Tim Killeen to Become NSF Assistant Director for Geosciences

Dr. Arden L. Bement, Jr., director of the National Science Foundation (NSF), today announced the appointment of  Timothy Killeen to become NSF Assistant Director for the Geosciences. Killeen, currently director of the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) and president of the American Geophysical Union, will assume his new post July 1.

"Tim Killeen's vision for the geosciences will be invaluable in guiding NSF during this renaissance period for addressing the scientific challenges facing the Earth," Bement commented. "We couldn't be more pleased."

In his new role, Killeen will oversee the Geosciences directorate (GEO), which has a fiscal year 2008 budget of $752 million and supports research in the atmospheric, earth and ocean sciences, including climate processes and changes, the water cycle, and natural disasters such as earthquakes, tsunamis and severe storms.

Killeen has served as director of the NCAR since 2000. Prior to that, he was professor of atmospheric, oceanic and space sciences, associate vice president for research, and director of the Space Physics Research Laboratory at the University of Michigan. He holds a doctorate in atomic and molecular physics and a Bachelor of Science with first-class honors from University College London. He has held leadership roles in the geosciences for many years, including chairing numerous national committees and advisory panels. He has been president of the American Geophysical Union since 2006, and is a member of the National Academy of Engineering. His research is in satellite measurements and modeling of the upper atmosphere.

Rick Anthes, president of the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, which manages NCAR, said, "In his new capacity, Tim will be able to guide the broader community with the same energy and forward thinking that he has brought to NCAR for the past eight years. While we are sorry to be losing him, we will all benefit from his leadership at NSF."   

Killeen remarked, "This is a critically important time for the geosciences and I'm excited and pleased to become a part of the NSF leadership team as we move ahead in analyzing and solving problems of global importance."

-NSF-

Ranger Supercomputer Dedicated by NSF and Texas Computing Center

Ranger, the most powerful supercomputing system in the world for open science research, entered full production on Feb. 4. Open science research makes clear accounts of methodology, along with data and results extracted therefrom, freely available. Ranger, which will enable the leading researchers in the country to advance and accelerate computational research in all scientific disciplines, was dedicated by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Texas Advanced ... More at http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=111179&govDel=USNSF_51 This is an NSF News item.

NSF Partners With Google and IBM to Enhance Academic Research Opportunities

Today the National Science Foundation's Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE) Directorate announced the creation of a strategic relationship with Google Inc. and IBM. The Cluster Exploratory (CluE) relationship will enable the academic research community to conduct experiments and test new theories and ideas using a large-scale, massively distributed computing cluster.In an open letter to the academic computing research community, Jeannette Wing, the ... More at http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=111186&govDel=USNSF_51 This is an NSF News item.

And the Oscar Goes To...a Professor?

Daniel Day-Lewis, Tilda Swinton and the Coen brothers weren't the only ones honored at last night's Academy Awards. Ron Fedkiw, an associate professor of computer science at Stanford University also received a coveted gold statuette this year for his groundbreaking work in liquid simulations. While people don't usually associate computational scientists with movie stars, Fedkiw's honor shows the impact of computer science on Hollywood and the rest of our lives. You've ... More at http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=111178&govDel=USNSF_51 This is an NSF News item.

Scientists Say Tropics Are Next Emerging Disease Hotspot

Scientists from four well-known institutions say the next major disease like HIV/AIDS or SARS could occur in any of a number of developing countries concentrated along the equator.  They encourage increased surveillance to prevent the spread of a potential outbreak.Using global databases and sophisticated computer models to analyze patterns of emerging diseases, the researchers -- from the Consortium for Conservation Medicine (CCM) at Wildlife Trust, N.Y., the Institute of ... More at http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=111127&govDel=USNSF_51 This is an NSF News item.

Leading Engineers and Scientists Identify Advances that Could Improve Quality of Life Around the World

A diverse committee of experts from around the world, convened at the request of the National Science Foundation (NSF), announced 14 grand challenges for engineering in the 21st century that, if met, would improve how we live."Tremendous advances in quality of life have come from improved technology in areas such as farming and manufacturing," said committee member and Google co-founder Larry Page. "If we focus our effort on the important grand challenges of our age, we ... More at http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=111158&govDel=USNSF_51 This is an NSF News item.