how would you go about   
>>> achieving them?
>>>
>>> Regarding scientific integrity, I think that goes without saying   
>>> as an essential criterion--and someone at the NSA meeting   
>>> mentioned this.   Like honesty.  If the search committee or I find  
>>>  out that this is lacking in a candidate you can be sure we will   
>>> disqualify the candidate from further consideration.
>>>
>>> Finally, regarding the criteria, I mentioned that they are very   
>>> easily derived from the duties and requirements.  For example, the  
>>>  first requirement "demonstrated ability to lead on a broad   
>>> intellectual front" is a criterion--the search committee will be   
>>> using this and the other requirements as their criteria.
>>>
>>> You can be sure we take your last point very seriously.
>>>
>>> We have not had much input from the NSA about suggested   
>>> names--there is still time!
>>> Thanks again.
>>> Rick
>>>
>>> Dr. Elisabeth(Beth) A. Holland wrote:
>>>
>>>> Dear Rick,
>>>>
>>>> Thank you for the opportunity to provide input to the director   
>>>> search process.  I think it is important to provide a voice for   
>>>> the scientific leadership of NCAR.
>>>>
>>>> I have a few concerns based on your recent e-mail.
>>>>
>>>> First, during your meeting with the NSA, I thought we had come to  
>>>>  an understanding that we, the NSA, would have the opportunity to  
>>>>  review the criteria that would be used to evaluate the director   
>>>> candidates. I found the discussion concerning the need for an   
>>>> emphasis on scientific integrity particularly compelling.    
>>>> Referring us to the web site, the description, duties and   
>>>> requirements does not address the values and criteria that will   
>>>> be used for selection, nor does it address the issue of   
>>>> scientific integrity.
>>>>
>>>> Second, I would like to see more focus on the candidate's view on  
>>>>  the balance between conducting science and providing facilities.  
>>>>  It is really important for the committee to get a sense of the   
>>>> candidate's vision for NCAR. I suggest:
>>>> 1) What is your vision for NCAR's evolving role in atmospheric   
>>>> SCIENCES in the US and internationally?
>>>>
>>>> Among the particular questions I would include:
>>>> In your view, how should NCAR balance using external and core   
>>>> funds to pursue its mission?
>>>> What is NCAR's mission?
>>>>
>>>> I am ccing the NSA on this to invite their input and discussion.   
>>>>  The decision itself of who will be the next NCAR rests with you   
>>>> and the search committee.  I trust that you will choose a person   
>>>> who will lead NCAR to continue to  realize its tremendous   
>>>> scientific potential.
>>>>
>>>> Beth Holland
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Mar 16, 2008, at 9:59 AM, Rick Anthes wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> <Possible Questions2008.doc>
>>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>
> -- 
> ******************************************************************
>
> Dr.Richard A. Anthes Phone:  303-497-1652
>
> President
> University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
> P.O. Box 3000
> Boulder, CO  80307-3000
>
> For delivery via express mail, please use:
>
> 1850 Table Mesa Drive
> Boulder, CO  80305
>
> *****************************************************************

How much I agree with ``the science is not done'' cannot be  
overemphasized, I have met with this attitude (that it is done and now  
we have to solve the societal problems) INCLUDING among scientists in  
other fields (physics, ...); that is where I got a bit scared

WHen in fact we need to do the urgent science of ``regional'' climate  
(in space and in time) and the weather -related topics
I am stating the obvious but at times I have felt the need to state  
the obvious: we need plenty of smart people to do plenty of difficult  
science, and we need a Director who fully understands that all facets  
of science need to be there and strongly supported

Annick

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