New Associate Director for Science: Christine Wiedinmyer

CIRES welcomes Dr. Christine Wiedinmyer, an internationally recognized atmospheric scientist who will begin as our new Associate Director for Science August 21.

Wiedinmyer, who will oversee research activities and science programs at CIRES, worked as an atmospheric chemist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research for the last 15 years. There, she focused on identifying and quantifying pollutant emissions and their transport and fate in the atmosphere. Wiedinmyer has particular expertise in fire emissions and she often collaborates widely, including with health experts and policy analysts, to investigate real-world impacts of changing human activities, such as use of improved cookstove technologies in developing countries. 

“I'm very excited to have Christine join us," said CIRES Director Waleed Abdalati. "She commands great respect scientifically, is an excellent and experienced leader, and will bring a valuable new perspective to our leadership team." 

At CIRES, Wiedinmyer will divide her time between the two main locations—NOAA’s David Skaggs Research Center and the University of Colorado Boulder campus—where CIRES’ nearly 800 scientists, engineers, developers, students, and other staff work. In her new position, she’ll be responsible for managing CIRES science in service to NOAA, our primary partner. She will help the CIRES director address challenges that affect our scientists working at CU Boulder as well as at NOAA. And she will build and foster partnerships across the University of Colorado Boulder and the broader scientific community, to continue CIRES’ long-term legacy as an international leader in the Earth sciences.

Wiedinmyer, who has published more than 100 peer-reviewed papers, earned Thomson Reuters “highly cited researcher” status in 2014—an achievement shared by only about seven or eight University of Colorado Boulder faculty members most years. And she also brings to CIRES a commitment to service. Wiedinmyer helped found the Earth Science Women’s Network and now serves on the organization’s board. She has mentored early-career scientists and often speaks publicly about her service as well as her science. She tweets regularly about science (@cwiedinm) and officiates women’s lacrosse games.

Wiedinmyer earned her M.S. and Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin. She replaces Dr. Kristen Averyt, who started July 1 as Director of the Desert Research Institute in Nevada.