James Hansen

Background

Dr. James Hansen was the first to make the public aware of global warming in his Congressional testimonies in 1988 and 1989. He is director of NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York City. He is also adjunct professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Columbia University and a member of the National Academy of Sciences. Storms of My Grandchildren details Hansen’s experience in the world of government, science, and special interests. He makes the case that the planet is in real peril and is close to tipping points “that would be irreversible if we do not promptly slow fossil fuel emission.” Hansen studied physics and astronomy in the space science program at the University of Iowa under Dr. James Van Allen, receiving his Ph.D there. In his early research, he studied the clouds of Venus, and since the mid-1970s, he has studied Earth’s climate systems. He received the American Association for the Advancement of Science Award for Scientific Freedom and Responsibility in 2008 for “speaking forcefully about human influence on global climate despite pressure to alter his message.” Time magazine named him among the 100 most influential people in 2006. This past speaker page shares his podium presentation as well as the Q&A.