Ralph J. Cicerone

Ralph J. Cicerone was a renowned American atmospheric scientist and climate change expert who served as the President of the National Academy of Sciences from 2005 to 2016. He was a prominent figure in the scientific community, known for his work on ozone depletion and climate change, and was a member of the National Academy of Engineering and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Cicerone's research focused on the atmosphere and its interaction with the Earth's surface, and he was a key contributor to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). He worked closely with other notable scientists, including James Hansen and Stephen Schneider, to advance our understanding of climate change and its impacts on the environment.

● Early Life and Education

Ralph J. Cicerone was born in New York City, New York, and grew up in New Jersey, where he developed an interest in science and mathematics. He attended MIT, where he earned his Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering and later his Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Cicerone's academic background was influenced by notable scientists such as Enrico Fermi and Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar, who were also affiliated with the University of Chicago. He was also inspired by the work of Roger Revelle and Charles David Keeling, who were pioneers in the field of climate science and oceanography.

● Career

Cicerone's career spanned over four decades, during which he held various positions at prestigious institutions, including the University of Michigan, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). He was a Fellow of the American Geophysical Union (AGU) and served as the President of the American Geophysical Union from 1991 to 1994. Cicerone was also a member of the National Science Foundation (NSF) and worked closely with other organizations, such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). He collaborated with notable scientists, including Susan Solomon and Gerald North, to advance our understanding of atmospheric chemistry and climate modeling.

● Research and Contributions

Cicerone's research focused on the atmosphere and its interaction with the Earth's surface, with a particular emphasis on ozone depletion and climate change. He was a key contributor to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and worked closely with other notable scientists, including James Hansen and Stephen Schneider, to advance our understanding of climate change and its impacts on the environment. Cicerone's work also explored the stratosphere and its role in ozone depletion, and he was a pioneer in the use of satellite remote sensing to study the atmosphere. He collaborated with scientists from the European Space Agency (ESA) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to develop new remote sensing technologies and apply them to climate research.

● Awards and Honors

Cicerone received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to atmospheric science and climate change research, including the National Medal of Science and the Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement. He was also awarded the Roger Revelle Medal by the American Geophysical Union (AGU) and the Carl-Gustaf Rossby Research Medal by the American Meteorological Society (AMS). Cicerone was a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a member of the National Academy of Engineering, and he received honorary degrees from institutions such as Harvard University and the University of California, San Diego.

● Personal Life

Cicerone was married to Carol Cicerone and had two children, David Cicerone and Kathleen Cicerone. He was an avid hiker and naturalist, and enjoyed spending time outdoors in national parks such as Yellowstone National Park and Yosemite National Park. Cicerone was also a strong advocate for science education and public outreach, and he worked closely with organizations such as the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) to promote science literacy and public engagement with science. He was a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the Trilateral Commission, and he worked with international organizations such as the United Nations and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) to address global environmental issues.