Los Alamos names new IGPP director

Contact: Todd Hanson, tahanson@lanl.gov, (505) 665-2085 (02-044)

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LOS ALAMOS, N.M., May 1, 2002 -- Gerald L. Geernaert has been selected as the new director of the Los Alamos National Laboratory branch of the Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics, a multi-campus scientific research unit of the University of California.

Los Alamos Associate Director for Strategic Research Thomas J. Meyer today announced the selection and said, "In addition to his significant scientific expertise, Gary has had extensive experience dealing with international government agencies, so he brings with him a critical understanding of US and international earth science research perspectives. Given his record of successes in both research and administration, I expect him to make valuable contributions to the future of IGPP."

"I think one of my greatest strengths will be my long-time connection to science in the University of California system. I believe this connection will help me to better understand and address many of the important University of California issues the IGPP faces today," Geernaert said.

Prior to joining IGPP, Geernaert was the director of the Department of Atmospheric Environment at the National Environmental Research Institute (NERI) in Denmark, where his department was responsible for coordinating and/or carrying out all research, monitoring, forecasting, and policy analysis associated with air pollution in Denmark. Prior to joining NERI in 1994, he was a program manager for Atmospheric Systems and Polar Meteorology, and a science officer for marine meteorology, at the U.S. Office of Naval Research in Arlington, Va.

Geernaert is the author of more than 80 scientific publications and four books. His primary expertise is in meteorology, air pollution, air-sea interactions, remote sensing, and policy analysis. In addition, he holds adjunct faculty positions at the University of Copenhagen and the University of California-San Diego and is currently chairman of the Danish Atmospheric Research Society.

Geernaert received his B.S. in the Department of Land, Air, and Water Sciences at the University of California, Davis in 1977 and a Ph.D. in atmospheric sciences from the University of Washington in 1983.

According to Paul Weber, leader of the Laboratory's Earth and Environmental Sciences Division, which houses IGPP, Geernaert's selection was made based on the valuable counsel provided by an external advisory committee that not only considered the requirements of the Los Alamos position, but also the needs, interests and welfare of the IGPP system with the University of California as a whole.

Los Alamos National Laboratory is operated by the University of California for the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) of the U.S. Department of Energy and works in partnership with NNSA's Sandia and Lawrence Livermore national laboratories to support NNSA in its mission.

Los Alamos enhances global security by ensuring the safety and reliability of the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile, developing technical solutions to reduce the threat of weapons of mass destruction and solving problems related to energy, environment, infrastructure, health and national security concerns.