New CIFAR director appointed

Submitted by Amy Hartley
Phone: (907) 474-5823
08/31/04

University of Alaska President Mark Hamilton recently appointed John E. Walsh director of the Cooperative Institute for Arctic Research, effective Sept. 1. Walsh replaces Gunter Weller, who is returning to Australia to enjoy retirement following a 36-year career at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. He had served as director since CIFAR’s establishment in 1994.

Walsh’s expertise in arctic science is well recognized and respected both nationally and internationally. He is a fellow of the American Meteorological Society and an associate editor of the Journal of Climate and has served on numerous national committees and review boards. He holds a Ph.D. in meteorology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His current research interests include climate change and meteorology of polar regions, arctic sea ice and extreme weather events and their impacts. He came to UAF after 30 years of research and teaching at the University of Illinois. At UAF, Walsh is also President’s Professor for Global Change and chief scientist of the International Arctic Research Center.

Walsh is looking forward to his new role with CIFAR and the opportunity to help bridge the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s research with its own operational and outreach activities in the Arctic. A priority will be integrated assessments that link arctic weather and climate to the needs of arctic stakeholders and decision-makers.

Contact: John E. Walsh at (907) 474-2677