Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences


October 17, 2007

CIRES Directors Serving on NAS Boards

CIRES Director Konrad Steffen and Associate Director William M. Lewis are now serving on two National Academy of Sciences (NAS) boards. The NAS is "an honorific society of distinguished scholars engaged in scientific and engineering research, dedicated to the furtherance of science and technology and to their use for the general welfare."

Steffen is serving on the Polar Research Board (PRB), which "provides independent analysis to the federal government and the nation on matters of science and technology research needs, environmental quality, natural resources, and other issues in the Arctic, the Antarctic, and cold regions in general." The PRB "has a long history of distinguished service to the polar community. First established in 1958, the PRB exists to promote excellence in polar science and to provide independent scientific guidance to federal agencies and the nation on science issues in the Arctic, the Antarctic, and cold regions in general.

Lewis is serving on the Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology (BEST), which is "the National Academies' principal study unit for environmental pollution problems affecting human health, human impacts on the environment, and the assessment and management of related risks to human health and the environment. BEST addresses questions about air and water pollution; solid and hazardous waste; toxicology; epidemiology; risk assessment; applied ecology; natural resources; and environmental engineering, economics, law, and policy. The breadth and multidisciplinary character of BEST's program is reflected in the board's diverse membership, as well as its broad constituency of government and private sponsors. The oversight of BEST's program is provided by the National Research Council's Division on Earth and Life Studies."

The CIRES Director is the chief executive officer of CIRES and is responsible for scientific leadership and for the maintenance and development of scientific programs within CIRES. Among his of her many other duties, the Director is also the chief representative of CIRES outside the institute and is responsible for oversight of the CIRES budget. The Director may appoint one or more Associate Directors to perform administrative or executive tasks within the institute.