David Robinson Honored as NOAA Environmental Hero for 2008
April 22, 2008
NOAA has selected David Robinson, the New Jersey state climatologist and chairman of the Department of Geography at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, as an Environmental Hero for his support of NOAA’s Satellite and Information Service.
NOAA’s Environmental Hero Awards were established in 1995 to commemorate Earth Day by honoring volunteers who help NOAA carry out its mission – to understand and predict changes in Earth’s environment and converse and manage coastal and marine resources to meet the nation’s economic, social and environmental needs.
“Thousands of people across the country join forces with NOAA each year and the Environmental Hero award is our way of saying `thank you’ to several of those individuals that have made a significant impact,” said retired Navy Vice Admiral Conrad Lautenbacher, Ph.D., undersecretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator. “Dave is an outstanding volunteer, who shares his time, knowledge and experience.”
Robinson has delivered more than 100 lectures to professional and public audiences, taught hundreds of students and published more than 125 articles regarding global and regional climate change. Many of the articles focused on global snow cover. As the New Jersey state climatologist, he conducts research on the diverse weather and climate of the Garden State, including drought, flooding and agriculture, transportation, public safety and commerce issues.
In addition, Robinson has chaired National Research Councils, including those for environmental data archiving, climate data records from satellites and modernizing the volunteer Cooperative Weather Network.
“Dave’s enthusiasm and skill for conducting environmental research influences everyone he comes in contact with,” said Thomas R. Karl, director of NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C. “His research has helped us understand more about our changing climate.”
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, an agency of the U.S. Commerce Department, is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and information service delivery for transportation, and by providing environmental stewardship of our nation's coastal and marine resources. Through the emerging Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS), NOAA is working with its federal partners, more than 70 countries and the European Commission to develop a global monitoring network that is as integrated as the planet it observes, predicts and protects.
Contact: John Leslie, 301-713-2087 ext. 174