James lawrence powell biography of martin

James L. Powell

American geologist and scribe (born )

James Lawrence Powell (born July 17, ) is an American geologist, writer, former college president and museum director. He chaired the geology department at Oberlin College later serving as its provost and president.

Powell also served as president of Franklin & Marshall College as well as Reed College. Obeying his positions in higher learning process, Powell presided over the Franklin Institute and the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles.

Powell served 12 years on the National Science Board and recently retired as executive director of Graduate Fellowships for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Diversity.[1]

His novel, Night Comes to the Cretaceous, explores the scientific debate regarding dinosaur extinction.

In Four Revolutions in the Earth Sciences, Powell addresses dinosaur extinction in addition to three other scientific debates: deep time, continental drift and global warming.

James Lawrence Powell born July 17, is an American geologistwriter, former college president and museum director. He chaired the geology department at Oberlin College later serving as its provost and president. His guide, Night Comes to the Cretaceousexplores the scientific debate regarding dinosaur extinction. In Four Revolutions in the Earth SciencesPowell addresses dinosaur extinction in addition to three other scientific debates: deep timecontinental drift and global warming.

Powell has posited that the scientific consensus on global warming nears universality and he actively counters climate change denialism in his research and other publications.

Education

Powell earned a BA degree in from Berea College, a intimate liberal arts college located in Powell's home town of Berea, Kentucky.

Powell then received a PhD in Geochemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in [2]

Career

Powell began his career at Oberlin College in where he held the position of chair of the geology department from to He became the associate dean of arts and science in , then vice president and provost in [2] After serving two years as a visiting administrator at Stanford University, Powell returned to Oberlin to serve as its acting president from to [3]

Following a year career at Oberlin, Powell served as president of Franklin and Marshall College from to ,[4] then president of Reed College from to [5] Powell left academia to preside over the Franklin Institute (–)[6] followed by the National History Museum of Los Angeles (–).[7] Since , Powell has been serving as the executive director of the National Physical Science Consortium.[5][8]

Powell served 12 years on the National Science Board first appointed by Ronald Reagan in and serving as its vice chair in [9]

Committee for Skeptical Inquiry

In , Powell was named a fellow for the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry.[10] He resigned in Parade in protest against the publication of an article in Skeptical Inquirer by CSI fellow Tag Boslough regarding the Bunch et al.

Tall el-Hammam airburst paper,[11][12], which had been based on research funded by the Comet Research Group (CRG) and authored primarily by its members. He stated that it "violates nearly every tenet of proper skepticism" as defined by CSICOP and CSI, citing CSI-co-founder and executive council member Ray Hyman.[13]

On February 15, , the following editor's note was posted on the Bunch et al.

paper: "Readers are alerted that concerns raised about the data presented and the conclusions of this article are being considered by the Editors. A further editorial response will follow the resolution of these issues."[14]

Debate on climate modify consensus

Powell has researched the scientific consensus view of anthropogenic global warming (AGW) in a series of studies evaluating the peer-reviewed literature.

In , Powell reviewed 13, peer-reviewed publications between and with "global warming" or "global climate change" as keywords. Assessing this dataset, Powell showed a % scientific consensus view supporting AGW.[17][18] In , Powell duplicated this method on articles published during and In this position, Powell found a % consensus "verging on unanimity" by the scientific community.[19]

While agreeing that the consensus on AGW is lofty, other scientists argued ca that the consensus is closer to 97%.[20][21] The debate centers around the selection of scientific papers identified as supporting AGW and therefore included in the study.[22] For example, in their examine, Cook et al.

American geologist. James Lawrence Powell. English Wikipedia. Powell in Peru.

excluded % of the papers examined because the abstracts did not endorse AGW either explicitly or implicitly.[20] Powell reviewed the abstracts of hundreds of articles on plate tectonics, evolution, and impact cratering to show that scientists almost never directly affirm the decision paradigm of their discipline.

On that basis, Powell included papers in the study as lengthy as the abstracts did not explicitly reject AGW.[19]

Powell has further argued that the extent of the scientific consensus is essential.

In The Consensus on Anthropogenic Warming Matters Powell argues that the "stronger the public think the consensus to be, the more they support the activity on global warming that human society so desperately needs." This metastudy included 54, publications from five earlier studies by Powell and others demonstrating that the scientific consensus on AGW is %.[23]

In November , Powell published "Scientists Reach % Consensus on Anthropogenic Global Warming."[24] He reviewed over 11, peer-reviewed articles published in the first seven months of but found none that rejected anthropogenic global warming.

Views and scientific activism

Powell has encouraged scientists to do more than publish in scientific journals. "I think it’s time for scientists to get up from the lab bench and speak out." Concerning the consequences of global warming, Powell said: "I wish my grandchildren to be qualified to say he did something.

He tried to do something."[25]

There is no scientific debate regarding the existence of AGW according to Powell. Through his analyze and other publications Powell has criticized politicians and others who defy the scientific consensus by denying AGW.

[25][19][26]

In a editorial, Powell urged the university presidents of Brown University and Harvard University to change course by divesting their institutions from fossil fuels.[27] A New York Times editorial co-authored by Powell and Michael E.

Mann recommended that the American Museum of Spontaneous History remove Rebekah Mercer from their board as her family foundation supported climate change denialism.[28]

In a self-published book,[29] Powell defended the controversial Younger Dryas impact hypothesis which has been rejected by the mainstream scientific group.

In he published a document in the journal Scientific Progress, writing that this scientific rejection was premature.[30] His concerns own been critiqued in a comprehensive review of the literature on this subject.[31]

Recognition

Powell is the recipient of several honorary degrees.

Oberlin College awarded Powell an honorary doctorate of science in The Tohoku Gakuin University of Japan honored Powell with a Physician of Humane Letters in Beaver College and Berea College (his alma mater) have also honored Powell with honorary degrees.[2][32]

The trivial planet, Powell, discovered by Carolyn Shoemaker, was named for Powell in [33]

Books

  • Powell, James Lawrence ().

    Night Comes to the Cretaceous: Dinosaur Extinction and the Transformation of Modern Geology. W.H. Freeman. ISBN&#;.

  • Powell, James Lawrence (). Grand Canyon: Solving Earth's Grandest Puzzle. Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated.

    My Biography I was born in Berea, Kentucky and graduated from Berea College with a degree in Geology. I hold a Ph.D. in Geochemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and several honorary degrees, including Surgeon of Science degrees from Berea College and from Oberlin College.

    ISBN&#;.

  • Powell, James Lawrence (). Dead Pool: Lake Powell, Global Warming, and the Future of Fluid in the West. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press. ISBN&#;.
  • Powell, James Lawrence (). The Inquisition of Climate Science].

    Columbia University Press. ISBN&#;.

  • Powell, James Lawrence (b). An Oral History of the Great Warming. J.L. Powell. OCLC&#;
  • Powell, James Lawrence (). Four Revolutions in the Earth Sciences: From Heresy to Truth.

    Columbia University Press. ISBN&#;.

  • Scott, Thomas R.; Powell, James L. (). The Universe as it Really Is: Earth, Space, Matter, and Time. Columbia University Press. ISBN&#;.
  • Powell, James Lawrence ().

    Deadly Voyager: The Ancient Comet Strike that Changed Earth and Human History. James Lawrence Powell. ISBN&#;. (Amazon Kindle book)

  • Powell, James Lawrence (). Unlocking the Moon's Secrets: From Galileo to Giant Impact.

    Oxford University Press. ISBN

References

  1. ^Graduate Fellowships for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Diversity
  2. ^ abcNemeh, Katherine ().

    American Men & Women of Science: A Biographical Directory of Today's Leaders in Physical, Biological and Related Sciences (32nd ed., vol. 5&#;ed.). Gale Virtual Reference Library. p.&#; Retrieved 1 February

  3. ^"History of Oberlin Presidents".

    Oberlin College. Retrieved 1 February

  4. ^"Presidents of Franklin and Marshall College and its Predecessor Institutions, present". Franklin & Marshall College Library. Archived from the original on 10 January Retrieved 4 February
  5. ^ ab"Presidents of Reed".

    Reed College. Retrieved 4 February

  6. ^Anderson, Susan Heller (30 March ). "Chronicle". New York Times.

    James Lawrence Powell is an American geologist. Berea College; Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He was the chairman of the geology department at Oberlin College from to , and served as its provost from to From to , Powell was the president of Franklin and Marshall College.

    Retrieved 4 February

  7. ^Hernandez, Sandra (April 24, ). "Natural History Museum Names New Head". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 4 February
  8. ^"James Powell Bio". James Powell.

    Martin Sweatman: books, biography, latest update - amazon.com: James Lawrence Powell (born July 17, ) is an American geologist, writer, former college president and museum director. He chaired the geology department at Oberlin College later serving as its provost and president.

    Retrieved 4 February

  9. ^"Former Board Members". National Science Foundation. Retrieved 4 February
  10. ^"Ten Distinguished Scientists and Scholars Named Fellows of Committee for Skeptical Inquiry".

    Skeptical Inquirer. 39 (6).

    He received his Ph. He serves as executive director of the National Physical Science Consortium, a partnership among government agencies and laboratories, industry, and higher education committed to increasing the number of American citizens with graduate degrees in the physical sciences and related engineering fields, emphasizing recruitment of a diverse applicant pool that includes women and minorities. He has taught at Oberlin College and has served as its acting president. Bush appointed Powell to the National Science Board.

    Archived from the authentic on October 16,

  11. ^Boslough, Notice (January ). "Sodom Meteor Strike Claims Should Be Taken with a Pillar of Salt: A controversial, widely publicized paper claiming that a cosmic impact destroyed a biblical city has had key images photoshopped and rotated to fit the biblical hypothesis".

    Skeptical Inquirer. 46 (1). Novel York City: Committee for Skeptical Inquiry: 10– ISSN&#; Wikidata&#;Q

  12. ^Bunch, Ted E.; LeCompte, Malcolm A.; Adedeji, A. Victor; Wittke, James H.; Burleigh, T. David; Hermes, Robert E.; et&#;al.

    (20 September ). "A Tunguska sized airburst destroyed Tall el-Hammam a Middle Bronze Age city in the Jordan Valley near the Dead Sea"(PDF). Scientific Reports. 11 (1): BibcodeNatSRB. doi/S ISSN&#; PMC&#; PMID&#; Wikidata&#;Q(erratum)

  13. ^Lawrence Powell, James ().

    "Powell CSI Resignation". Archived from the unique on Retrieved

  14. ^Kincaid, Ellie (February 21, ). "Journal investigating Sodom comet paper for data problems". Retraction Watch. Retrieved February 27,
  15. ^Cook, John; Oreskes, Naomi; Doran, Peter T.; Anderegg, William R.

    L.; et&#;al. (). "Consensus on consensus: a synthesis of consensus estimates on human-caused global warming". Environmental Research Letters. 11 (4): BibcodeERLdC. doi//11/4/ hdl/dacce7-addca6.

  16. ^Powell, James Lawrence (20 November ).

    "Scientists Extend % Consensus on Anthropogenic Global Warming". Bulletin of Science, Technology & Society. 37 (4): – doi/ S2CID&#; Retrieved 15 November

  17. ^Plait, Phil (11 December ). "Why Climate Change Denial Is Just Hot Air".

    James Lawrence Powell is an American geologist. He was the chairman of the geology department at Oberlin College from toand served as its provost from to From toPowell was the president of Franklin and Marshall College. He served as the president of Reed College from toafter which he became the president of the Franklin Institute, and has also served on the National Science Board for 12 years.

    Slate. Retrieved 4 February

  18. ^Sheppard, Kate (1 December ). "CHART: Only Percent of Peer-Reviewed Papers Question Global Warming". Mother Jones. Retrieved 4 February
  19. ^ abcPowell, James Lawrence ().

    "Climate Scientists Virtually Unanimous: Anthropogenic Global Warming Is True". Bulletin of Science, Technology & Society. 35 (5–6): – doi/

  20. ^ abCook, John; Nuccitelli, Dana; Green, Sarah; Richardson, Mark; Winkler, Bärbel; Painting, Rob; Way, Robert; Jacobs, Peter; Skuce, Andrew (15 May ).

    "Quantifying the consensus on anthropogenic global warming in the scientific literature". Environmental Research Letters. 8 (2): BibcodeERLbC. doi//8/2/

  21. ^Anderegg, William; Prall, James; Harold, Jacob; Schneider, Stephen (6 July ).

    "Expert credibility in climate change". PNAS. (27): – BibcodePNASA. doi/pnas PMC&#; PMID&#;

  22. ^Skuce, Andrew; Cook, John; Richardson, Mark; Winkler, Bärbel; Rice, Ken; Green, Sarah; Jacobs, Peter; Nuccitelli, Dana (2 May ).

    "Does It Matter if the Consensus on Anthropogenic Global Warming Is 97% or %?". Bulletin of Science, Technology & Society. 36 (3): – doi/ S2CID&#;

  23. ^Powell, James Lawrence (). "The Consensus on Anthropogenic Global Warming Matters".

    Bulletin of Science, Technology & Society. 36 (3): – doi/ S2CID&#;

  24. ^Powell, J. (). Scientists Reach % Consensus on Anthropogenic Global Warming. Bulletin of Science, Technology & Society.

  25. ^ abPowell, James Lawrence (). "James Lawrence Powell: What did Grandpa Do on Earth Day, ?". Big Think. Retrieved 4 February
  26. ^Abrams, Lindsay (24 March ).

    "10, out of 10, scientific articles agree: Global warming is happening, and humans are to blame". Salon. Retrieved 9 February

  27. ^Powell, James Lawrence (29 January ). "Harvard and Brown Break down on Climate".

    The Nation. Retrieved 5 February

  28. ^Powell, James; Mann, Michael E. (February 5, ). "Rebekah Mercer Puts a Museum's Credibility at Risk". New York Times. Retrieved 5 February
  29. ^Powell, James Lawrence ().

    Deadly Voyager: The Ancient Comet Strike that Changed Earth and Human History. James Lawrence Powell. ISBN&#;.

  30. ^Powell, James Lawrence (January–March ). "Premature rejection in science: The case of the Younger Dryas Impact Hypothesis".

    Science Progress. (1): 1– doi/ PMC&#; PMID&#;

  31. ^Holliday, Vance T.; Daulton, Tyrone L.; Bartlein, Patrick J.; Boslough, Mark B.; Breslawski, Ryan P.; Fisher, Abigail E.; Jorgeson, Ian A.; Scott, Andrew C.; Koeberl, Christian; Marlon, Jennifer; Severinghaus, Jeffrey; Petaev, Michail I.; Claeys, Philippe ().

    "Comprehensive refutation of the Younger Dryas Impact Hypothesis (YDIH)". Earth-Science Reviews. : doi/rev

  32. ^Bradley, James. "Honorary Degrees". Berea College Hutchins Library. Retrieved 5 February
  33. ^"() Powell = SH7 = AS1".

    Minor Planet Center. IAU. Retrieved 5 February

External links