Professor Judith Curry, a well-known Georgia Institute of Technology climatologist, recently resigned her tenured faculty position. She said the "craziness" of climate science was a "deciding factor."1
Dr. Curry has a stellar academic resume. She has authored nearly two hundred papers, is the co-author or co-editor of two textbooks on atmospheric science,2,3 and was awarded the 1992 Henry G. Houghton Research award from the American Meteorological Society for promising young researchers.4 Dr. Curry recently provided expert testimony before a congressional committee on the subject of climate change. The video of her statement, and its transcript, were posted online.5,6
Dr. Curry has long expressed concern about the politicization of the climate change debate and has called for greater openness and transparency in the field.7
Curry stated on her blog, "A deciding factor was that I no longer know what to say to students and postdocs regarding how to navigate the CRAZINESS in the field of climate science. Research and other professional activities are professionally rewarded only if they are channeled in certain directions approved by a politicized academic establishment...."1
Other prominent scientists have also expressed concern that alarmists are being too dogmatic in their claims of the dangers of climate change. In 2011 Physicist Ivar Giaever, a 1973 Nobel Prize winner, resigned as a Fellow of the American Physical Society in protest over its dogmatic stance on the issue.8 Likewise, respected physicist Hal Lewis also resigned from the American Physical Society for essentially the same reason.9
Creation scientists have generally been cautious on this issue, acknowledging that warming has occurred in the recent past and that some of it may be human-caused.10 However, we argue that the alarmism on this issue is unwarranted and largely fueled by an evolutionary worldview.11 As evidenced by the dissent in this field, even scientists who are not necessarily creationists agree that the issue has been overblown. And it appears the doctrine of climate change has so overshadowed the science of climatology that even some secular scientists are walking away from the craziness.
References
- Curry, J. JC in transition. Posted on judithcurry.com January 3, 2017, accessed January 10, 2017.
- Curry, J. A. and P. J. Webster. 1999. Thermodynamics of Atmospheres and Oceans, Volume 65, 1st Edition. San Diego: Academic Press.
- 2002. Encyclopedia of Atmospheric Sciences, 1st edition. Holton, J. R. ed. 2002. Elsevier Science Ltd.
- Judith Curry Curriculum Vitae. Posted on gatech.edu, accessed January 10, 2017.
- Curry, J. A. Statement to the Subcommittee on Space, Science, and Competitiveness of the United States Senate: Hearing on "Data or Dogma? Promoting Open Inquiry in the Debate Over the Magnitude of Human Impact on Climate Change" Accessed January 13, 2017.
- "Data or Dogma: Promoting Open Inquiry in the Debate over the Magnitude of Human Impact on Earth's Climate." YouTube. Video posted on YouTube.com December 8, 2015, accessed January 10, 2017.
- Revkin, A. C. A Climate Scientist Who Engages Skeptics. New York Times. Posted on nytimes.com November 27, 2009, accessed January 10, 2017.
- Gayathri, A. Nobel Laureate Ivar Giaever Quits Physics Group over Stand on Global Warming. International Business Times. Posted on ibtimes.com September 15, 2011, accessed January 10, 2017.
- Revkin, A. C. A Physicist's Climate Complaints. New York Times. Posted on nytimes.com October 15, 2010, accessed January 10, 2017.
- Vardiman, L. 2007. Evidence for Global Warming. Acts & Facts. 36 (4).
- Hebert, J. 2014. The Bitter Harvest of Evolutionary Thinking. Acts & Facts. 43 (4).
Image credit: Copyright © 2015 K. Cendeno. Adapted for use in accordance with federal copyright (fair use doctrine) law. Usage by ICR does not imply endorsement of copyright holder.
*Dr. Hebert is Research Associate at the Institute for Creation Research and earned his Ph.D. in physics from the University of Texas at Dallas.
Article posted on January 19, 2017.
