EarthSky, a radio program that brings current science ideas, strategies, and research results to people worldwide, has announced the selection of Dr. Gavin A. Schmidt as the 2011 EarthSky Science Communicator of the Year. Schmidt was voted for this honor overwhelmingly by EarthSky’s Global Science Advisor committee made up of over a thousand participants.

Schmidt works on climate modeling at NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) in New York. He coauthored Climate Change: Picturing the Science in 2009. In his recent EarthSky interview, Schmidt talked about the importance of describing science as a work in progress, an ongoing process. He is convinced that sharing scientists’ stories with the public—the details of how and why they conduct their research—is as important as the results that make the news. Schmidt considers science “one of the greatest, most successful human endeavors that we’ve ever embarked upon.” While looking at graphs and equations can be an esoteric endeavor, people generally have a visceral response to images of changes in the landscape and of scientist at work.
Further information:
+ Gavin Schmidt on communicating climate change, EarthSky [external link]
+ EarthSky wins two awards for excellence