Thu Feb 20 21:47:41 UTC 2025: ## Leading Climate Scientist and NASA Honoree Berrien Moore III Passes Away

**Norman, OK – December 18, 2024** – Berrien Moore III, a highly influential figure in atmospheric and geographic sciences, passed away on December 17, 2024. Moore, Dean of the College of Atmospheric and Geographic Sciences at the University of Oklahoma, Director of the National Weather Center, and Vice President for Weather and Climate Programs, leaves behind a legacy of groundbreaking research and impactful leadership.

A distinguished scientist with a career spanning over five decades, Moore earned his undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina and his doctorate from the University of Virginia. His career included teaching mathematics at the University of New Hampshire, where he later directed the Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans, and Space (ISEOS). ISEOS played a key role in the founding of the Earth Science Information Partners (ESIP), a vital collaborative network in Earth science data sharing.

In 2008, Moore became the founding Executive Director of Climate Central, a prominent think tank focused on climate change communication. He later joined the University of Oklahoma in 2010, leading the development of the proposed Geostationary Carbon Cycle Observatory (GeoCARB) mission for NASA, a project that, while ultimately cancelled, informed subsequent Earth observation endeavors.

Moore’s contributions extended to significant roles within numerous government and international scientific committees, including the National Research Council, the International Geosphere Biosphere Programme (IGBP), and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), for which he was a lead author on the Third Assessment Report. His service to NASA included chairing key advisory committees and leading Earth science initiatives. His work earned him NASA’s Distinguished Public Service Medal, the NOAA Administrator’s Recognition Award, and recognition as part of the IPCC’s 2007 Nobel Peace Prize.

Moore’s expertise encompassed global carbon cycles, biogeochemistry, remote sensing, environmental and space policy, and mathematics. His passing marks a significant loss for the scientific community, and his contributions to our understanding of climate change and Earth systems will continue to shape future research and policy.

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